Publisher's Synopsis
By digging up Spanish sources and revisiting English sources, Lori Lee Wilson discovered previously unrecognized cultural and political forces that shaped the Joaquìn 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 Joaquìn band played in the Spanish-language newspapers of the time and their view of the vigilante response. The Joaquìn Band is a fascinating examination of the role of the Joaquìn band legend in California and Chicano history and how it was shaped over time.