Paisasontheplains
I. Mexicans in Kansas?
“Thefirstthingthefamilyhadtodoupontheirarrivalwasscrubitdown.Afterthechickens,it wasdirty,Mrs.Rodriguezremembers.”
ItwastimeforbeetthinninginGardenCityandMrs.MariaRodríguezmovedherfamily intotheiremployer’schickencoop.Iimaginesheprobablyhadherdaughters,DoloresandSue, sweepthefloorstocleartheplacefromhayandclumpsofgreendroppings.Afterwards,thegirls likelyhelpedtheirfather,Hesiquio,inthefields.Theywouldloosentheearth,griptheleavesof thevelvetyvegetables,andripthemfromthegroundintothecoolmorningair
Iclosetheenvelopecontainingthe1976 Garden City Telegraph articleaboutMariaand returnittothedesk.MybackshiftsinthestiffchairtomakemyselfcomfortableintheKansas HistoricalSociety’sreadingroom.Lastyear,aprofessorsharedwithmetheoldestcorrido,or Mexicanballad,writtenintheU.S.:“ElCorridodeKiansis[orKansas].”Mispaisanoswerehere longerthanIknew IfoundtheSueRodríguezPhotographcollectionwhosesubjects,the Rodríguezes,arrivedtothestatealmostacenturybeforemyfamily Readinganobjective accountoftheirlivesina Kansas History journalarticlefeltimpersonal,evendehumanizing.In thearticle,theywereonlyapieceofevidenceinhistorianHenryÁvila’sargument.Iwantedto gettoknowtheRodríguezesintheircomplexitytohonorthem.WhileIwasinKansasforwinter break,mydadtookadayofffromworktodrivemeacrosstheplainstolookattheirpictures.As wedrove,wesawthesunlightthesky’scloudsonfire.Now,raysoflightbrightenthewooden tablesofthearchive.
DidIfilloutmynextcallslipincorrectly?No.Theyoungarchivist’sassistantwalksover toshylyadmitthattheylostthefile.Herbrownbobbouncesabovetheneckofherfadedgreen
sweaterasshereturnstoslouchatherstation.“Perdieronelarchivo,”Itextmydad.
Itwasanhourbeforetheworkercamebacksmilinginreliefandholdingaworntan folder,togetherwithtwoleft-handedwhitecottongloves.Islipononeoftheglovestoprepareto movetheimagesasItakepicturesonmyiPhonewithmyotherhand.AsIcarefullyopenSue’s donatedcollection,suspiciousgreenandwhitegrainssprawlacrossthespineofthetanfile.The portfoliospilledwithcrumblingpiecesofarodent’sshit!Ijerkmyglovedhandawayandthe coverclosesinonitself.
“Lisa –
This is what I could learn about the Sue Rodriguez collection I hope this helps some.
Diane”
InmysecondattempttounderstandtheRodríguezes'lives,Ialmostignorethenote writtenonasmallindexcardatthetopofthestackofphotographsandpapers.WhoisDiane? WhyshouldIcareaboutthisnote?MariaprobablyhadnowaytorespondtothedetailsDiane collectedaboutherandherfamily AnotherpartofmethanksDianeforherattemptsto reconstructtheirlives.However,wouldshehavescribbledfewerquestionmarksinhernotesif shejustcalledtheRodríguezes?SheknewthatSueandmostofhersiblingswerealiveasshe listedlivingmembersofthefamilyonalinedpieceofpaper.Dianefollowedtheirlives throughcensusrecordsandbybuildingapreliminaryvisualcatalogoftheirphotos.Shewrote “noinformation”or“possibly...Rodríguez”todescribeseveraloftheseimages.Ihadto
figurethisoutonmyown.
ThephotosofMaria’sfamilysitintwounchronologicalstacksofsquarereproductions. Theblurryblack-and-whitepicturesshowMexicansinbeetfields,parks,parties,andwarsacross the20thcentury MyhandsworkthroughthemslowlyasIturneachphotoovertoreadDiane’s print.Ifeelthesharpedgesofeachphotopressingonmyskinthroughtheglove.
IholdtheoldestportraitofMariaandHesiquio,dated1912-1913,anunfinishedpuzzle withlostpieces.Inrolled-upslacksandanunbuttonedjacket,Hesiquiosolemnlystandsup behindher Darkstrandsofhairsplitintotwothickwavesanddecoratehisfuzzyface.Maria lookssternlyatmepastthephoto’scracksandchippedspecksassheholdshersleeping daughterDoloreslikeatrophy
ExposurekilledDolores’twooldersiblingswhentheyfirstlivedinatentbythe railway The Telegraph reporterwrotethat“[t]herewaslittlemoney,andrailroadofficials allowedtheirworkersnotimeofftobebuildinghomes.”HesiquioandMariawouldcherish
theirsurvivingkidsandgrandchildrendeeply.
