Border Citizens: The Making of Indians, Mexicans, and Anglos in Arizona

Border Citizens examines the complex racial and social dynamics of Arizona from the late 19th century through World War II. The book focuses on the interactions between Native Americans, Mexicans, and Anglo-Americans in this contested borderland region. Through extensive research and historical documentation, Meeks traces how racial categories and citizenship status shaped labor, land ownership, and social hierarchies in Arizona. The narrative follows key developments including mining operations, agricultural expansion, and federal policies that impacted different ethnic communities. The study analyzes specific cases of racial discrimination, labor exploitation, and land displacement while documenting various forms of resistance and adaptation by marginalized groups. Government programs, economic forces, and social movements all played roles in defining who could claim full citizenship rights. The work reveals how constructed racial categories served to maintain power structures and access to resources in the American Southwest. This history provides insights into the deeper roots of contemporary debates about immigration, citizenship, and ethnic relations in the borderlands.

Readers value the detailed research and documentation of how ethnic and racial categories evolved in Arizona through economic and political forces. Multiple reviews note the book provides perspectives from all groups involved - Native Americans, Mexicans, and Anglo settlers. Liked: - Clear explanation of how citizenship and racial identity were shaped by labor needs - Inclusion of oral histories and first-hand accounts - Coverage of lesser-known events like the Bisbee Deportation - Maps and photographs that support the text Disliked: - Dense academic writing style that can be difficult to follow - Some repetition between chapters - Limited coverage of the post-1970s period Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (32 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (8 reviews) One reviewer on Amazon noted: "While academic in tone, this book reveals how Arizona's ethnic divisions were deliberately constructed rather than natural or inevitable."

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🌵 The book spans nearly 200 years of Arizona history, from the Mexican-American War through the civil rights era of the 1970s, examining how racial categories shifted and evolved over time. 🏜️ Author Eric V. Meeks is an Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University and specializes in borderlands history, particularly focusing on race, labor, and identity in the American Southwest. 🌞 The Tohono O'odham people, featured prominently in the book, had their tribal lands arbitrarily divided by the U.S.-Mexico border in 1853, creating lasting complications for tribal members who traditionally moved freely across these territories. 🗺️ The book reveals how Arizona's early statehood was delayed until 1912 partly due to Anglo-American concerns about the territory's large Mexican-American population having too much political influence. 👥 Mexican Americans in Arizona were often classified as "white" by law but faced discrimination similar to non-whites, highlighting the complex and contradictory nature of racial categories in the Southwest.