History of Mexican Americans in Metro Detroit

In 2004 58.5% of the people of Hispanic origin in the Wayne County-Macomb County-Oakland County tri-county area were Mexicans.

[1] The Hispanic population is 8% of Detroit proper, mainly Mexican and then Puerto Rican.

[2] In the 20th century the original Mexicans arriving in Detroit came from the central portion of Mexico.

The community of Mexicantown, originally known as "La Bagley", was established to provide Mexican-oriented goods and services.

Among them were the Los Caballeros Catolicos and the VFW Mexican American Post #505.

In 1961 the Comite de Festejos Guadalupanos ("Committee of Guadalupe Parties") was founded.

In 1955 the Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana ("First Baptist Mexican Church") opened and its membership was 200 families by 1960.

[9] Javier Cardenas, a native of Guadalajara who worked for WPON, started a Spanish-language radio program which began airing in October 1952.

Cardenas began directing and producing a Sunday-only program, airing from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, for WQTE in 1961.