Hispanics of Roosevelt County, New Mexico

Download or read book Hispanics of Roosevelt County, New Mexico written by Agapito Trujillo and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-27 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1942, several Hispanic families left drought-devastated Encino and headed for the small, peanut-farming town of Portales in Roosevelt County, New Mexico. Among them was the Trujillo family, including five-year-old Agapito, who later became the county's first Hispanic law enforcement officer. The new arrivals did not feel welcome in Portales, which was almost entirely Anglo and a rumored "sundown" town. However, determined to put down roots and take advantage of economic opportunities, they eventually thrived. Agapito Trujillo tells the story of his family's migration to Roosevelt County alongside the struggles and triumphs of the Hispanic community with candor, grace and an obvious love for his heritage and neighbors.