The Kennedy Corridos
Using information from Dan Dickey’s book, The Kennedy Corridos, host John Wheat Gibson explores the history of the corridos Mexican Americans wrote in memory of John F. Kennedy. Gibson explains that Mexican Americans were particularly affected by the death of John F. Kennedy, and several musicians expressed their sorrow in the form of corridos that memorialized the slain president. For many, Kennedy symbolized their social aspirations, and they felt united by their shared identity as ethnic minorities and Catholics. In several clips, the corridistas explain the sense of profound shock and sorrow they felt upon Kennedy’s death.
At least twenty corridos memorialize Kennedy and many were written in the first days and weeks after the assassination. These songs eventually reached over 45 million Mexican Americans, many of whom admired the president’s youthfulness, charisma and strength. Moreover, they felt a sense of mutual respect for the Spanish-speaking Kennedy, who had placed several Mexican-Americans in federal positions. They were also impressed with his stance on equal rights, and the corridos reflect these sentiments, often detailing his desire for equality and his ideals.
Gibson concludes that while the popularity of these corridos is fading, Kennedy’s memory lives on in the generation of Mexican Americans who witnessed his election to the presidency and tragic death.
KEYWORDS
45 RPM recordingsAbraham Lincoln
Assassination
Austin, Texas
Ballads
Barrios
California
Catholicism
Catholics
Center for Mexican American Studies
Chicano Heroes
Citizenship
Conjuntos
Consumer Culture
Corridos
Cuba
Dan Dickey
Discrimination
Economic Exploitation
Equal Rights
Homenaje a John F. Kennedy
Illinois
Jesus Christ
Jesus San Roman
John F. Kennedy
Jose Morante
La Puente, California
Machismo
Martin Rosales
Martyrs
McAllen, Texas
Mexican American Vote
Mexican Revolution
Minority citizenship
Ohio
Patriarchy
Popular Culture
Romances
San Antonio
Spanish Language music
Texas
The Kennedy Corridos