IrememberthatthenewspaperarticlesaidthatHesiquioleftMexicotoworkinthe UnitedStates“afterbeingbeatenbypoliceforbeingaftercurfew.”Hewentbackto “Purguandiro”orPuruándiro,MexicotomarryMariaAlonso,hischildhoodsweetheart,andthe daughterofthekeepersofan“affordablekitchen.”Thebusinesswasaplacewhereworkers couldgetaquickhomecookedmeal.ThecouplecouldnotseethemselveslivinginMexico–theydidnotsupportthegovernmentunderadictatorship,andheldalmostnoformaleducation duetothestate’slimitededucationofferings.Thearticlealsostatedthat“agriculturalwagesin Mexicowerelow,andthecouplethoughttheycouldn’tdomuchworseinKansas.”The newlywedsarrivedatGardenCityin1909tohelpbuildthetownasitboomedwiththe Atchison,Topeka,&SantaFerailroad,beetfields,andthesugarfactory AccordingtoDiane’s annotatedregistrationsheetonalienarrivals,theMexicanRevolutioneruptedtheyearafter HesiquioandMariacrossedatElPasowith$3.Iimaginedthattheycouldnowbreatheeasily nowthattheywereinKansas.
Thetownknewwhatwoulddrawpeopletoliveandinvestintheplace“wherethe rainbowtouchestheground.”Intheseadvertisingpamphlets,theGardenIndustrialClub the town’sunofficialchamberofcommerce celebratesitsinitiatives.Theseprojectsweremade possiblebyMexicanmigrantsincludingthecity’sone-million-dollarfactorythatproduced refinedsugarfromthebeetsharvestedbyMexicanhands.However,whereweretheworkers whobuiltthetown?Idugthrougheverypageofthepamphlet.Mariatold The Evening Telegraph withconvictionthatHesiquioworkedinthefactory,fields,andthestreetsasa maintenanceman.
Thenextphotothatcatchesmyeyeislabeledingraypencil“WorkersonVernO.Mays’ farminFinneyCounty,Kansas.”Severalfarmworkers’facesturntowardsthesoiltoharvest beets.TheMexicanlaborerswholookupalmostdisappearintheoverexposedsky,theypassed asspecterstopeopleofthetown.GardenCitywasnotcompletelyself-sufficient,asthecover claimed,with“civilizedcommunities,theirabundanceofchurches,theirexcellentschools,their electriclights,theirtelephones,[and]theirautomobiles.”WouldacknowledgingMexicans’ contributionscomplicatethecity’svisionforprogress? GardenCityrefusedtoacknowledge theirMexicanneighborsandtheirlabor.Unnamed,forgotten,yetpresent.
II. And they call themselves names like Sue?
Istareatthetitleofthetype-writtentranscript“RobertOppenheimerinterviewing Cipriana(Sue)Rodriguez.”Iamnottheonlycuriousone,asOppenheimer’sfirstquestiontoSue askedaboutherEnglishname.
Suuu soundsblandwithasinglesyllableandnohardconsonants.“Su”isalsoaformal
waytosay“your”inSpanish.Apersonmightuseittorefertothepossessionsofsomeonewho commandstheirrespect.IcanimaginetheconfusedfacesofMariaandHesiquiotryingto understandwhythedaughtertheynamed“CiprianaMariaRodriguez”rechristenedherselfas “your”forGardenCity Sue’steacher,Ms.EmilyBrown,somehowcalledher“Supina.”Suetold Oppenheimer,“Ireallydon’tknowhowshegotit thenIabbreviate[d]itlaterinhigh school[,]soitwasSue.”Sueappropriatedhermispronouncedname.Oppenheimerdidnot respectthisashekept“CiprianaRodriguez”abovethepagenumbersontheleftcornersofthe transcript.
“Oppenheimer”alsosurprisesme.ThiswasnotJ.RobertOppenheimer,thephysicist responsibleforthedevelopmentoftheatomicbomb.No,thisRobertOppenheimer,professorof historyandLatinAmericanStudies,documentedthelivesofMexicansinGardenCityinthe 1980’s.Hisprojectproducedaseriesofphotocopiedtranscriptsstoredinaslimgreyboxinthe SpencerResearchLibraryattheUniversityofKansas.MultiplevoicesshoutsimultaneouslyasI peerthroughtheblackandwhitefiles.Thepagesarenotwrinkledorcreased,signsthatfew scholarshandledthem,andthetranscriptsawaitedattention.Itakeeachfileoutandscanthe paperswithmyeyesundertheyellowLEDlights,butIhavenotimetoheareachvoicering.I onlyhaveafewminutesleftbeforemyparkingreservationexpires.However,Itakemytimeto listentoSueasIsitatawoodendeskinthewindowlessreadingroom.
