Jacob and I were provided with a variety of local resource connections through our initial meeting with USCA’s Instruction/Reference Librarian, Deborah Tripp. As we expressed initial interest in examining post-war industrialism and the impacts of SRS on local migration, Deborah provided us with connections to George Wingard, a member of the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program, and recommended that we visit the Savannah River Site Museum, as well as the Aiken History Museum. In addition, she suggested going through the digital archives of local newspapers and review the archival collections of Gregg/Swint Memorial Room, which focuses on Southern economic, social, and labor history. After spending hours scouring through decades worth of newspaper articles published by the Aiken Standard and sorting through census data, I felt defeated. We couldn’t substantiate the ties between migration and SRS and, as such, Jacob and I decided to approach this from a new angle. Researching migration within South Carolina is not a simple task, given the state’s hostile racial landscape and complex history of racism, nativism, isolationism, and ethnocentric values. However, we were finally able to locate a few studies that pointed to a growing population of Mexican immigrants in Aiken and the surrounding areas. We are currently in the process of scheduling an additional meeting with Deborah Tripp to gain additional resources and instruction.

From here, we plan to gain insight into the implications of southern identity and the state’s post-war industrialization on Latino immigration. As Latino migration to the South is a relatively new trend compared to other areas of the nation, very little research has been done on the micro level. For South Carolina, and Aiken in particular, this research is virtually non-existent. We know the migration trend exists, but little attention has been given to the personal experiences of these migrants. While exploring the implications of post-war industrialization and labor, we’d like to shed light on the processes through which Mexican migrants experience South Carolina’s unique social, political, and cultural systems and how they are navigating social and cultural life in the deep south. Some possible research questions include:

 

  • What brought you to South Carolina, and to Aiken in particular? What was the migration process like?
  • Was the cultural transition easier or more difficult than you’d initially expected?
  • In what ways do you think you have changed since moving to South Carolina? Are there any new cultural practices that you’ve adopted since your move?
  • What Mexican traditions would you like to continue practicing? Is the richness of Mexican culture becoming more evident around the state?
  • How do you think your experiences in Aiken compare to those of Mexican immigrants in other areas of the country? Can you describe some of the greatest problems specifically faced by Aiken’s Mexican community?
  • Do you feel accepted as a community member? 
  • What can the city do to better accommodate the needs of its’ migrant community?