091: Black Pioneers of Spanish California with Dr. Cameron Jones Part 1
Historian Cameron Jones joins Damian Bacich for a fascinating conversation about the overlooked African presence in early California. Drawing on mission records, census data, and genealogical research, Jones explores how people of African descent—many arriving from Mexico as soldiers, settlers, and ranchers—helped shape California during the Spanish and Mexican periods.
The discussion traces the stories of prominent Californio families such as the Picos, the multicultural origins of Los Angeles, and the complex racial realities of life in frontier California. Jones also explains his…
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