identity is rooted in its railroads.

But an important part of that history.

>> He's long gone untold in the early 19, 100's Mexican railroad workers helped shape the city's infrastructure.

Our reporter join Hernandez went to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen to learn more.

>> Literally 100 years ago if a Mexican came to Chicago and you weren't taking airplane and you weren't taking the highway because it didn't exist.

You are literally taking the train.

And when you landed in Chicago at Union Station or any of the stations on time, the job the most readily available was a rebel doubt or a steel jobs are on.

The stockyards of meet is by way of Co-creator of the LSU basis.

>> exhibition takes a closer look at a time Mexican workers were in high demand and the routes they planted still sheep.

These communities today.

>> This is an example of a newspaper, the Burlington Railroad going to Mexico in asking Mexican workers to come work in Chicago and across the Midwest.

>> A collection of photos reveals a lives families built in Chicago and its suburbs.

Census records help trace some of those families to box car settlements along the tracks.

>> We were able to find Mexicans living along boxcar communities right by Midway Airport in Englewood, we found boxcar communities near Blue Island, even as far south, as for example, on 75th and Western in that big railroad yard.

>> Maps, photographs and personal fines show how communities carry their culture with them.

For example, they built a chapel in that blast.

Her community.

>> And that image of beacon of light will pay the image that was hanging inside of the box car 100 years ago in Aurora, Illinois.

>> It's a passion project he says led him to uncover a personal family connection.

my grandpa told me that I have a great uncle who worked the railroad and he was based out of California.

I'm thinking I was going to find document from California signed a definitive document and it says that he was a section labor.

In 1926.

To 1932.

In the maintenance away department.

>> Ottawa, Illinois, so literally about an hour away from here.

I had an uncle who was living here with his family.

>> The exhibit explores World War.

2 and how a massive labor shortage sparked the but I settle program bringing millions of Mexican workers to farms and railroads across the country.

This is literally of magazine from 1943.

>> And you have literally in the magazine is a bilingual magazine that the child for this edition.

It's a full dollar.

The Federal County soldiers of the railroad.

So while we have soldiers abroad of fighting the Nazis, we have soldiers internally making sure that that our supplies were getting delivered.

>> You said this was a time where America embraced.

America, but the unity Mexicans that were being embraced during this era because they needed to fulfill that labor shortage.

Now.

>> What is really a drastic and almost up a critical that a few years later when we get to that after the war time period, goal into the 1950's and that's when we have operation went back.

>> A photo shows ICE agents deporting Mexicans along the same railroad tracks us as Mexican laborers helped to build.

>> And we're literally moment in history where history repeating itself.

Every it deportation campaigns happen.

The 1930's deportation company happen in the 1950's and happening today.

And it's really important for us to see that we we literally have examples of kettles of the Mexican road workers in Chicago who have bought homes.

And few years later they're dealing with getting deported and are writing letters to their loved ones.

Checking up at the half is still standing still be able our pain the morning to the House.

>> Well, the U.S.

hopes uncovering this piece of history inspires others.

>> This is not just about railroads.

I hope that, you know, come here, boys and girls of all kinds and get inspired to beginning of their history and something they'll have an exhibit.

>> For Chicago tonight, I'm joined on this.

>> The exhibition is free at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.

We're back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Reflecting the people