How a Mexican President/General Kick-Started the Chewing Gum Industry

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

I love these stories that give you an insight to a part of our Latino history or culture that has been hidden, pushed aside or misrepresented.

Case in point, Chiclets.

The story goes that a merchant named Thomas Adams patented the first chewing gum manufacturing machine more than 200 years ago. And while that’s true, that’s only part of the story.

Our friends at Pa’lante Latino served up some truth on the story. They quoted a nj.com story that traced the beginning of chewing gum to the New Jersey native. But as a historical aside, nj.com mentioned this:

Thomas Adams of Hoboken thought he was going to make his fortune with chicle as a rubber substitute. Adams worked as a secretary to former Mexican president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (yes, that guy from the Alamo) when Santa Anna brought some chicle to New York in 1869. Mexicans chewed on chicle, but Adams thought it would make an excellent rubber substitute. Adams thought wrong, but didn’t get “stuck” with the product.

And you though all Santa Anna did was attack the Alamo and sell half of Mexico.

… truth be told.