Alianza Hispano-Americana

History

Introduction

The Alianza Hispano-Americana was founded as a mutual aid society on January 14, 1894 in Tucson, Arizona. The AHA was active from its inception to the late 1960’s, and it grew to become the largest sociedad mutualistia organization in the southwestern U.S. At its peak AHA had thousands of members spread out across many chapters in the western U.S and northern Mexico.

Founding

Following the Mexican-American war (1846-1848), Mexico ceded almost all territory to the U.S where the states New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado exist today. From this acquisition, Anglo-Americans began migrating to the southwest U.S. Anglo- Americans settled in Tucson beginning in the 1850’s. Over time the Anglo population rapidly increased in the southwest U.S, especially with the development of the  railroad in the 1880’s. In this region, developing racial tensions between Mexican-Americans and Anglo-Americans were fueled by American Nativism.In 1887, the anti-Catholic, anti-Immigration, organization the American Protective Association was founded. A branch of this organization was established in Tucson in 1894. This development threatened the political and economic status of prominent Hispanos in Tucson. That same year, a group of politically active, wealthier Mexicanos and Hispanos founded the Alianza Hispano-Americana in Tucson.  This group included Carlos I. Velasco, Pedro C. Pellón, Mariano G. Samaniego and around 50 other important Hispanos from Tucson. Velasco served as the organization’s first president, and he held moderate views. He believed that organizations like AHA upheld values such as, “‘personal dignity, the love of work, respect for the law, the desire for recompense and all forms and means of mutual protection, moral and material.”’

The AHA was not the first of its kind as previous to its founding four other mutual aid societies had been created in Arizona. These groups included the Sociedad Hispano America de Beneficencia (1886), Sociedad de Beneficia Mutua de la Raza Latina (1888), Sociedad Hidalgo (1889), and the Sociedad de Proteccion Mutua. (1893).

AHA began as a mutual aid society, aimed to exclusively support the working community of Mexicanos and Hispanos in Tucson. In the 19th century, mutual aid societies were a popular way in which ethnic communities in the U.S supported themselves and maintained their culture. AHA and other mutual aid societies of the 19th century offered social and insurance services to their communities. During the time of AHA’s inception it was difficult for families to recover economically from the loss of a family provider. The AHA was able to provide life insurance for families and cover this potential loss. Two years following its inception AHA became a fraternal insurance society. Fraternal insurance societies offered economic services similar to mutual aid societies; however, they were seen as more sophisticated and more likely to be recognized by the U.S government as legitimate non-profit organizations.

Development and Downfall

In 1895, the Alianza Hispano Americana established its first affiliate lodge in Florence Arizona and its second in Clifton, Arizona in 1896. In fraternal insurance societies, lodges served as a unit in the organization. They were often referred to as camps, courts, councils or branches. By 1902, “25 other lodges had been established, ranging as far north as Flagstaff, as far east as Morenci, and as far west as Hedges, California”. In 1904, the first lodges were established in New Mexico in the mining communities of Silver City and Hillsboro. The membership total of AHA was around 1000 during this time. By 1913, a total of 21 AHA lodges were established. In 1916, the organization’s headquarters was constructed in Tucson.

Unfortunately, the AHA underwent frequent losses due to mismanagement and embezzlement of funds. In 1917, an AHA official stole $15,000 from the organization and fled to Mexico. In the subsequent years and especially during the Great Depression AHA suffered many losses. Despite these challenges the AHA grew rapidly from early to mid 20th century. By 1939, membership totaled 17,366 and in 1942 the AHA had now established 35 lodges in Arizona and 45 in New Mexico. In the late 1940’s the Hispanic community in the U.S began to advocate for their representation and for their civil rights. The AHA was slow to pick up on this shift, and suffered as a result. Going into the 1950’s, the AHA joined in on the fight for civil rights; however, at that point other organizations had established themselves in that area. Membership plummeted around this time and by 1966 the AHA had only around 2,000 members. The organization’s headquarters were demolished that same year. The AHA continued to decline and ended most of its operations at this point. Following this, the organization went into receivership, and its president, James Carlos McCormick was indicted, tried and sentenced to six-eight years in prison on twenty-one counts of embezzlement. Later the charges were dismissed and his sentence was changed to five years on probation.

The Alianza Hispano- Americana can be considered from many historical perspectives. It delves into the history of life insurance, immigration, urbanization, the Mexican-American working class in the U.S and Mexican-American history in the U.S as a whole. The organization emerged during a time of political and social conflict for Mexican-Americans. At the time, the U.S was industrializing and developing forms of transportation that would bring Anglo-American settlers to the southwest U.S. As more and more settlers arrived, the political and economic influence of Mexicanos was being eroded. In Tucson, the Mexicano community chose to band together to form mutual aid societies for the benefit of families and workers. Over time, the AHA grew into a widespread fraternal insurance society with many chapters spread out across the southwestern U.S and parts of northern Mexico. The organization thrived in the early to mid 19th century until the Hispanic community in the U.S shifted its focus to achieving civil rights. The AHA fell behind in this regard and downsized immensely. Membership dwindled and finally the organization dissolved.

