President Nixon spoke to the student body at Rio Grande High School in Rio Grande City, Texas on September 22, 1972 (Richard Nixon Presidential Library)
Henry Ramirez is author of “Nixon and the Mexicans: How a Young Man Encountered the Diaspora of 1913-1930 and Made a Difference”
On this edition of the Nixon Now podcast the discussion is about the the millions of Mexicans who emigrated to the United States fleeing persecution from Marxist and revolutionary forces, and how they became part of the social fabric of America. When Richard Nixon was a young man he sympathized with their beliefs, and aspirations to attain the American dream. When Richard Nixon became president he took up their cause. Of their fathers, Nixon is recorded saying: “They are hard-working, honest, law-abiding family men and deeply Catholic.”
Our guest to discuss this subject is Dr. Henry Ramirez. Dr. Ramirez was the Chairman of President Nixon’s Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People. He went on to serve in the same post under President Reagan. He is a speaker, scholar, educator, and author of two books: “A Chicano in the White House: The Nixon No One Knew” and “Nixon and the Mexicans: How a Young Man Encountered the Diaspora of 1913-1930 and Made a Difference.”
Highlights
– Who was the Mexican Diaspora of 1913-1930?
– The Mestizo experience in Mexico.
– How did Richard Nixon come into contact with the diaspora?
– The Catholic character of the diaspora.
– The diaspora experience in the America’s Southwest.
– The creation of the Cabinet Committee for Spanish-Speaking People in the Nixon administration.
– The impact of the Nixon administration’s decision to count Mexican-Americans as part of the United States Census.
– The Nixon administration’s recruitment of hispanics to high-level government positions.
– How the Nixon’s administration initiated entrepreneurship programs for hispanics.
– How the Nixon administration considered amnesty for Mexican immigrants.
