Editing Jerome, Arizona (section)

===Mexican-American community===  
During Jerome’s copper boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town attracted a large number of Mexican and Mexican American workers who were recruited by the United Verde Copper Company (UVCC) to fill dangerous and physically demanding positions in the mines and smelters. These workers were often assigned the most hazardous jobs, such as ore hauling and smelting, for significantly lower wages than their white counterparts.<ref name="Gonzalez1980">Gonzalez, Mario R. ''Mexican Workers in the Arizona Copper Industry, 1900-1940.'' University of Arizona Press, 1980.</ref>  

Due to segregation policies enforced by the mining companies and local authorities, Mexican workers and their families were forced to live in Mexican Town, a segregated neighborhood located on the lower slopes of Cleopatra Hill, near the smelters and away from the more affluent areas where white miners and company officials resided.<ref name="Ortiz2004">Ortiz, Leonard. ''Jerome and the Copper Camps of Arizona: A Cultural History.'' Arcadia Publishing, 2004.</ref> Mexican Town was characterized by small, poorly constructed homes, inadequate sanitation, and a lack of access to basic amenities.  

Mexican children were also subjected to segregation in Jerome’s education system. They attended separate, inferior schools that were poorly funded and lacked resources. Teachers often had minimal training, and the curriculum was designed to provide only basic education, preparing Mexican children for low-skilled labor rather than higher education or professional careers.<ref name="Monroy1990">Monroy, Douglas. ''Rebirth: Mexican Los Angeles from the Great Migration to the Great Depression.'' University of California Press, 1990.</ref> In many cases, Mexican students were discouraged from speaking Spanish, and corporal punishment was sometimes used to enforce compliance with English-only policies.<ref name="Ruiz1998">Ruiz, Vicki L. ''From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America.'' Oxford University Press, 1998.</ref> Despite these challenges, Mexican families emphasized the importance of education and community cohesion. Parents encouraged their children to attend school and maintain a connection to their heritage and language, ensuring that cultural traditions were preserved within the community.<ref name="Acuña1988">Acuña, Rodolfo. ''Occupied America: A History of Chicanos.'' HarperCollins, 1988.</ref>

Mexican workers endured harsh treatment both in and out of the workplace. They were given the most dangerous and least desirable jobs in the mines, such as smelting and ore hauling, and were paid significantly lower wages than their white counterparts.<ref name="Gonzalez1980" /> They worked long hours in hazardous conditions with little regard for their safety. Housing in Mexican Town reflected the discriminatory policies of the time, as families lived in overcrowded, poorly maintained structures that lacked running water and adequate sanitation.<ref name="Ortiz2004" />

Despite the discrimination they faced, Mexican Town developed into a vibrant cultural hub where residents preserved their customs, language, and traditions. Families established small stores, built schools, and created churches that served as the heart of the community. Religious and cultural celebrations, including '''fiestas''' and '''festivals''', brought the community together and reinforced a sense of identity and resilience.<ref name="Ruiz1998" />

The Mexican Pool, a public swimming pool built for the community, provided a rare recreational outlet for Mexican families during a time when public facilities were segregated.<ref name="JHS2023">''Jerome Historical Society Archives.'' "Mexican Pool and Social Life in Jerome." Available at: [https://www.jeromehistoricalsociety.com](https://www.jeromehistoricalsociety.com)</ref>

As copper production in Jerome declined in the 1930s and the population dwindled, Mexican Town gradually faded away. Many families left to seek better opportunities elsewhere, while others were displaced as Jerome’s fortunes waned. Today, little remains of Mexican Town, but its history highlights the significant contributions of Mexican and Mexican American workers to Jerome’s economy and culture.<ref name="Lopez1995">López, Phillip. ''Mexican Communities in Arizona Mining Towns.'' Arizona Historical Review, Vol. 12, 1995.</ref>