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American History and Culture Series
Black and Brown: African Americans and the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920
Winner of a 2005 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award (Honorable Mention)
The Mexican Revolution was a defining moment in the history of race relations, impacting both Mexican and African Americans. For black Westerners, 1910–1920 did not represent the clear-cut promise of populist power, but a reordering of the complex social hierarchy which had, since the nineteenth century, granted them greater freedom in the borderlands than in the rest of the United States.
Despite its lasting significance, the story of black Americans along the Mexican border has been sorely underreported in the annals of U.S. history. Gerald Horne brings the tale to life in Black and Brown . Drawing on archives on both sides of the border, a host of cutting-edge studies and oral histories, Horne chronicles the political currents which created and then undermined the Mexican border as a relative safe haven for African Americans. His account addresses blacks' role as “Indian fighters,” the relationship between African Americans and immigrants, and the U.S. government's growing fear of black disloyalty, among other essential concerns of the the heavy reliance of the U.S. on black soldiers along the border placed white supremacy and national security on a collision course that was ultimately resolved in favor of the latter.
Mining a forgotten chapter in American history, Black and Brown offers tremendous insight into the past and future of race relations along the Mexican border.
The Mexican Revolution was a defining moment in the history of race relations, impacting both Mexican and African Americans. For black Westerners, 1910–1920 did not represent the clear-cut promise of populist power, but a reordering of the complex social hierarchy which had, since the nineteenth century, granted them greater freedom in the borderlands than in the rest of the United States.
Despite its lasting significance, the story of black Americans along the Mexican border has been sorely underreported in the annals of U.S. history. Gerald Horne brings the tale to life in Black and Brown . Drawing on archives on both sides of the border, a host of cutting-edge studies and oral histories, Horne chronicles the political currents which created and then undermined the Mexican border as a relative safe haven for African Americans. His account addresses blacks' role as “Indian fighters,” the relationship between African Americans and immigrants, and the U.S. government's growing fear of black disloyalty, among other essential concerns of the the heavy reliance of the U.S. on black soldiers along the border placed white supremacy and national security on a collision course that was ultimately resolved in favor of the latter.
Mining a forgotten chapter in American history, Black and Brown offers tremendous insight into the past and future of race relations along the Mexican border.
286 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1985
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About the author
Gerald Horne
71 books411 followersDr. Gerald Horne is an eminent historian who is Chair of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston. An author of more than thirty books and one hundred scholarly articles and reviews, his research has addressed issues of racism in a variety of relations involving labor, politics, civil rights, international relations, war and the film industry.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 13, 2016
This eye-opening book by historian Gerald Horne discusses the relations between African Americans and Mexicans around the time of the Mexican Revolution.
It's fascinating to see how things have changed so much from how they used to be. I had no idea that El Paso, Texas (of all places) used to be a safe haven of sorts for African Americans and mixed race couples, when the state of Texas had one of the highest rates of lynchings. Horne also discusses a few of the African American settlements that sprouted up in the U.S. around this time, as well as in Mexico.
Horne examines the treatment of soldiers in the military, which sadly was not much different from the treatment of African American slaves. He discusses the Buffalo Soldiers and the irony of a country terrorizing the soldiers who were heavily relied upon to keep them safe (as well as the irony of and reasons for serving a country that despised them).
By far my favorite part was learning about Jack Johnson's escapades in South America. The juxtaposition of the careers, convictions, and fates of Jack Johnson and Henry O. Flipper was flawless.
I learned a lot from this book. It is well written and I highly, highly recommend it.
It's fascinating to see how things have changed so much from how they used to be. I had no idea that El Paso, Texas (of all places) used to be a safe haven of sorts for African Americans and mixed race couples, when the state of Texas had one of the highest rates of lynchings. Horne also discusses a few of the African American settlements that sprouted up in the U.S. around this time, as well as in Mexico.
Horne examines the treatment of soldiers in the military, which sadly was not much different from the treatment of African American slaves. He discusses the Buffalo Soldiers and the irony of a country terrorizing the soldiers who were heavily relied upon to keep them safe (as well as the irony of and reasons for serving a country that despised them).
By far my favorite part was learning about Jack Johnson's escapades in South America. The juxtaposition of the careers, convictions, and fates of Jack Johnson and Henry O. Flipper was flawless.
I learned a lot from this book. It is well written and I highly, highly recommend it.
November 15, 2013
This book is not really about the Mexican Revolution. It is about the relations between African Americans, Latinos, and White Americans along the border during the era of the Mexican Revolution. While that might be a bit confusing, the important factor, at least to me, was the illumination of the fragile racial structure that was bending close to the breaking point during this period. In other words, the item captured in this monograph that is the most noteworthy, is the emotion of fear. At first I was not too keen on this book. Its misleading title (you can do better NYU Press!) and the bulky similes and metaphors wore me down. However, it had this strange spark that somehow reminded me of a Peter Hopkirk Great Game monograph. Overall, I think it was enjoyable and fairly enlightening, especially if you live in the region which Horne is discussing.
