Rieles y Raíces: Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest

Over a century has passed since the first wave of Mexican immigrants arrived in Chicago–many were directly recruited by the railroad companies that put Chicago on the map. However, the history of Mexican and Mexican-American traqueros (railroad workers) in the Midwest remains overlooked. Through a community collection process and archival research, the exhibition Rieles y Raíces (tracks and roots) aims to tell the chapter of traqueros and the communities they built, often along the rieles they maintained.