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Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Gulf of Mexico Region

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Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Gulf of Mexico Region September 2012 Research Report #115 Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Gulf of Mexico Region scholars and thus Introduction Table 2. Groups of Interest in the Gulf of Mexico Region became a prominent As part of a larger project that Percentage discussion in our re- examines demographic and commu- Racial/Ancestry Group of Total Number view of the literature nity changes in the Gulf of Mexico Population on Vietnamese living region, we reviewed literature for African American 19.14 2,568,703 in the region. eight key racial and ethnic groups Cajun 7.81 1,092,377 with significant influence in part or Croatian .05 6,422 Here is the first all of the region. The Gulf of Mexi- in a series of eight Latino 29.72 3,988,491 co region is incrediblyLatinos diverse – with reviews. This first more than 13.5 million residents Native American .64 85,455 review discusses who trace their origins to scores of Other Asian 2.95 396,007 the experiences of places in Europe, Africa, Asia and Vietnamese 1.15 154,669 Latinos in the region, Latin America. (See Table 1.) White 63.72 8,912,239 a group that has gained significant Of these various groups, we Table 2 data from ACS five-year estimates and 2010 Decennial Census. Num- bers do not add to 100 percent because individuals can indicate more than local and national focused our reviews on eight specific one race, ethnicity or ancestry group. “Other Asian” refers to Asian groups other than Vietnamese. attention over the racial, ethnic and ancestry groups: previous 20 years as African Americans, Cajuns, Creoles, the number of Lati- Croatians, Latinos, Native Ameri- mitment to Catholicism and culture nos residing in the area, and in the cans, Vietnamese and other Asians of revelry. (See Table 2.) nation, has drastically increased as a (not Vietnamese). Though some These eight groups emerged as result of changing immigration laws of these groups may be small in significant through the existing and shifting economies1. number, their effects on the region literature that details their unique have been substantial. For instance, effects in building the culture, eco- Despite a long-standing history although only about 7.8 percent of nomic stability and political climate of Spanish presence and rule in the the residents in the region identify in the region, as well as their ties to southeastern United States, the as Cajun/French, this group has had the oil and gas industry operating in discussion here focusses upon post- significant effects on shaping the the Gulf of Mexico. For each group, World War II immigration to high- cultural and economic climate of we focused our review on common light the contemporary standing of the region through the tradition of elements such as the culture, his- this group in the Gulf of Mexico Mardi Gras, ethnic food ways, com- tory, immigration, ties to the oil and region. Upon our review of the liter- gas industry and ature, we found scholars discussing economic standing topics such as history, migration, culture, occupations, economics and Table 1. Diversity in the Gulf of Mexico Region of each group. In addition to these politics in length. Conversely, only Percentage common elements, a limited discussion of the role of Ancestry Category of Total Number Latino workers in the oil and gas Population we examined other prominent themes British 15.36 2,147,789 that emerged for French 7.81 1,092,377 particular groups. 1One point worth clarifying is the use of the terms “Hispanic” German 8.71 1,218,236 and “Latino.” While these terms often are used interchange- For instance, the ably in public discourse, they are not identical in definition. Middle Eastern .49 68,544 effects of Hurri- The term “Hispanic” refers to all Spanish-speaking peoples Northern/Eastern European 5.24 733,424 cane Katrina on the across the globe. “Latino” refers more specifically to people of Latin American origin (Odem and Lacy 2009). The following Southern European 3.09 432,724 Vietnamese fisher- literature review refers to both Hispanic populations and Subsaharan African/West Indian 1.22 170,670 men living in south- Latino populations, not as if they are always interchangeable, ern Louisiana were but with understanding that these terms occasionally are Total Population: 13,985,914 widely discussed by referring to distinct groups. In summarizing the existing lit- Table 1 data from ACS five-year estimates. erature, we chose to use the terms the original authors used. 1 LSU AgCenter Research Report #115 Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Gulf of Mexico Region: Latinos Latinos in the United States: 1980-2050 the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 (Mantero 2008). It is through 100 oral traditions, writings and art that 90 Percentage a complex life in Spanish colonial 80 settlements from the 16th to the 70 Projecons 19th centuries is revealed in current 60 day Florida, New Mexico, Georgia, 50 Percentage Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, South 40 (132.8) (108.2) 30 (85.9) Carolina, California, Missouri, Mis- (66.4) (50.5) 20 (35.3) sissippi, Kansas, Arkansas, Ala- (14.6) (22.4) 10 bama and Nebraska (Korrol 1996). 