The Mexican-American War was a war over territory that lasted from 1846 to 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended a war and started a revolution. The treaty resulted in the United States acquiring land from Mexico. New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and Western Colorado were all once part of Mexico. The 1848 agreement also ensured that any Mexicans who chose to stay in the states given to the US, or immigrated would also receive equal rights.
Carlitos and his Friends Comic by Joe De Leon (Retrieved from PBS's Austin Revealed: Chicano Civil Rights "Chicano Identity" aired on May 23, 2018
Unfortunately, this was not the case. Instead, Americans of Mexican descent, also known as Chicano, were treated as second class citizens. They were not alone. Many minority groups, such as Black Americans, were also experiencing discrimination even though there were laws that were supposed to protect them. During the early 20th century many Chicano individuals tried to assimilate and even filed legal cases to have their community recognized and provided with the same rights as white Americans. Many Chicanos felt ashamed of their heritage because of the discrimination they experienced. Many denied their heritage due to shame and poor treatment. After what would be many dismissals, Chicanos began to embrace their heritage and advocate for their rights as citizens.
Frank Romero’s ¡Méjico, Mexico!, painted in 1984 ;Retrieved from the website's Los Angeles Times article "What finally broke the ‘no Chicanos’ rule at the reemergent Museum of Latin American Art";