The University of New Mexico
Collection Summary | ||
| Title | Noe Tijerina Papers | |
| Dates (Inclusive) | 1958-2007 | |
| Creator | Tijerina, Noe | |
| Abstract | This small collection contains the papers of Noe Tijerina, son of Reies Lopez Tijerina, Chicano land grant activist and founder of Alianza Federal de Mercedes. The papers relate to land grant activism and the Tijerina family. | |
| Collection Number | MSS 859 SC | |
| Size | 1 folder | |
| Repository | University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research | |
| Languages | English, Spanish | |
Noe Tijerina is the son of Reies Lopez Tijerina, Chicano land grant activist. Noe is the youngest of the Tijerina family from his father’s first marriage to Maria Escobar. His parents divorced in 1964. He grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the 1960s with his mother and brothers and sisters, although he frequently visited his father. His father taught him the importance of la causa, “our people, their land and what’s right is right.” In 1963, Reies Tijerina founded Alianza Federal de Mercedes (translates in English as the Federal Land Grant Alliance), a radical organization that fought for the land rights of Hispanic New Mexicans. Reies’ radical activism exposed his family to violent acts of retaliation and years of harassment from law enforcement. Noe grew up in an unstable environment facing intimidation, threats, harassment, false arrests, beatings, and home bombings.
In recent years, Noe has pursued writing and attended the University of New Mexico to develop his writing skills. Determined to write about the land grant wars, he wrote an unpublished manuscript titled “A Cause to Die For.” The book is about his experience with the Alianza and growing up in a family connected to the organization. He currently lives in New Mexico with two of his three sons and his mother.
The Noe Tijerina Papers offers a perspective from a Tijerina family member on Reies Tijerina and the Alianza Federal de Mercedes. This collection contains an interview with Noe Tijerina conducted by Jose Angel Gutierrez, Ph.D. on the surveillance and harassment of the Tijerina family. The collection also contains Noe’s unpublished manuscript “A Cause to Die For” offering his perspective on what life was like because of his father and the Alianza. Lastly, there are two family photographs and a laminated newspaper article from the Santa Fe New Mexican on Reies Tijerina’s activism.
The collection is open for research.
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publications or distribution.
Noe Tijerina Papers (MSS 859), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries
Alianza Federal de Pueblos Libres Collection Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Peter Nabokov Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Reies Tijerina Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Alianza Federal de las Mercedes
Mexican Americans -- Land tenure -- New Mexico
Mexican Americans – Civil rights – New Mexico
Tijerina, Noe. Cause to die for.
| Description | Container | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Interview Transcript, Family Photographs, Unpublished Manuscript, "A Cause to Die For: Is Life Itself, the Womb of Our People, the Air to Our Lungs," Newspaper article, "Tijerina Set Loose Forces For Change," 1958-2007 |
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