0 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 Migration Year The existing literature contains Data from United States Decennial Census. Projection data in italics from Ortman and Guarneri (2009) . (Latino population in millions in parentheses). a vast exploration of the growing Latino population in the southeast- industry and almost no discussion Spanish government remained com- ern United States since the 1990s of ties to the land or environmental mitted to its presence in the United (see Keely 1971; Mohl 2003; Kochar, justice issues that might be facing States (Mantero 2008). Suro and Tafoya 2005; Donato et al. this group of immigrants could be 2006; Hilfinger, Messias and Lacy found. Given the recent substantial Several of the southeastern 2007; and Fry 2008, to name a few). growth of Latino populations in United States were at one point Given the historical Spanish pres- this region, it is likely the scholarly or another under the rule of Latin ence in the United States, there has discussion will broaden and further American countries. For instance, been a long-standing immigrant examine the relationship Latinos from 1763 until 1793, Louisiana Latino population in the South, par- have to the Gulf of Mexico region. was part of the Diocese of Cuba. ticularly in Texas and Florida (Mohl After Louisiana came under Spanish 2003). Since the 1990s, however, Origins and History rule in 1763, nearly 2,000 Canary Latino immigration patterns have Latino populations have a long Islanders settled along the coast of shifted due to legislative and eco- and complex history in the United Louisiana (Din 1999), but this early nomic changes in the United States States. American history often group of Hispanic settlers soon and in Latin American countries, emphasizes European colonization was to be forgotten in the midst resulting in the spread of Latino along the East Coast of the country, of French immigration. Similarly, immigrants across the southeastern ignoring the Spanish colonization current day Florida remained under United States and ultimately the that predates it in the southern Spanish rule after the United States country. states. Some recent literature is be- realized independence in 1779, with ginning to reveal the long-standing history of Latinos in the United States (see Cummins 1988, Muzquiz Latino Population of the United States and 1997), however. Spanish occupa- Gulf of Mexico Region:1980 - 2010 tion in the United States actually 100 predates the founding of Jamestown by at least 100 years (Korrol 1996). 90 1980 More specifically, in the Gulf of 80 1990 Mexico region, Latino populations 70 2000 have been present since as early 60 2010 as the 16th century when Spanish 50 exploration across the southern Percentage United States became a priority for 40 the Spanish government. During the 30 17th century, Spanish occupation 20 grew in the southeastern United 10 States due to economic interests. 0 Even during a decline in the Spanish Mississippi AlabamaLouisianaFlorida TexasUnited States empire during the 18th century, the Data from 2010 United States Decennial Census. 2 LSU AgCenter Research Report #115 Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Gulf of Mexico Region: Latinos Recently, Latinos have become the largest and fastest-growing minor- ity in the United States. According to census data, during the 1990s, the Hispanic population grew nationally by 61.2 percent, bringing the total Hispanic popula- tion from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000 (Mohl 2003, Man- tero 2008). This pattern of population growth is a relatively recent trend that is arguably the re- Data from 2010 Decennial Census. Counties selected from Fannin et al. 2011. sult primarily of chang- ing immigrant legislation. A century ago, 90 percent of Traditionally, upon immigration, border control and a legalization immigrants were from Europe. In Latino immigrants settled in south- program for undocumented mi- 1965, however, the federal govern- western states such as Arizona, grants already in the United States ment passed an immigration reform California, New Mexico and Texas. (Donato et al. 1992). With the that phased out the existing quota This pattern of settlement has passing of the act, however, rather system and replaced it with one in changed with the passing of another than stopping undocumented im- which family reunification became notable piece of legislation known migration, undocumented Latino the cornerstone. The result was that as the 1986 Immigration Reform immigrants began to spread to new the ceiling on total immigrant visas and Control Act. The passing of destinations across the country.
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