A Brief History of Peru & the Fernandez Family

 This project is based on the Fernandez family who immigrated here in 1929 from Lima, Peru. 

Although they were a family of high status, they left due to the political climate under President Leguia.

In 1919, President Augusto Leguia stages a coup and becomes president, but most consider it a dictatorship. During this time he creates a new constitution that develops the country but also increases national debt. He also amends the constitution to silence any opposition to his governing and runs for a second term unopposed due to this. By the end his second term the government collapses due to an economic depression, a border dispute with Chile, corruption, and national debt. He is overthrown in 1930 by Lt. Col. Sanchez Cerro. 

Once the family made it to the US, they settled in the Bronx. Many later moved to California. None of the family spoke English. Hilda, the main subject of this project, remained in New York.

When conducting research, we found out that on the initial immigration papers for Hilda and Elia, the youngest of the Fernandez family, Rosa Elvira was listed as their mother. This was shocking because Rosa Elvira was actually the girls maternal grandmother. Luz, or Lucy Fernandez was the biological mother but the girls actually had different fathers and both were born out of wedlock. This was incredibly scandalous at the time and to avoid any backlash from Peruvian society and the Catholic Church, they listed Rosa Elvira as their mother.

We still to this day do not know who Hilda or Elia's fathers are. 

The Fernandez family who immigrated in 1929 have all passed. 

Their lines lives on through their children and grandchildren.

Attached is a short presentation on the process and history of this project: The Fernandez Family