Email
PrintBooks fill in mission puzzle
Editor, Index-Tribune:
I would like to offer Natalie Sandoval, the fourth-grade student who expressed, in a Feb. 1 letter, concern about the teaching of the California Missions in fourth grade, a peek into books that might further inform her.
As a teacher, I taught Native American history and was thrilled to find some excellent books at the Sonoma Valley Library. This series covers the coming of the Russians and Mexicans, followed by the priests who developed the missions, and then those who came around the Gold Rush. All had a huge impact on our Native American population, some positive but some not. I suggest that if you want an accurate picture of the effects of these people on the local population, check out Jack S. Williams’ series, “The Library of Native Americans.” Two books, “The Pomo of California,” and “The Miwok of California,” cover Napa and Sonoma counties and can be found in the children’s history section.
They are informative and accurate and the content helps one understand just where the missions fit into the puzzle of the native people, many of whom ended up living in the missions.
Keep up your inquisitive thinking, Natalie, and keep learning!
Mary Crissy
Sonoma
Please note: Your full name will be published with your comment.
"All had a huge impact on our Native American population, some positive but some not."
"...some positive but some not??" Having encountered relatively few if any descendants of Native Americans roaming the streets lately, I'm having trouble visualizing what the positive impacts of the Russians, Mexicans, priests and Gold Rushers might have been on the Native American population. Obviously, I need to spend a lot more time in the library.