Being able to trace your ancestry to an immigrant of the Mayflower, is like having a sliver from the true cross where Jesus died.
This past weekend marked nine years since 3,000 people lost their lives in New York and Washington D.C., many of whom we can claim as Americans. One thing I remember about that day and the days following was how that tragic event brought Americans together. Everyone was wearing the flag of the United States. The flag of our stars and stripes was hung from every freeway overpass. Patriotism was all around you. Today Islamophobia is replacing homophobia as our outlet for hate. Americans and the Tea Party wannabes want you and I to believe that the President of the United States is a: Terrorist-coddling, Warmongering, Wall Street-Loving, Socialistic, Godless MUSLIM.
One of America's greatest strengths has always been taking in immigrants from cultures around the world, and assimilating them into our country as Americans; thus united we our stronger. By being citizens of the U.S. we are Americans first, and only, in our national loyalties. This feeling, this movement of Nationalism did not last long.
I was attending Ventura College at the time. I remember a group of students on the campus called MEChA. They were often holding rallies on the campus, speaking of La Raza and waving flags of Mexico. Another movement was starting. First State, then Federal government began building walls between Mexico and the United States; not just physical walls to keep immigrants out but social walls of discrimination.
Not too many months back I was counted for the fifth time in my life on the Census of the United States.
There were ten questions in all. This comes to my attention because most if not all of the source documents I and other genealogical researchers use, is derived from the Census data that is collected every ten years.
In 1790 the United States took its first Census. The surname and first initial of the head of the house was taken, and dash marks were placed for how many free white men there were in the household. To date the United States has now completed twenty-two counts. Each one being different from the prior. Out of the ten questions on the current 2010 Census, two questions, number eight and nine are concerned with your racial and cultural heritage. Question number eight had five questions within that question. This question wants to know if the person identifies with Spanish, Mexican, Latin, and so on, it actually said “and so on”. Question number nine gave other racial groups only one box to check. I chose White, but does that really say who I am?
Mexico is celebrating this week, 200 years of independence from Spain and 100 years since the Mexican revolution. The actual date is September 16, 1821; the war between the colonies of Mexico and Spain began in 1810. I make this comparison, as Mexico’s war was not unlike the war between the Colonist of New England and Britain or any other war to gain freedom and independence.
There have been so many wars, and so many more reasons for our ancestors to immigrate to new lands that this history is what makes the genealogy all that more interesting.
So follow me on my journey back home as I attempt to tell the whole story.