Sueworkedalotwithclothesaftergoingthroughhighschool.Shewasahousekeeper,a workeratadry-cleaningshop,andthenaseamstress.Icanpictureherfingers’deftnessinusing aneedleorasewingmachinetodiligentlyalterandcreateclothes.Hermothermusthavepassed downherflairforfashiontoherdaughter.Intheirfamilyportrait,theRodríguezesdon’twear theirworkgloves,denimpants,bandanas,andtheprotectivelong-sleeveshirtstheydonforthe
fields.Mariahasonalightdotteddress,afloweryheadpiece,anddelicategloves.Herhusband, Hesiquio,wearsadarksuitandthintie.Theirchildrendressinsimilarlydelicateclothing,outfits theyprobablyworeforchurch.
Thefamilydocumentedamomentwheretheyfeltproudenoughtoposeinfrontofa studiocamera.Theyknewtheirworth.Inherinterview,MariadescribedGardenCity“asa prettytown,wheremanyfolkshadagoodincomeandtookprideintheirattire.”According tothereporter,“[s]headmiredthat.Sheenjoyed...dressingup.”WhenIhearacampus bellringoutsideofthelibrary,Iescapemywanderingthoughtsandlockmyeyesbackon thetranscript.Sue’ssewingalsoallowedhertobeaproductive(ora“good”)Mexicanin GardenCity.InresponsetoOppenheimer’squestionaboutrelationsbetweenMexicansand therestofGardenCity,shestressedthatshehadcontributedtothetown.
“[T]hey [the white people of Garden City] never will realize that we are first class citizens I may help do this pretty dress but I’m also helping that business. And that lady does not know that I am doing her dress which costs $100.00 but that[’]s her dress
I don’t care who it belongs [to] I’m doing it to the best of my ability.”
ForSue,Mexicanshadtobeunasgentesdecentes/arespectablepeoplethatcould helpthetownwiththeirlaborregardlessofiftheywererecognized.Yetthismethoddidnot guaranteeacceptance.SuediscussedhowwhitepeoplerestrictedMexicans’movementin thetownastheywerebarredfromvariousplaces,includingpools,movietheaters,and restaurants.
Theirmistreatmentwasnottheirfaultbutthesinsofothers.Sueregretfullyarguedthat discriminationagainstMexicansbeganwhen“outsiderMexicans”establishedadeplorable hotel-restaurant,CasaCarrillo.IfeelmyforeheadcrumpleasIreadabouthowshethoughtthey ruineditforallthepaisanosinGardenCity TheseMexicans,shesaid,wereprofessional gamblerswhosoughttomakemoneyoffsinglemigrantworkermen.Afterthehotelforced Hesiquioandhisbandtocontinuetoplayonenightwithoutproperlycompensatingthem,the musiciansdesperatelyescapedoutofthekitchenwindow.Inthe1910s,thelocalauthoritiestried toclosethe“publicnuisance”on7thandMaple.Sueacknowledgedthatthiswasbeforehertime, soshemusthavesubscribedtohermother’scontemptfortheallegedcriminals.Accordingto The Telegraph article,Mariarememberedagunfightbetweenauthoritiesandtheworkersofthe establishment.Thefamilybelievedthat“theprejudicehadbegun”atCasaCarrilloasGarden CitybegantoseeallMexicansasdelinquents.
IrestrainmyselffromtalkingtothetranscripttomakeSuerealizethatthe“outsider Mexicans”werenottheproblem.
III. And who are you?
Idon’tknowtherelationbetweenthepeopleinthephotographsandtheRodríguezes. Dianewritesthattheyare“unidentifiedmen”anda“GroupofMexicanAmericanwomen attendingSt.Mary’sAcademyinGardenCity,KS.”IimaginethatSuewasagodmothertoone orafewoftheyoungChicanossinceshewassingleanddidnothaveanychildrenatthetimeof herinterview.Islidemyfingeracrossmyphonescreenbackandforthtolookatbothimages. MydadandIaredrivinghomefromthearchives.Hisbrowneyesfocusonthedarkcloudson thehorizonaswelistentocountrymusiccomeinandoutoftheradio’sstatic.
