Porvenir massacre: Did US army have larger role in 1918 killings?

New Scientist

11 Dec 202206:10

Summary

TLDROn January 28, 1918, in Porvenir, Texas, 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting, their town burned to the ground. The massacre remained largely unheard of until an archaeological survey in 2015 uncovered evidence of U.S. military involvement. The violence occurred during the Mexican Revolution, fueled by anti-Mexican sentiment. Historian Julie Prieto explains the context of border conflict and vigilante actions by Texas Rangers. The descendants of the victims seek justice and commemorate their ancestors, while the archaeological findings challenge previous understandings of the U.S. military's role.

Takeaways

🗓️ On January 28, 1918, the town of Porvenir, Texas, witnessed a horrific event where 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting.
🔥 The town was subsequently burned to the ground, and the massacre was largely forgotten for a century.
🔍 In 2015, an archaeological survey at the massacre site uncovered fragments of bullets and bones, revealing evidence of U.S. military involvement.
🌐 The Porvenir Massacre occurred amidst the Mexican Revolution, a period of conflict that heightened anti-Mexican sentiment near the U.S.-Mexico border.
👥 Historian Julie Prieto explains that the mass migration of Mexican refugees into the U.S. during the revolution led to anxieties within the white Texan community.
🛡️ Texas Rangers, who were loosely organized militias at the time, were among the vigilante groups that responded with unjust brutality to perceived threats.
🏞️ Porvenir is just one of many massacres that took place in Texas along the border during this period, with Texas Rangers implicated in many such incidents.
🧑‍👩‍👧‍👦 Descendants of the massacre victims have come together to commemorate their ancestors and seek justice, highlighting a long-ignored part of history.
🔬 The 2015 archaeological findings, including 13 bullets and bullet fragments, suggest that military-issued weapons were used, pointing to a more significant U.S. military role than previously acknowledged.
🏛️ The new evidence complicates contemporary accounts that suggested the U.S. Army was present but not directly involved in the killings, raising questions about the extent of their involvement.

Q & A

What event occurred in Porvenir, Texas on January 28, 1918?
-On January 28, 1918, the town of Porvenir, Texas, experienced a massacre where 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting, and the town was burned to the ground.
Why was the Porvenir Massacre initially forgotten?
-The Porvenir Massacre remained largely unheard of for a century due to its occurrence during a chaotic period of the Mexican Revolution, where many violent incidents were happening along the U.S.-Mexico border.
What role did the Mexican Revolution play in the context of the Porvenir Massacre?
-The Mexican Revolution, with its violence and displacement of people, led to raids and robberies that spilled over into the U.S., causing heightened tensions and anti-Mexican sentiment, which in turn influenced the events leading to the massacre.
Who were the Texas Rangers and what was their involvement in the massacre?
-The Texas Rangers were a loosely organized militia at the time, and they were involved in the execution of the 15 innocent villagers of Porvenir. They were part of vigilante groups formed to police the violence along the border.
How did the discovery of bullets and bones in 2015 change the understanding of the Porvenir Massacre?
-The 2015 archaeological survey revealed evidence of U.S. military involvement, which contradicted previous understanding that the U.S. military had only a minor role in the massacre.
What was the significance of the bullet with a bone fragment found during the archaeological survey?
-The bullet with a bone fragment embedded in it was significant as it provided a tangible link to the violence of the massacre and underscored the gravity of the historical crime scene being investigated.
What were the findings of the forensic ballistic analysis of the ammunition found at the massacre site?
-The forensic ballistic analysis suggested that most of the ammunition found was fired from military-issued pistols or rifles, implicating the military's involvement in the massacre.
How did the local community respond to the massacre and its aftermath?
-The community of Porvenir was decimated by the massacre, with the town being burned down, and many descendants of the victims have been seeking justice and commemorating their ancestors.
What is the current mission of the descendants of the Porvenir Massacre victims?
-The current mission of the descendants is to raise awareness about the massacre, seek justice for their ancestors, and ensure that their history is not forgotten.
What is the significance of the archaeological survey for the descendants and the broader understanding of the massacre?
-The archaeological survey provides tangible evidence of the massacre, which helps to validate the experiences of the descendants and contributes to a more accurate historical account of the event.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Rediscovering the Porvenir Massacre

The town of Porvenir, Texas, was the site of a forgotten massacre on January 28, 1918, where 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting. The town was burned to the ground, and the massacre remained largely unknown for a century. In 2015, an archaeological survey discovered bullets and bones, revealing U.S. military involvement. The massacre occurred during the Mexican Revolution, a period of conflict that heightened anti-Mexican sentiment along the U.S.-Mexico border. The violence spilled over into the U.S., leading to raids and robberies that further strained relations. The Texas Rangers, a loosely organized militia, were responsible for the massacre, which was one of many during the revolution. Descendants of the victims have reunited to commemorate their ancestors and seek justice. The archaeological findings have been recently published, revealing the site's location and providing evidence of military-issued ammunition, implicating the military in the massacre.

