We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe/Recuerdo, Celebración, y Esperanza: Latinos in Utah. By Armando Solórzano.

Abstract

At the very start of this work, author Armando Solórzano acknowledges the advantages and limits of his endeavor. First, he notes the use of extensive oral histories (conducted contemporaneously by the author and other scholars, beginning in the early 1970s) and the benefit of drawing upon hundreds of evocative and stunning photos of Latinos in Utah from as far back as 1895. These materials document varied aspects of the lives of Spanish speakers from pre-statehood to the present. Next, however, Solórzano acknowledges that this project is “not a substitute for a comprehensive written history” (p. xvi). He is quite correct, as the book, at times, devolves into a polemic wherein the author makes sweeping generalizations while providing scant support. This book is published in both English and Spanish. Its nine chapters cover Utah’s history as part of Mexico; early settlement of Spanish-surnamed familias ; labor in agriculture, mining, and railroads; military participation; the quest for civil rights; religion; and current events. Starting with chapter 2, on settlement in Monticello, the author makes good use of oral histories to personalize aspects of the historical reality contemplated. For example, Bill González’s familial recollections do much to flesh out details about religious, educational, and even sporting life among Spanish speakers in this corner of southeastern Utah. A similar argument can be made for the other chapters as well.