Refusing to Forget is pleased to announce that in 2023 we will be running an #OTD in Ranger History campaign to coincide with the Ranger Force’s claimed bicentennial. Several times a week, we will post information about Ranger actions on our website and in twitter threads. The posts will draw on scholarship on the Rangers, […]
RTF announces “On This Day in Ranger History” campaign for 2023 Read More »
Beginning in December of 1917, members of the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Army made several unauthorized incursions into Mexico while pursuing so-called bandits. On December 3, a group of military personnel pursued a group of Mexican revolutionaries under the command of Francisco “Chico” Cano across the border after the group had allegedly raided
Rangers as Bandits Read More »
December 18, 1922, a century ago today, Texas Rangers and mounted U.S. Customs officers policing the border killed a group of suspected mounted liquor smugglers in Zapata County. Rather than engage the suspects in the open, or make an arrest and put the men on trial for violating Prohibition, Texas Ranger Captain William L. Wright prepared
As the bicentennial celebration for the Texas Rangers is on the horizon, audiences will witness the discussions on the folklore, myths, and violence play out in the media. Texas Monthly, for example, recently published several articles that highlight the legacy of the Ranger in Texas history. RTF founder Trinidad Gonzales wrote “Texas Rangers Bicentennial is a Time
Ranger Violence in Context — Laredo, 1910 Read More »
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum appears to have removed language praising one of its honorees for tracking down people fleeing bondage for freedom in Mexico. For years, it has praised William “Bigfoot” Wallace for tracking down those risking everything to gain their freedom. “Wallace’s skills were often put to use trailing runaway slaves trying
Ranger Hall of Fame Removes Praise of Slave-Catching Read More »
The use of military weapons and other equipment by police forces is one facet of contemporary debates over policing in the United States. Although most of the military weaponry in the possession of municipal police departments came in the aftermath of a 1997 law that allowed for the transfer of such equipment, the practice is much older than that. “Rifles
The Rangers and the Army at Porvenir: New Findings, Sort of Read More »
By Juan Carmona It was a crisp cool morning in the Rio Grande Valley as I came into San Benito, Texas. I was there to join La Caminata’s march to commemorate those lost to an event known as La Matanza. In 2017 Refusing to Forget led the effort to place a historical marker just
By Christopher Carmona “The families who have reckoned with this violence harbor a lesson we should allheed: We must reckon with the fact that the southern border of our country wascreated and policed violently, and not valiantly; and that we have continuallysuppressed this truer and more accurate past. It is a past that bleeds
Restoring Justice Through Remembrance Read More »
By Caroline Lauber Located west of San Antonio and east of the Mexico-United States border, the town of Uvalde, Texas is characterized by resistance, grief, and strength. As most Americans know, an eighteen year old gunman indiscriminately killed nineteen children and two teachers at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022. This tragedy sparked feelings
The Uvalde Student Walkout and the Texas Rangers Read More »
Refusing to Forget Awarded Pandemic Recovery Grant from the American Historical Association” For Immediate Release March 30, 2022 Refusing to Forget has been awarded funding from the American Historical Association’s “Grants to Sustain and Advance the Work of Historical Organizations Program,” which provides relief to institutions adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This opportunity was
Refusing to Forget Receives NEH Award Read More »
