YSU Speakers discuss the impact of Hispanics living in the U.S.

The panel also discussed the increase of the Hispanic population.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The acceptance of minority groups in the United States has come a long way.
Dr. George Beelen, a retired professor of history at Youngstown State University, noted that, two years ago, the Canfield schools elected a Puerto Rican girl as homecoming queen.
In the 1920s, Canfield was the home of the Ku Klux Klan, Beelen said.
"It's come a long way," Beelen said of the acceptance of minorities. He was among speakers Friday at a YSU forum titled "Hispanics: America's Largest Minority."
U.S. Census figures show that Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States with blacks second.
However, in Ohio and Pennsylvania and the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, blacks by far remain the largest minority, followed by Hispanics.
The forum focused on the national impact of the Hispanic population increase.
Beelen said the large numbers of Hispanics gives them the opportunity to participate in government.
Looking ahead
Atty. Edwin Romero, whose ancestors came from Puerto Rico, and who is a former Youngstown law director, said there will be a much greater infusion of Hispanic culture.
Latin music awards are already broadcast on national television, he noted.
Hispanics came to America in a number of ways: through land taken in the U.S.-Mexican war in 1846, Cubans fleeing communist President Fidel Castro and from U.S. encouragement of educated and skilled workers to immigrate.
Hispanics came to the Mahoning Valley in the 1940s and 1950s to work in the steel mills, about 90 percent from Puerto Rico, Atty. Romero said, adding, "They came here looking for a better life."
The attorney said he was born in Youngstown but couldn't speak English until he started kindergarten.
Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, he said. There may be tensions with other Hispanic groups who didn't get that right easily and there are cultural and language differences between Hispanic groups, he noted.
Dr. David Porter, said it isn't clear if Hispanics will eventually become part of American culture, or whether Hispanics and others will be what the speakers described as a salad -- mixed but separate in America.