Mexican Americans are still fighting for land they were promised generations ago | Nightline
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the historical injustices faced by Mexican Americans, particularly land grant communities, after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It details the U.S.'s westward expansion, the war with Mexico, and the subsequent seizure of Mexican land. The treaty, which was meant to protect the rights of Mexican nationals, was altered by the U.S. Senate, leading to the loss of land and cultural identity. The video features interviews with descendants of these communities, who discuss their ongoing struggle for justice and the importance of preserving their heritage.
Takeaways
- 🇺🇸 The current U.S.-Mexico border was established 172 years ago, following a war between the United States and Mexico.
- 🗺️ Before the war, the southwestern United States was part of Mexico, and many Mexican nationals lived in the region.
- 📜 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war and promised citizenship and land rights to Mexicans living in the newly acquired territories.
- ❌ However, when the treaty was sent to Congress, the Senate removed the clauses protecting Mexican land claims, leading to long-term disenfranchisement.
- 🏔️ Many families, like those in Tomé, New Mexico, lost significant amounts of land due to changes in the treaty, reducing their holdings from over 100,000 acres to just 400 acres.
- 📜 The loss of land and rights deeply affected Mexican-American communities, leading to a long history of poverty, educational disparities, and loss of cultural identity.
- 🤝 Despite the challenges, efforts continue to reclaim lost land and rights, with some communities seeking reparations and official recognition of traditional land uses.
- ✊ The Chicano movement and figures like Reyes Lopez Tijerina fought for land rights and recognition, drawing attention to historical injustices.
- 🏛️ Activists are pushing for new legislation to ensure land grant communities have access to traditional land uses and to address historical grievances.
- 💪 The fight for justice continues, with families and communities striving to preserve their heritage, regain lost lands, and ensure future generations remember their history.
Q & A
What significant event happened 172 years ago that changed the southwestern region's status?
-172 years ago, the southwestern region, which is now considered part of the U.S., was actually the northernmost part of Mexico. This region wasn't part of the U.S. at all.
Why did the U.S. provoke a war with Mexico?
-The U.S. provoked a war with Mexico because many presidents believed it was America's destiny to reach the land, pushing westward to seize the land.
What was the outcome of the war between the U.S. and Mexico?
-After a long and bloody battle, the U.S. occupied much of Mexico, and the two countries decided to work up an agreement, with Mexico ceding half their country to the United States.
What was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and what was its original intent?
-The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was an agreement that gave around a hundred thousand Mexican nationals living in the ceded territories U.S. citizenship if they decided to stay. More importantly, it protected the rights of any Mexican whose land was now part of the U.S.
Why was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo significant for Mexican Americans?
-The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was significant for Mexican Americans because it was meant to protect their land claims and rights when their territories became part of the U.S. However, when the treaty was sent to Congress, the Senate removed the part that protected these land claims.
How did the removal of land claims protection from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo affect Mexican Americans?
-The removal of land claims protection from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo led to the loss of land and rights for Mexican Americans, forever changing the fate of generations to come.
What is the significance of El Cerro de Tomat in the context of the script?
-El Cerro de Tomat, established in 1739 in Tamann, New Mexico, is significant because it represents the original boundary of a land grant that has been reduced in size over the years, symbolizing the historical land disputes faced by Mexican American communities.
What does the land grant room represent for the community mentioned in the script?
-The land grant room represents the historical and cultural heritage of the community, housing documents and a patent signed by Ulysses Grant, which was granted after the war with Mexico to honor their land grant.
Why is the land so important to the people mentioned in the script?
-The land is important to the people mentioned in the script because it is tied to their identity, history, and culture. It represents their connection to their ancestors and their way of life.
What is the connection between the land grants and the Chicano movement mentioned in the script?
-The connection between the land grants and the Chicano movement is that the movement aimed to reclaim the indigenous heritage and original belongings to the territories, with a significant part of the movement focusing on honoring the land grants as per the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
What are the current efforts to address the historical injustices faced by land grant communities?
-Current efforts include legislation to create a federal definition of traditional uses on federal lands for land-grant communities, requiring federal agencies to work with and consult these communities. There are also dreams of reparation, such as monetary compensation for the hardships endured and the possibility of buying back land.
Outlines
🌎 Historical Land Dispute and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The paragraph delves into the historical context of the U.S.-Mexico border, highlighting the territorial shifts that occurred 172 years ago when the southwest region, now part of the U.S., was once Mexico's northern territory. It discusses how President James Polk's westward expansion ambitions led to war with Mexico, resulting in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty was supposed to grant citizenship to Mexicans living in the ceded territories and protect their land rights. However, the U.S. Senate removed provisions protecting land claims, setting a precedent for the disenfranchisement of Mexican-Americans. The narrative also touches on the personal stories of families like the Padillas, who have deep roots in the region and have faced land dispossession over the years, reflecting the broader historical struggle of Mexican-Americans.
