Barrio Boy

Barrio Boy is a memoir by Ernesto Galarza that narrates the author’s journey from a small village in Mexico to a barrio in the United States. Considered a founding text in ethnic studies, the book was originally published in 1971 and was reissued as a 40th anniversary edition in 2011. Barrio Boy follows the author from his birth in the small town of Jalcocotán in 1905 up until high school. Galarza, who went on to become a labor organizer, activist, and professor, situates his experience of immigration within larger socio-political factors in both Mexico and the United States, including the Mexican Revolution, the complexities of immigration and acculturation, and economic hardship.

Summary

Barrio Boy begins in the small mountain town of Jalcocotán, or Jalco. Part 1 describes Ernesto’s life in the village, including his experiences cooking tamales and raising chickens and roosters as well as his interactions with his family. The slow pace of life and the routine of the village establishes a foundation for comparison to his later experiences. In the backdrop of Ernesto’s early life is increasing political unrest and the coming Mexican Revolution (1910-1920).