Mestizos come home!

By Robert Con Davis

Book Description

In a culture often marked by collective amnesia about its diverse roots, Mexican Americans have embarked on a profound journey of reclaiming their rightful place in the American narrative. Robert Con Davis-Undiano chronicles this powerful cultural awakening that has unfolded since the 1960s, revealing how mestizo communities have transformed not just their own identity but the broader fabric of American society.

This exploration delves into the rich complexity of mixed-race heritage and its evolution across two centuries of American history. The author traces how Mexican Americans have reasserted their deep connection to the Southwest, a land that is simultaneously ancestral and newly claimed. Through this process of "coming home," they have challenged dominant cultural narratives and introduced transformative perspectives on identity, belonging, and community.

The book examines how Mesoamerican worldviews have influenced contemporary American culture, from reimagined relationships with the land to different understandings of the human body and spirit. Davis-Undiano connects historical artifacts like eighteenth-century casta paintings to modern artistic expressions, while exploring how celebrations such as Day of the Dead and lowrider culture have enriched mainstream American traditions.

More than a cultural history, this work presents a vision of social justice and democratic renewal. It demonstrates how embracing mestizo contributions creates space for a more inclusive and spiritually authentic American identity, one that honors the indigenous wisdom and mixed heritage that have always been part of this continent's story.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)

📄 Length: 312 pages

What You'll Discover

✓ Explore HISTORY
✓ Explore Ethnic Studies
✓ Explore Mexican Americans -- Intellectual life
✓ Explore Mexican Americans
✓ Explore Mexican Americans -- Ethnic identity
✓ Explore Mestizos
✓ Explore American literature -- Mexican American authors -- History and criticism
✓ Explore Hispanic American Studies

Topics Covered

HISTORY Ethnic Studies Mexican Americans -- Intellectual life Mexican Americans Mexican Americans -- Ethnic identity Mestizos American literature -- Mexican American authors -- History and criticism Hispanic American Studies American literature Ethnic identity Social life and customs Mexican American authors Community life Mexican Americans -- Social life and customs United states, ethnic relations United States -- Ethnic relations History and criticism Ethnic relations Community life -- United States Mexican americans Intellectual life American literature, history and criticism 20th Century SOCIAL SCIENCE Mestizos -- United States -- Ethnic identity