Objectives/Activities

Velasco, the writer of Alianzas Hispanos constitution states “have no better shield than the mutual-aid association, which contains the practical doctrines of the social virtues: personal dignity, the love of work, respect for the law, the desire for recompense and all forms and means of mutual protection, moral and material” (Texas historical association).Velasco excluded unemployed individuals, former convicts, and members of the African American and Asian community, While this exclusivity might be seen as a limitation, it reflected the organization's focus on maintaining a community with shared values. Alianza's emphasis on personal dignity, the love of work, respect for the law, and mutual protection highlighted its commitment to supporting those who adhered to these principles, as well as maintained the legitimacy of the movement, showing that Alianza sought to create a community that actively maintained values to mutual support and empowerment. This exclusivity, when viewed within the realm of the movement's objectives, aimed to build a community with a shared commitment to principles that would ensure the well-being of its members. (Texas historical association)

The Alianza Hispano-Americana played a pivotal and multifaceted role in addressing healthcare disparities, such as life insurance of which the Alianza offered a form of and provided death benefits for its members families, as well as preserving cultural identity, and fostering exclusive social activities for Mexican Americans, that went beyond there medical and financial help, they attended sick members, as well as assisting diseased members funeral cost.Despite encountering challenges(4). Such as mismanagement and evolving social dynamics, Alianza left an enduring impact on the Mexican-American community.The organization's form as a response to negative notions, provision of health the late 18th and early 19th centuries saw heightened racial tension between Mexicans and Anglos in the Southwest. In direct response to growing hostility and discrimination, Alianza, founded in Tucson, Arizona, in 1894, emerged as a mutual-aid(3).

Velasco the writer of Alianzas Hispanos constitution states “have no better shield than the mutual-aid association, which contains the practical doctrines of the social virtues: personal dignity, the love of work, respect for the law, the desire for recompense and all forms and means of mutual protection, moral and material”(1). Velasco excluded unemployed individuals, former convicts, and members of the African American and Asian community, while this exclusivity might be seen as a limitation, it reflected the organization's focus on maintaining a community with shared values. Alianza's emphasis on personal dignity, the love of work, respect for the law, and mutual protection highlighted its commitment to supporting those who adhered to these principles, as well as maintained the legitimacy of the movement, showing that Alianza sought to create a community that actively maintained values to mutual support and empowerment. This exclusivity, when viewed within the realm of the movement's objectives, aimed to build a community with a shared commitment to principles that would ensure the well-being of its members(1).

Beyond financial support, Alianza was dedicated to preserving and developing the cultural identity of its members(1). In similar with other mutual-aid groups with similar purpose, such as the Bermudan Benevolent Society mutual aid group founded by Afro Caribbeans during a mass migration to Harlem in the 1910s denouncing capitalist exploitation(5). As well as the much later found black panther party dedicated to serving and protecting African Americans from Jim Crow laws(6). Alianza Hispano emphasized a focus on youth through their Tucson lodge where boys and girls the age 16 and younger met every Saturday, participating in fun and engaging activities with musical performers and mariachi bands, they even held a birthday celebration once a month for members who had birthdays that month.

A very prominent effort for Alianza was to keep the youth as far away from juvenile delinquency, Members often sponsored boys basketball and baseball teams, it was very important to keep an uphold an image of moral honesty which can be demonstrated through the way they treat their youth, by doing holding these events not only are they defining what a positive community looks like for the future of their movement, paving the way for many more strives within the movement, and creating potential pathways for who the movement has an effect on.

Alianza Hispano also had a significant impact on the new transformation of Mexican identity by the second world war, the movement actively pushed democratic traditions all the while developing a Mexican American patriotic identity exemplified by their contribution to war bonds. By the year 1947 the mutual aid group had raised 700,000 dollars in war bonds, in efforts of the second world war, they pushed and encouraged patriotism through their local newspaper called Alianza Alliance which highlighted contributions by Mexican soldiers, that held war bond and blood drive rally’s. By doing this they embraced the idea of American heritage as well as gained a much deserved amount of respect that can only be earned by showing homage to those who risked their life for your country After the second world war they used funds from the war to open up more by lodges, and furthermore expanded Alianza Hispano to 370 new lodges and 12,000 members which included prominent ranking generals(3). One notable veteran Hector Garcia later founded a sub organization tied to Alianzia called the American GI forum where they challenged racial segregation inside the judicial court (3). Through this program they made multiple settlements including Gonzáles vs. Sheely, a case arguing against the segregation of Mexican children and claiming it is contrary to the US constitution, was later ruled in favor of Alianza, claiming that segregation went against Arizona’s state constitution. And solidifying the seriousness of Alianza Hispano as they beat a system that wanted to make them second class citizens.

In essence, the Alianza Hispano-Americana, emerging in response to heightened racial tensions, played a pivotal role in addressing healthcare disparities and safeguarding and developing cultural identity among Mexican Americans. Despite facing challenges, the organization's core principles centered around personal dignity, work, law-abiding behavior, and mutual protection, fostering a community with shared values.

References

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