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Las Gorras Blancas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Las Gorras Blancas (Spanish for "The White Caps") was a group active in the American Southwest in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The group believed in Mexican reclamation of land taken by Anglo farmers and used intimidation and raids to accomplish their goals. The name comes from the white head coverings many wore.
In the early 1890's, a depressed sheep and wool market affected the Northern New Mexico economy adversely. Communal lands dictated by the original land grants were increasingly being split up and fenced off as private land, and pastures were not as plentiful. This was most felt by the small Hispano farmers who relied on the communal lands to raise their stock. The Gorras Blancas tore down fences, burned barns and haystacks, scattered livestock and threatened worse if justice did not prevail. Moreover, numerous demonstrations of men on horseback, wearing white caps, rodethrough the Las Vegas, New Mexico streets at night typically ending at the Courthouse.