A review by kathleenitpdx
The Great Arizona Orphan Abduction by Linda Gordon
4.0
This is a fascinating piece of history. In 1904 a young Catholic priest from France serving a parish in a copper mining camp in the mountains of Arizona helped the New York Foundling Hospital arrange for placements of Irish American orphans in his parish. His parish was almost exclusively Mexican. When the orphans arrived, the local Anglos decided that the white orphans should not be laced with Mexican families and kidnapped those who were already with their new families.
Gordon weaves the story of the orphans with details about copper mining, racism, vigilantism, orphanage management, company towns and many other illuminating pieces of information.
One thing I would change is putting the information about the 1903 strike that happened a little over a year before the orphans arrival earlier in the book. It was a pivotal incident that involved some of the same people. It would have made more sense to me t have had this information earlier in the book.
Gordon weaves the story of the orphans with details about copper mining, racism, vigilantism, orphanage management, company towns and many other illuminating pieces of information.
One thing I would change is putting the information about the 1903 strike that happened a little over a year before the orphans arrival earlier in the book. It was a pivotal incident that involved some of the same people. It would have made more sense to me t have had this information earlier in the book.