05:02

🕵️‍♂️ Investigating the Porvenir Massacre

The Porvenir Massacre is a significant event in U.S.-Mexico border relations that has only recently come to light. The archaeological findings at the massacre site have complicated the previous understanding of the U.S. military's role. While it was initially thought that the military only escorted the Texas Rangers and stood by during the massacre, the new evidence suggests a more direct involvement. The discovery of bullets and cartridges indicates that the ammunition was likely fired from military-issued weapons. This challenges contemporary accounts and raises questions about the military's actions. The descendants of the victims, like Arlindo Valencia, carry the memory of their ancestors with them every day and are committed to ensuring that their story is not forgotten. The ongoing investigation into the massacre seeks to uncover the full extent of the military's involvement and to bring a sense of closure and justice to the descendants.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Porvenir Massacre

The Porvenir Massacre refers to the tragic event in 1918 where 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting in the town of Porvenir, Texas. This massacre is central to the video's theme, illustrating a dark chapter in U.S.-Mexico border relations marked by racial tensions and violence. The script mentions that the town was burned to the ground, and the event was largely forgotten until archaeological evidence resurfaced in 2015.

💡Extrajudicial shooting

An extrajudicial shooting is the killing of a person by government officials or their agents without the sanction of any legal proceedings. In the context of the video, this term is used to describe the unlawful and unjust killings of 15 individuals in Porvenir, highlighting the video's focus on historical injustices and human rights abuses.

💡Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution, occurring from 1910 to 1920, was a major armed struggle that transformed Mexican governance and society. The video connects the Porvenir Massacre to the chaos of this period, emphasizing how conflict and anti-Mexican sentiment along the U.S.-Mexico border led to violence and atrocities like the one in Porvenir.

💡Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers were a loosely organized militia involved in maintaining law and order in Texas, often with controversial methods. In the video, they are implicated in the Porvenir Massacre, demonstrating the video's exploration of state-sponsored violence and its impact on communities.

💡Anti-Mexican sentiment

Anti-Mexican sentiment refers to the prejudice and discrimination against people of Mexican origin. The video discusses how this sentiment was inflamed during the Mexican Revolution, leading to increased violence and the massacre in Porvenir, thus illustrating the historical context of racial tensions.

💡Archaeological survey

An archaeological survey is a systematic examination of an area to identify and record archaeological evidence. The video mentions a 2015 survey at the massacre site, which uncovered bullets and bones, providing physical evidence of the historical event and contributing to the narrative of uncovering and acknowledging past injustices.

💡U.S. military involvement

The video reveals that forensic evidence from the archaeological survey suggests U.S. military involvement in the massacre, complicating the historical understanding of the event. This keyword is crucial as it broadens the scope of responsibility and implicates a broader range of authorities in the tragedy.

💡Descendants

Descendants are the children, grandchildren, and subsequent generations of a person. The video features the descendants of the Porvenir Massacre victims, emphasizing the ongoing impact of historical events on families and communities, and their quest for justice and recognition.

💡Commemoration

Commemoration is the act of remembering and honoring a person or event. The video discusses how descendants of the massacre have reunited to commemorate their ancestors, indicating the video's focus on the importance of remembering history and honoring the victims.

💡Justice

Justice in this context refers to the pursuit of fairness and accountability for past wrongs. The video highlights the descendants' efforts to seek justice for their ancestors, reflecting the ongoing struggle for recognition and redress for historical injustices.

💡Vigilante groups

Vigilante groups are self-appointed individuals who take the law into their own hands, often with violent means. The video mentions the formation of such groups during the Mexican Revolution, indicating the breakdown of formal law enforcement and the rise of self-styled protectors, which contributed to the climate of violence.

Highlights

On January 28, 1918, the town of Porvenir was destroyed and 15 Mexican-American men and boys were killed in an extrajudicial shooting.

The massacre was largely unheard of for a century until an archaeological survey in 2015 uncovered evidence.

Historian Julie Prieto explains the context of the Mexican Revolution and its impact on U.S.-Mexico border relations.

The violence during the revolution led to the displacement of Mexicans and raids into the U.S., causing tension.

The Porvenir Massacre was one of many along the Texas border, with many perpetrated by the Texas Rangers.

Descendants of the massacre