After the U.S.-Mexican War, gold was discovered in northern
California, a Mexican territory that had been ceded to the United
States. Thousands of Mexican and American citizens traveled to the
gold region and soon clashed. The ruling Americans enforced unjust
laws that impelled some Mexicans to become bandits, Joaquin
Murrieta among them. He became something of a media myth, with a
few newspaper editors complaining that he was reportedly seen in
two or more counties at once. In 1854 journalist John Rollin Ridge
published a book about the legendary Joaquin band, with news
accounts providing the foundation for Ridge's story. In one
newspaper, Murrieta was quoted as saying he had suffered abuse at
the hands of Americans and so was justified in seeking revenge by
trampling their laws under foot. Murrieta's justification became an
oft-repeated refrain among bandits, one designed to excite sympathy
and gain followers.
By digging up Spanish sources and revisiting English sources, Lori
Lee Wilson discovered previously unrecognized cultural and
political forces that shaped the Joaquin band legend. She reveals
the roots of an American fear of a Mexican guerrilla band threat in
1850 and the political and societal response to that perceived
threat throughout the decade. Wilson also examines how the Joaquin
band played in the Spanish-language newspapers of the time and
their view of the vigilante response. "The Joaquin Band" is a
fascinating examination of the role of the Joaquin band legend in
California and Chicano history and how it was shaped over time.
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