🏡 The Struggle for Land Rights and Community Identity
This paragraph focuses on the ongoing struggle of land grant communities in New Mexico to regain their ancestral lands and the recognition of their rights as per historical treaties. It discusses the disparities in poverty and education faced by these communities and how the land grant and treaty issues are considered the first Latino civil rights issues in the U.S. that remain unresolved. The paragraph also explores the historical disenfranchisement of Mexican citizens by territorial governments, which viewed only whites as deserving full citizenship. It includes personal accounts from community members who are fighting for justice and the recognition of their land grants, emphasizing the deep connection between their identity and the land they have inhabited for generations.
🔥 The Chicano Movement and the Fight for Land Reparations
The final paragraph discusses the Chicano Movement's role in reclaiming the indigenous heritage and land rights of Mexican-Americans. It recounts the story of Reyes López Tejería, who in the 1960s raised awareness about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the impending loss of land for Mexican-Americans. The paragraph details the movement's efforts to change laws and gain recognition for land grants, leading to a courthouse raid and subsequent conflict. It also touches on current legislative efforts to define traditional uses of federal lands for land-grant communities and the dream of land reparation, which includes monetary compensation for the hardships endured by these communities. The narrative concludes with a commitment to preserving their history and culture, reflecting a坚韧不拔的精神 and a determination to protect their land and legacy for future generations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
💡Land Grants
💡Manifest Destiny
💡Mexican-American
💡Racism
💡Chicano Movement
💡Landless Land Grant
💡Reparation
💡Cultural Identity
💡Dispossession
Highlights
The U.S.-Mexico border was not always as it is today; 172 years ago, the Southwest was part of Mexico.
President James Polk provoked war with Mexico to expand U.S. territory.
After the war, Mexico ceded half of its country to the U.S. under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The treaty was supposed to protect the land claims of Mexicans now living in the U.S., but this part was removed by the Senate.
The removal of land protection led to the disenfranchisement of Mexican Americans.
The land grant community of Tamann, New Mexico, has lost significant land over the years.
Efforts are being made to reclaim land and preserve the community's heritage.
The land grant room contains a patent signed by President Ulysses Grant, acknowledging the community's land grant.
Land grant heirs are working to address historical injustices and disparities.
The federal government has often failed to uphold promises made to Mexican Americans.
The loss of land has had a profound impact on the culture and identity of Mexican Americans.
Racism against Mexican Americans is deeply rooted and has been felt at institutional and individual levels.
The Chicano movement seeks to reclaim indigenous heritage and honor land grants.
Current legislation aims to define traditional uses of federal lands for land-grant communities.
The dream of reparation includes the return of land and monetary compensation for historical wrongs.
A museum is being opened to preserve the history and legacy of the land grant community.
The community is committed to protecting their land and heritage for future generations.
Transcripts
many people think of the dividing line
between the u.s and mexico
as fixed as something that's always been
there
but 172 years ago what we now consider
the southwest
wasn't part of the u.s at all it was
actually
the north most part of mexico
but the u.s was not content with what it
had
pushing westward to seize the land that
many presidents believed was america's
destiny
to reach that goal president james polk
provoked war with mexico
after a long and bloody battle the u.s
occupied much of mexico
the two countries decided to work up an
agreement and mexico
ceded half their country to the united
states
this part is important there was an
agreement called
the treaty of guadalupe hidalgo it gave
around a hundred thousand mexican
nationals living in those territories
citizenship if they decided to stay but
more
importantly the agreement protected the
rights of
any mexican whose land was now part of
the u.s
but when the treaty got sent to congress
the senate
removed the part that protected the land
claims
of mexicans who now lived in america
this would forever change the fate of
generations
of mexican americans to come
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
your body tells you when to stop it
my family has settled this area for
literally
centuries so we have very deep
deep native roots here
[Music]
we're at the top of el cerro de tomat in
tamann new mexico
established in 1739
our eastern boundary was the top of the
crest the crest of the mountain the
manzano mountain
so that was the original boundary
we've lost some land through the years
at one point
several years ago we were a landless
land grant literally
and we originally had 123 000 acres of
land
today thomas has approximately
400 acres
[Music]
my name is andrea padilla
america owes us the opportunity
to take care of our own communities
my name is rita padilla gutierrez i
think regaining some of our land back
would be justice
[Music]
[Music]
this is kind of our land grant room here
we have the
patent signed by ulysses grant
this is the patent that was granted
after the war
uh with mexico and the trio of algo
to honor our land grant and it's signed
by ulysses grant who was president at
the time
seal and everything granting us that our
land grant would continue to be ours
so this is it again but then later they
stole our mountain so
my name is arthur archuleta i'm a land
grant heir to two land grants the
manzano and the tierra malia land grant
we're a land-based people half of our
soul was here before columbus ever hit
the sand
we come from some of the spanish
communities that came over
as well as native american communities
so we really are sort of mestizo we're
mixed
[Music]
this was my grandfather's plot so this
is a traditional hakal
house on this side you can see they
actually used adobe
