"Hispanics in the Mormon Zion," by Jorge Iber, is the first comprehensive history of the Hispanic migration to Utah. Iber was a graduate student at the University of Utah when he discovered written and oral histories of Spanish-speaking individuals, and their organizations, gathered through the efforts of multiple history projects.
He painstakingly synthesized the voluminous information into an uncomplicated and entertaining Latino history of Utah between 1912-1999.
On Sept. 18, 1776, Spanish priest Sylvestre Velez de Escalante wrote in glowing terms about the potential of what would someday be northern Utah. After the Spaniards discovered the richness of this country, Mexicans established trade routes through the Southwestern United States. The Mormon colonization virtually eliminated Mexican trade routes, but Mexicans continued to play an important part in the livestock and sheep operations of Mormon ranchers in San Juan and Monticello.
The Mexican Revolution of 1910 forced many Mexicans to flee north. Young Mexicans worked primarily in three Utah industries that were labor intensive: sugar beet production, mining and the railroads. In mining and railroad work, Mexicans were relegated to the grueling track gangs while Europeans were taught skilled positions.
Because of their isolation and initially small numbers, Mexicans sought to include the entire community in their celebrations. On May 6, 1920, the Mexican Protective Association of Salt Lake celebrated the Cinco de Mayo by staging a dance, selling home-cooked food and inviting everyone to participate. The association was one of many organizations formed to celebrate the Mexican culture, provide for the poor and sponsor fiestas and other events to project a positive image in the general community.
Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aggressively pursued Spanish-speaking converts as early as 1920. The history of LDS presence in the Mexican community began in 1918 when three Rivera sisters were converted. Working with three male converts, they established the Local Mexican Mission in 1921, which later became the Rama Mexicana (Mexican Branch) with a Mexican bishop.
Internal politics soon split the branch, and the Mexican bishop was replaced. The Rama did not see another Mexican bishop again until the 1960s.
The Rama Mexicana became a social as well as religious association. Members helped other converts obtain employment and documentation, and with legal entanglements. The Rivera sisters held positions of leadership in the Rama, which was unusual for women at the time. They formed relief organizations, helped the needy and led church-wide festivities to introduce the Mexican culture to other Mormons.
In 1920 the Catholic Diocese of Utah recognized Spanish-speaking Catholics as a special ministry, partly as protection against the aggressive missionaries. A mission-style parish called Guadalupe, in the northwest section of Salt Lake City, was commenced.
In 1930, Father James Collins assumed residence at Guadalupe, and he took his charge to minister to Mexicans passionately. He pioneered the Hispanic ministry the Catholic Church still uses. Guadalupe Parish pews are still filed with mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants.
Regardless of religious affiliation, the Mexican community's commonality of language, customs and history initially kept the Spanish-speaking community united.
The account of how the LDS and Catholic Hispanic leadership joined in the 1960s to form SOCIO, the first state-wide Hispanic advocacy organization, is fascinating. Utah politicians and religious leaders augmented the community effort to attain civil rights. Many contemporary Hispanics have benefited from the efforts of this once-energized organization, whose demise was premature, and a textbook study of why social-change organizations are so difficult to sustain.
My interest in this historical account was fueled by its contemporary topics. Anyone familiar with the Utah Hispanic community will recognize names, places and events. As a young man, I met many of the persons whose contributions to our community are chronicled. Much of my political and social thinking resulted from conversations with visionaries like John Florez, Orlando Rivera and Jesus Avila.
For Utahns who believe Hispanic presence is a recent phenomenon, this book will be an eye-opener. The contributions of Mexican, Puerto Rican and South American immigrants to our economy and culture are an important part of Utah history, which is imparted without conjecture.
"Hispanics in the Mormon Zion" received the Best First Book Award from the Mormon History Association and the Editor's Choice Award from the Utah Historical Quarterly. The Utah State Board of Education recently approved the publication for use as a teachers resource manual.
Jorge Iber's first work establishes him as a scholar of patience and ability. I highly recommend this rare historical gem, and so would Oprah, if she knew about it.
Utah native Mike Martinez, an attorney in private practice, is active in Hispanic affairs. He has previously worked in the Utah Attorney General's office, the Salt Lake County Attorney's Office and for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C. E-MAIL: martinez@prism.net