The Injustice Never Leaves You

Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas

By: Monica Muñoz Martinez

Narrated by: Kyla García

Between 1910 and 1920, vigilantes and law enforcement-including the renowned Texas Rangers - killed Mexican residents with impunity. The full extent of the violence was known only to the relatives of the victims.

Operating in remote rural areas enabled the perpetrators to do their worst: hanging, shooting, burning, and beating victims to death without scrutiny. Families scoured the brush to retrieve the bodies of loved ones. Survivors suffered segregation and fierce intimidation, and yet fought back. They confronted assailants in court, worked with Mexican diplomats to investigate the crimes, pressured local police to arrest the perpetrators, spoke to journalists, and petitioned politicians for change.

Martinez reconstructs this history from institutional and private archives and oral histories, to show how the horror of anti-Mexican violence lingered within communities for generations, compounding injustice by inflicting further pain and loss. Yet its memorialization provided victims with an important means of redress, undermining official narratives that sought to whitewash these atrocities. The Injustice Never Leaves You offers an invaluable account of why these incidents happened, what they meant at the time, and how a determined community ensured that the victims were not forgotten.

©2018 the President and Fellows of Harvard College (P)2019 Tantor

Educational

This book should be added to the Texas History curriculum in all of the schools. It’s brilliantly written and is the harsh truth about racism. As a Mexican immigrant myself raised in the state and of Texas it’s eye opening. I never understood why I was targeted by racist. Not everyone Texan is bad but I love this state and not going anywhere. This is home!!!! I’ve recommended this book to my family and friends!!!!

A direct descendant

I am extremely grateful to Dr. Martinez for telling our stories. History has been whitewashed. Many of us know the truth and now the truth is being recognized and shared.

Worth the read ! Lots of facts

This book is a game changer right now ! At least for me. The Latino community needs to keep our history alive and push back against ppls desires to keep us quietly struggling. Lots of information in this book !

Disturbing, Thought Provoking

This work covers several bases at once. On the one hand, it is a useful introduction to the theme of anti-Mexican violence in South Texas spanning roughly the 1890s to 1920s. Alongside lynchings remarkably similar to the horrific killing of African-Americans, often justified in racial terms which criminalized the victims, it conveys the story of the indiscriminate killing of Mexican "bandits" by Texas Rangers and other vigilante groups. Beyond this, it focuses on "vernacular history," the efforts of descendants and others to preserve this history through oral accounts and research to challenge official narratives with the help of academics like the author. It therefore manages to be both a discussion of history, its uses and preservation, and the way we remember it. I found it engaging and thought provoking, leaving me wanting to know more and seeing the need to promote new narratives. Recommended.

Great start to learning about the injustice endured by Mi Gente in TX

Great book. Sharing with my family so that they understand our peoples injustice and the terror felt by Mexicans at the hands of Texas lawmen.

Excellent research based undertold Texas history

This book provides an important part of Texas history that remains hidden to many Texans. Examination of this historical narrative provides a better understanding of our collective past and a path to begin the an honest, open discussion of Texas history.

Tejano History

I would like to hear a history of the Mexican American story and not a side note of African American injustice. Those are my thoughts and i have listened and read stories of the African American injustice. I feel when i hear or read these stories unless it is totally relevant to the subject on this or that group it draws away from the struggles that particular group had to endure.

Omitted history

This history has been omitted from textbooks and public display until recently. This information should be made mandatory in every US history class in the United States.

It’s about time.

Throughout our history, there has been millions of injustice against minorities and history just sweeps it under the rug. I was talking to friend about this book and I was very pleased to learn that my friend who is a white history teacher for fourth grade, was required to read this book for a professional development. She was in aww of all the different stories and injustice around the border. Great job over all.

meaningful and astonishing.

I loved this book because it revealed what we never learn in history classes across the United States, and would definitely recommend it to anybody looking to uncover truth.