Strangers in a Stolen Land: American Indians in San Diego

In 1846 the United States invaded California, claiming the land by right of conquest and then by treaty. With the American invasion of California came the establishment of American law and government, including those laws associated with Indian Affairs and those governmental bodies skilled in handling American Indian policy. Overnight, the United States forced the Indians of San Diego to contend with new laws and policies created by a government far removed from the Pacific Coast. Indians continued their association with Hispanic citizens of the region, while at the same time, they learned to cope with the new Anglo citizenry. Hispanics and Anglos shared a common feeling toward Indians and Indian Rights. The Indians of San Diego suffered politically, economically, and legally as a result. The author examines such topics as treaty-making, removal, and reservations. He explores events associated with urban Indians as well as those relative to Indians living in the rural reaches of San Diego County. Racism, prejudice, and injustice are subjects detailed in Carrico's volume. The influence of the press in American Indian affairs in Southern California is another topic dealt with in some detail. Much of what appears in this Volume is new, and will certainly be of interest and use to anyone interested in the history of the American Indian and the American West.