my dad grew up here but then he left in
the 70s didn't have opportunities
[Music]
that's the stuff that's hard to swallow
when you're like man like this is
something that was in our family and it
belonged to
us and because the circumstances beyond
our control the loss of the commons the
poverties
that created this drives the work that i
do working with land grant communities
and trying to
get justice for our communities
there's a huge disparity here in terms
of poverty in terms of education
these communities have been left behind
the land grant and the treaty issues is
probably what you consider the first
latino issue in this country
and it's still unresolved
what happened with mexican americans in
some ways is a quintessential
american story we like to tell ourselves
that we are a country of great values
and that we follow through on the
promises that we make
but again and again we saw that the
federal government would make promises
to groups and then would just turn its
back
on those promises when mexico negotiates
the treaty in good faith assuming that
all of its citizens rights will be
respected
what it doesn't understand is that for
the united states
only whites have the right to full
citizenship
and so the territorial government
systematically
go about disenfranchising all
mexican citizens who they deem to not be
[Music]
white
so this is a collection of documents
that spans all the way from the late
spanish colonial period all the way
through
the 20 years into the u.s territorial
period
this grant goes from over 400 000 acre
grant to a 1422 acre grant
so this is the 38 000 acres and they're
reduced down to about 4 500 acres
you know the longevity that we have in
this place
you know that these communities existed
100 150 years before the tree of
guadalupe
but it's beyond sensitive place it's
also this commitment that you have to
make sure this place survives
our identity is tied to place but we
don't see that place having
an identity without us either so it
defines us
just as much as we define it
[Music]
it hurt my father deeply because he
fought to the very end
you know telling people you can't do
this can't do this once you sell your
land that's it
you're nothing you lose your culture you
lose everything this land should have
never been sold it should still be ours
so people who didn't have a lot of
acreage
other than that lost their way of life
[Music]
i just don't think people get the the
passion
that's attached to this it's the um
the history for god's sake
[Music]
plain and simple your language your
customs your
food your traditions
but for us it's being a land-based
people
today there's a lot of rhetoric about
the mexicans and anti-mexican
it does hit me in the heart
they're bringing drugs they're bringing
crime
they're rapists what happens when the
vast majority of those people are
dispossessed and that land is given to
white settlers
the representation of mexicans as these
barbarous indians
that's enunciated every day when we hear
mexicans described as
rapists murderers and thieves we always
worked hard
and and we made a living and we did the
right thing so when they talk about lazy
mexicans or these mexicans are all drug
dealers and murderers i'm like
where i haven't seen that i'm not you
know
some of these questions of racism that
are resurfacing you know for communities
like us we know it's never gone away
it's not like a surprise or a shock that
oh my gosh like
how did this country become so racist
we've always felt it
we've always known it we've been on the
receiving end of it either through the
institutions
through the bureaucracies or at the
individual level
[Music]
back in the 60s there was an individual
by the name of
reyes lopez tejerina
or 15 million spanish americans
throughout the southwest
have a great reason to fight for the
treaty
he came to new mexico preaching the
treaty
and telling the people that they were
going to lose their land that kind of
culminates
in a courthouse a raid it ends up in a
shootout
like hey there's a civil war in new
mexico and these people are fed up and
they send in the national guard
they put all the heirs of different land
grants that were the followers of te
karerena
in a corral like sheep
so the move to chicano chicanex is
precisely
a move to reclaim our own indigenous
heritage our own original belongings to
these territories
right that's why the rest movement is a
huge part of the chicano movement
because they were
articulating it concretely saying like
we have these land grants
and we want these land grants honored
as per the treaty of guadalupe he opened
our eyes he taught us
and he always said no change the law and
we've always tried that
[Music]
my name is arturo archuleta and i'm here
on behalf of the new mexico land grant
council
[Music]
so what the current legislation does is
it would create a federal definition
of traditional uses on federal lands for
land-grant communities
access to fuel wood for example to heat
your home access to
pasture to graze livestock and it would
also require that the federal
agencies work with land grant
communities and consult with them
the dream of reparation would be that
we'd get our land back
i also think our communities are due
some type of a reparations
in terms of a monetary compensation for
all the hardships that they've endured
what that figure looks like to us if we
did a calculation probably about 2.7
billion dollars
not to pay out individuals but to pay
out our communities for community
development
and to buy it back land
[Music]
we're going to have a museum open to the
public the old jail where we think
billy the kid spent one night
the idea is to to keep the legacy alive
do not
destroy and forget the history we don't
want handouts we want to provide for
ourselves
so justice would be giving us that
opportunity to do that
i know that the hard work of my dad and
my grandfather and my great grandfather
that their blood sweat and tears
that that's something that i have to
make sure that
none of that was for vain and that their
hopes and dreams survive on
and they survive on in my kids and their
kids we've always been here
and we're not going anywhere this is who
we are this is where we come from this
is our land
and we're going to protect it and we're
going to continue to be here as long as
we possibly can
hi everyone george stephanopoulos here
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