December 24, 2008
The focused writing of Gerald Horne, in his book: Black and Brown: African Americans And The Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920: (2005): we see a different perspective pertaining to the interactions between the United States government, its military, specifically Black soldiers and its Mexican rivals during the Revolution. Much of this interaction stemmed from black soldiers being stationed along the two-thousand-mile border region, between the United States and Mexico. In some regards, the contact was mutually beneficial, because lasting alliances were forged between Blacks and Mexicans. Also it forced the United States, under the then Wilson administration, to deal with both race-relations in the United States, and its definitive desire to “Win the West” and remove the last of any counterinsurgency in the border region. More to the point, Pancho Villa and his associates were wreaking havoc in the border region, acting as a thorn in the finger of the United States. The Wilson team, having trouble removing the last impediment to the United States goal of land control, sent the disciplined Black troops, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, to deal with the problem.
What is most interesting about Horne’s depiction is how he provides a vastly different perspective to the conflict. Not only does he provide the accounts of the Black Leadership during the first couple of decades of the twentieth century. He also, presents us with varying views from both the Mexican and United States governments. When delving into his works, we can see, how brute force was and has been, a major tool for hegemonic control. But during this time period the use of racism and elitism was actually a weapon that worked against the United States. Because, race-relations has always been a major issue, in the United States, and its Southern neighbor has never had the same problems; it is hard to see a clear justification for the continued goal of the United States to spread its Imperialistic thinking cloaked in the language of Democracy to the rest of the world....
What is most interesting about Horne’s depiction is how he provides a vastly different perspective to the conflict. Not only does he provide the accounts of the Black Leadership during the first couple of decades of the twentieth century. He also, presents us with varying views from both the Mexican and United States governments. When delving into his works, we can see, how brute force was and has been, a major tool for hegemonic control. But during this time period the use of racism and elitism was actually a weapon that worked against the United States. Because, race-relations has always been a major issue, in the United States, and its Southern neighbor has never had the same problems; it is hard to see a clear justification for the continued goal of the United States to spread its Imperialistic thinking cloaked in the language of Democracy to the rest of the world....
August 27, 2021
If the title intrigues you, you’ll probably love this book. I definitely did. It might have have been better titled “African Americans in the Southwest during the Mexican Revolution, as it mostly focuses on events north of the border. It does a great job of analyzing racial relations in the border region from the late 19th until after the Revolution. It also effectively describes the relationship of African Americans with Mexico during that period.
The author effectively employs many interesting first hand accounts. The writing is both informative and entertaining.
No book is perfect. At times the author uses sentences so long they require a bit of rereading. There was one I was never able to untangle. The author seems to suggest that the famous Zimmerman Telegraph - in which Germany tried to get Mexico to attack the US during World War One - might not have really existed. If this is true, I’d have loved to see the evidence. Still, this is a must read for those who love Mexican Revolution history, or that of the Southwest.
The author effectively employs many interesting first hand accounts. The writing is both informative and entertaining.
No book is perfect. At times the author uses sentences so long they require a bit of rereading. There was one I was never able to untangle. The author seems to suggest that the famous Zimmerman Telegraph - in which Germany tried to get Mexico to attack the US during World War One - might not have really existed. If this is true, I’d have loved to see the evidence. Still, this is a must read for those who love Mexican Revolution history, or that of the Southwest.
June 21, 2024
Fascinating (but somewhat messy) overview of racial tensions in the US-Mexico borderlands in the 1910s, and radical and insurgent organizing by Black and Mexican groups. Lots of intriguing little tidbits about various protests, riots, bandit raids, mutinies, etc. happening in places in Brownsville, Phoenix, Mexicali, etc., set up against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and World War 1, and the longer history of US imperialism in the South-West, Jim Crow laws, etc. The main narrative thrusts revolve around 1) how Mexico, for many Blacks people, symbolized a more progressive alternative than apartheid US, and 2) the contradictory position of Black people in the South-West, particularly soldiers.
Overall, really interesting stuff and useful archival research, but the overall narrative feels a bit all over the place, jumping from one location or time period to the next. Makes it hard to follow in many places, even though its generally never difficult to read, and the writing has a fun personality to it.
Overall, really interesting stuff and useful archival research, but the overall narrative feels a bit all over the place, jumping from one location or time period to the next. Makes it hard to follow in many places, even though its generally never difficult to read, and the writing has a fun personality to it.
April 14, 2021
You will NEVER be disappointed after reading a book by Gerald Horne. He is simply one of, if not the, greatest living historians. The 1910s are so dominated by WWI histories that this crucial history of Mexico, and the role played by African Americans, was begging to be written. It should be placed next to other critical texts by Harsha Walia and others in understanding colonial borders, border imperialism, and U.S. foreign policy.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews