Latinos in New England

Latinos in New England:An Introduction

Latinos in New England: An Introduction Andrés Torres W hen the United States declared war on Mexico, more than a century and half ago, did anyone imagine that this act would ultimately bond this country into a permanent relation with our southern neighbor? It was a war of conquest, supported by the logic of Manifest Destiny and by the economic interests that desired the extension of slaveowning territories. U.S. imperial might (and Mexican internal division) dictated an easy victory, leading to the appropriation of half the land formerly belonging to Mexico. To this day Mexican-Americans can claim, with a measure of historical accuracy, ‘‘we didn’t cross the U.S. border, the U.S. border crossed us.’’ A little-known episode of the so-called Mexican War, which has ironic relevance to the present anthology, concerns the story of the San Patricios. This was a brigade of mostly Irish Americans who had been recruited to fight in the invading army, but who abandoned the U.S. side to join with the Mexicans. Like their putative enemy, these Irish had been colonial subjects and were Catholic. In the gateway cities of Boston and New York, the newcomers had been subjected to ethnic and religious discrimination . South of the border, they were enticed with promises of land and freedom if they joined the Mexican Army.1 When U.S. victory came, the San Patricios met a tragic ending, most of them executed or jailed for desertion. North of the Rio Grande history treats them as an embarrassing chapter; in Mexico City a monument preserves their names in honor for their gallantry in battle. In 1997 the Mexican and Irish governments issued commemorative stamps of the St. Patrick’s Battalion. Decades later history would record another interesting link of a Hispano-Yankee character. José Martı́, writer and freedom fighter, was a leading figure in the Cuban independence struggle. In 1869 the Spanish authorities exiled him from his homeland, after which he lived many years in Latin America and in New York City. Though he was skeptical of U.S. intentions in the Caribbean, he was an admirer of this country’s democratic ideals. Martı́ was attracted to the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the famous New England essayist and philosopher. A democrat and humanist, Emerson was an active Abolitionist and had opposed the U.S. war on Mexico. Martı́ wrote about Emerson, showing his Latin American readers that there was another side to the bellicose Giant of the North.2 In the early twentieth century, by which time the United States had replaced Spain as the dominant foreign influence in Latin America, a young Puerto Rican was studying at Harvard. His records reveal how active Pedro Albizu Campos was while living in Cambridge. In June of 1916, he wrote, ‘‘I have given lectures in Boston and other cities on LatinAmerican questions. This year I was invited to speak at the Convention of New England Immigration Secretaries. I spoke on the Monroe Doctrine at the Boston Social Science Club . . . [and gave] the welcome address at the reception given to all foreign students at Harvard.’’ Like Martı́, Albizu Campos was inspired by the democratic strain in U.S. history. After this country entered World War I, he wrote in the Harvard Crimson of ‘‘our [Puerto Ricans’] loyalty to the United States.’’ He was still concerned, however, that U.S. power was impeding Puerto Rico’s autonomy, two decades after the Spanish-American War. ‘‘We want Americans to know the facts of our situation that they may be true to themselves and find a just solution for our relations.’’3 It may be that these are but tenuous connections, individual stories plucked out of the historical record. Yet I hope they demonstrate some symbolic precedence to a reality that can no longer be denied. Latin America’s children—her Latinas and Latinos—are a permanent fixture in New England. This book assembles new writings from experts who examine the Latino impact on New England, perhaps the most tradition-bound area of the United States. A ‘‘blue state’’ region perceived as a stalwart liberal zone, many are paying attention to this part of the country as a new testing ground for social and economic policies that will challenge the area’s reputation for civil discourse and multicultural tolerance. The reality is that, in urban areas where racial/ethnic minorities are expanding their presence and asserting their rights, we observe ongoing tensions over the...