Chili Queens were Mexican food entrepreneurs from San Antonio, Texas, who merged the domestic kitchens of their homes with the public kitchens of their food stands during the early part of the 20th century. This collection examines the history of Chili Queens--Mexican American working-class women who sustained family economies through their culinary labor and entrepreneurial knowledge in the public plazas of the city from 1880-1937-- within the context of economic, labor, and gender exploitation. Furthermore, this collection examines repressive city ordinances that sought to control, and eventually banned, Chili Queens from selling their food in the plazas, as well as the appropriation and commodification of Mexican food by White restauranteurs and food industrialists who sold chili-based foods for tourist consumption and profit. Lastly, this collection highlights the agency of Mexican American women who used various strategies of negotiation to challenge the racist and sexist narratives of Mexican American working class women.  Despite these oppressive constructions of Mexicanness, Chili Queens asserted their agency by using various strategies to sell food on their own terms. 

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Social Studies Grade 8:

8.23E identify the political, social, and economic contributions of women to American society

Social Studies  and MAS High School:

WG. 17D evaluate the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural societies

WH.23A describe the changing roles of women, children, and families during major eras of world history

US.25C explain how the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, gender and religious groups shape American culture

MAS 7D analyze the economic contributions of the Mexican American labor force;

10D identify the contributions of women such as Sandra Cisneros and Norma Alarcón