“PonladireccióndetutíaentuGPSparapasar/Enteryouraunt’saddressintoyourGPS sothatwecanvisither,”mydadtellsmegently.MyauntNohemilivesinEmporia,twohours awayfrommydadandtheirsiblings,butonthewaybacktoWichita.Shealwayswantsfamily memberstovisit.Ireturntothepicturesafterincreasingmyphone’svolumesothattheGPScan leadusthere.
AtwhatIassumeisapark,theyoungmenstandconfidentlyinalinewearingtheirzoot suits.Theotherphotoshowsschoolgirlscrouchingonthefrontstepsoftheirschoolsothatthey canallfitinsidetheframe.TheyoungMexicansdonauniforminbothphotographs:long pachucojacketsandCatholicschoolskirts.Theylookunited.Maybethiswasthelegacyofolder
generationswhoforgedacommunityinGardenCity.Inheroralhistory,Sueproudlyrecounted herfather’sinvolvementintheBenitoJuarezSociedadMutualista,amutualaidorganization thatputon“socialdoings”fortheMexicancommunity Hesiquioalsoorganizedaspartofthe farmworkerunion.Idonotknowiftheseyoungpeopleparticipatedinthoseefforts,butmaybe theycaredforoneanotherinotherwaysthatsustainedthem.Whatcouldtheyimaginefor themselvesinGardenCitywiththesupportoftheircommunity?
Mydadexclaims,“Lescaimos/Wesurprisedthem”Ilookuptoseethatourcaris parkedinthedrivewayofmyaunt’slightgreyhouse.Asmallgreyandwhitechihuahuarunsout toyapatourfeetasmyeldestcousin,Gabriela,greetsusatthefrontdoorwithaconfusedlook.
Asweenter,mytiaNohemishoutsfromthekitchen,“¿Quéhacenaquíseñoritos?/What arey’alldoinghere?”Shesitsusdownatherlongdiningroomtableasmydadexplainsthatwe wenttoTopekatovisitsomearchivesformyresearch.Itakemyphoneoutofmytotebagto preparetoshowmyauntandcousinsomeofthepicturesoftheRodríguezcollection.
Myauntturnsonherelectricstovetoheatupapotofgingerteaandjokinglyasksme, “Whyareyougoingallthewayoverthere?TherearealreadyawholebunchofMexicans here.”Shepointsatthecollageoffamilyphotosmountedonthewallinablackframe.Clipsof differentphotosofmysiblings,cousins,aunts,andgrandparentssmileatus.
ANoteonSources:
ThisessayfocusesontheSueRodríguezPhotographCollectionheldbytheKansasHistorical SocietyandtheOralHistoryProjectregardingtheHispaniccommunityofGardenCityatthe UniversityofKansas’SpencerResearchLibrary Diane’snotesandhercompilationof governmentrecordsaswellasarticlesontheRodríguezfamilyincludedinthephotograph collectionhelpedmesituatethesocialcontextofthefamily Additionally,thespecifictranscript
named“RobertOppenheimerinterviewingCipriana(Sue)Rodriguez”allowedmetounderstand thelivesoftheRodríguezesmoreintimately IsupplementedmyresearchonGardenCitywith archivalmaterialsfromtheSpencerResearchLibrary’sKansasCollection,mainlytheGarden IndustrialClubadvertisementpamphlet,“Kansas,wheretherainbowtouchestheground,”andits threeothereditions.Secondaryliterature,suchasHenryJ.Ávila’sjournalarticletitled“The MexicanCommunityinGardenCity,Kansas,1900-1950,”
History of Finney County, Kansas Vol. 2 bytheFinneyCountyHistoricalSociety,and Cities on the Plains, the Evolution of Urban Kansas byJamesR.Shortridge,gavemorecontextoftheintertwinedracialandlaborhierarchies attheheartofthedevelopmentofthetownattheturnofthe20thcentury
My piece, "Paisas on the plains," is a personal reflection of my experience researching the lives of the first families of Mexicans to migrate to Kansas in the early 20th century. This population in the Midwest, despite living away from the physical U.S.-M.X. borderlands, existed within an "between space" as their stories often do not fit with typical histories of Mexican migration to the U.S., which have focused on the Southwest. Because of this, I situate it within American Studies' scholars attempts to "queering the Midwest." Through its style of a stream of consciousness, it challenges possibilities of formal divisions between seeking to conduct objective research and scholars' personal stakes when encountering documents in the archive that is personal to them. In this piece, I navigate and negotiate this as I follow the story of the Rodriguez family in Garden City, Kansas through their photo collection at the Kansas Historical Society -