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A quick thread about the long use of the Spanish language in the politics of the U.S. Southwest, which includes some of the readily accessible documents I used to write my book. ucpress.edu/book/978052029… /1
When the U.S. took over what became the nation’s Southwest in 1848, it extended U.S. citizenship to the former Mexican citizens through Article IX of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. There was no requirement in the treaty to learn English. loc.gov/rr/hispanic/gh… /2 
Mexican settler colonists helped secure the U.S Southwest over Indigenous Nations (both politically & geographically). In the 1849 California Constitution Spanish-speaking delegates advocated for constitutionally-supported bilingual publications. sos.ca.gov/archives/colle… /3
The 1849 California Constitution included Article XI, Section 21 that promised, “All laws, decrees, regulations, and provisions, which from their nature require publication, shall be published in English and Spanish.” sos.ca.gov/archives/colle… /4
The promise to publish documents in English and Spanish in the 1849 California Constitution was passed after delegates discussed how Louisiana also paid for the publication of documents in more than just English. The entire proceedings can be read at loc.gov/item/10013983/ /5
California employed a translator in its first legislative session and allocated money for translations until the second California Constitution was implemented in 1879. clerk.assembly.ca.gov/content/statut… /6
Article XVIII, Section 8 of Colorado’s 1876 constitution included the publication of laws into both Spanish and German until 1900. colorado.gov/pacific/sites/… /7
In New Mexico, the overwhelming majority of residents spoke Spanish. The federal government paid for the translation of the territorial legislature’s journal and laws into English—often publishing them with English on one side & Spanish on the other. books.google.com/books?id=4ow0A… /8
New Mexico became accustomed to seeing a translator on stage during political rallies, as seen in this 1910 picture of interpreter Luis Armijo onstage with L. Bradford Prince. econtent.unm.edu/digital/collec… /9
Both Republicans and Democrats recognized they had to use Spanish to win elections. You can see this in Spanish-language partisan newspapers—eg "La Bandera Americana" from 1903 (econtent.unm.edu/digital/collec… ). LOC’s Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov ) has more. /10
Spanish-language newspapers covered what was occurring in politics across the country and in Congress. Spanish-speaking New Mexicans were very invested in the US political system in large part because it was accessible in the Spanish language. /11
When New Mexico became a state in 1912, New Mexico included considerable protections of the Spanish language, including this one in Article VII, Section 3. catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/1003258… /12
It is historically inaccurate to see Spanish as solely an immigrant language in the United States. It has served as a language of politics for over 150 years. /fin
