Los Tucsonenses: The Mexican Community in Tucson, 1854–1941

by Thomas E. Sheridan

Originally a presidio on the frontier of New Spain, Tucson was a Mexican community before the arrival of Anglo settlers. Unlike most cities in California and Texas, Tucson was not initially overwhelmed by Anglo immigrants, so that even until the early 1900s Mexicans made up a majority of the town's population. Indeed, it was through the efforts of Mexican businessmen and politicians that Tucson became a commercial center of the Southwest.  Los Tucsonenses celebrates the efforts of these early entrepreneurs as it traces the Mexican community's gradual loss of economic and political power. Drawing on both statistical archives and pioneer reminiscences, Thomas Sheridan has written a history of Tucson's Mexican community that is both rigorous in its factual analysis and passionate in its portrayal of historic personages.

Genres: History, Banned Books

327 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los Tucsonenses takes a thorough look at the complexity of the Mexican Community in Tucson from its beginnings as a remote Spanish colonial military outpost in a forbidding but beautiful desert. The author analyses the changes over time, the class stratification, cultural differences, access to opportunities and education not just between Anglos, who they finally arrived and took most of the control, but also among the Mexican community itself. Settlement patterns that persist even to this day are covered. Now I understand why the south and west parts of Tucson still have a concentration of Hispanic people and culture. I loved knowing how Barrio Hollywood and other neighborhoods, some now gone, got their start. Major personalities and players in the business and middle-class Mexican community are presented. Yes, it is somewhat textbook like, but not enough to put off the "long-out-of-college" reader who wants to know in depth about this Southwestern city and why it is different from say, El Paso or Los Angeles. If Tucson is your adopted home, if you are interested in American history, or the Southwest, I would recommend this book.

[Danny Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been incredibly useful for the research on my historical novels about Arizona, particularly since my Spanish is poor and I thus otherwise wouldn't have had access to some of the Hispanic sources Sheridan used. He makes certain to cover all of the classes in Tucson and its environs from the poorest to the wealthiest, which is appreciated and sometimes rare. I only wish I'd discovered this book before my visit out there last year!

[Jerome R Petruk · Rating 3 out of 5]

While well written and full of interesting anecdotes, the author
is strongly biased against capitalism and private property. When will people who are supposed to "teach" actually "learn" that communism can't work?

[Jalice · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had that dry text-book feel. While I'm glad I read it, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to others.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The names around town make sense now! An interesting chronicle of the evolution of Tucson as it impacted the Hispanic community.