Author: Joseph Banco
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 381
Book Description
HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol is the first comprehensive history of the U.S. Border Patrol. It is divided into four volumes, each covering a critical stage in its development. In this Volume One, the story is told from its humble beginnings at the end of the 19th Century and turn of the 20th Century through Prohibition and World War II. Volume One addresses the forerunners of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Mounted Guards, Mounted Inspectors, Mounted Watchmen, and Chinese Inspectors, and then, the birth of the U.S. Border Patrol and the first twenty-five years of Service of the Border Patrol Inspectors from 1924 to 1949. Where possible and available, actual quotes from Border Patrol Inspectors, Border Patrol Agents, leadership and historical documents are utilized. Background information is also provided to give additional perspective. Historical photographs are included to complement the writing and hopefully add value to Honor First: The Story of the United States Border Patrol.
HONOR FIRST: the Story of the United States Border Patrol
Author: Joseph Banco
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 381
Book Description
HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol is the first comprehensive history of the U.S. Border Patrol. It is divided into four volumes, each covering a critical stage in its development. In this Volume One, the story is told from its humble beginnings at the end of the 19th Century and turn of the 20th Century through Prohibition and World War II. Volume One addresses the forerunners of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Mounted Guards, Mounted Inspectors, Mounted Watchmen, and Chinese Inspectors, and then, the birth of the U.S. Border Patrol and the first twenty-five years of Service of the Border Patrol Inspectors from 1924 to 1949. Where possible and available, actual quotes from Border Patrol Inspectors, Border Patrol Agents, leadership and historical documents are utilized. Background information is also provided to give additional perspective. Historical photographs are included to complement the writing and hopefully add value to Honor First: The Story of the United States Border Patrol.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 381
Book Description
HONOR FIRST: The Story of the United States Border Patrol is the first comprehensive history of the U.S. Border Patrol. It is divided into four volumes, each covering a critical stage in its development. In this Volume One, the story is told from its humble beginnings at the end of the 19th Century and turn of the 20th Century through Prohibition and World War II. Volume One addresses the forerunners of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Mounted Guards, Mounted Inspectors, Mounted Watchmen, and Chinese Inspectors, and then, the birth of the U.S. Border Patrol and the first twenty-five years of Service of the Border Patrol Inspectors from 1924 to 1949. Where possible and available, actual quotes from Border Patrol Inspectors, Border Patrol Agents, leadership and historical documents are utilized. Background information is also provided to give additional perspective. Historical photographs are included to complement the writing and hopefully add value to Honor First: The Story of the United States Border Patrol.
Dangerous Red Flags
Author: Eugene Davis
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781794207851
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Read the inside story of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who spent almost 30 years patrolling and subsequently managing various teams of law enforcement officers whose duty it was to stop illegal aliens and terrorists from entering the United States. Having begun his career on the U.S.-Mexico border as a journeyman Border Patrol agent in 1971, Eugene Davis worked his way up the ladder and served at a variety of capacities before retiring as the Deputy Chief of the Blaine sector in NW Washington State. "Dangerous Red Flags: My Life as a Border Patrol Agent" offers a unique boots-on-the-ground/firsthand perspective as to how our international borders have been impacted by poor Congressional oversight, along with a clear explanation in regards to our country's, Mexico's, and Canada's misguided immigration/visa policies, which have caused so much hardship to U.S. citizens--such as occurred with the 9/11 tragedy--along with the collateral suffering of the hard-working migrates who continue to flood into the U.S. under the harshest of conditions. At times criticizing his own superiors, Eugene Davis does not pull any punches. He explains the good, the bad, and the ugly as to why millions of undocumented aliens have been able to illegally come to the United States. His is a personal story that delves into the life-risking decisions that our frontline law enforcement officers have to constantly struggle with so as to properly serve and protect their country. Many readers will probably learn for the first time how truly compassionate and well-meaning our Border Patrol agents actually are. Plus, there are true-life examples of the ill-advised shortcuts that were performed on our southern border, such as frustrated Border Patrol agents commandeering private vehicles, along with a disturbing occurrence of how our constitutional protections were once overapplied by a misguided U.S. Attorney on our northern border--via a legal loophole that almost caused a terrorist bomber to be released from custody. Telling insights are also offered in regards to the behind-the-scenes actions that were taken to track down the D.C. snipers, who were first questioned by a Border Patrol agent in Bellingham, WA, before the two killers ever began their murderous crime spree, which eventually killed 17 innocent Americans. Retired Deputy Chief Davis also explains how our out-of-control borders could easily be fixed if Congress would simply pass a comprehension E-Verify law that's similar to the legislation which was initially recommended by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan--who chaired the Commission of Immigration Reform. Davis goes through a step-by-step explanation, with historical facts, as to the primary causes behind our dysfunctional borders and points out that Beltway lobbyists have been pounding a political drumbeat, for many years, to keep wages low for a variety of hourly workers, while at the same time using our country's job magnet to entice undocumented aliens to illegally cross our borders because certain businesses do not want to pay a living wage to our own citizens."Dangerous Red Flags" is a firsthand account of the day-to-day intrigue along the U.S. border and why our immigration policies have been neglected for so many years by those with self-serving political agendas, which have allowed terrorists to enter the U.S. This book explains why tens of thousands of illegal aliens continue to cross the U.S. border and how the situation could easily be corrected in order to help prevent 9/11-type terrorists from entering the country.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781794207851
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Read the inside story of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who spent almost 30 years patrolling and subsequently managing various teams of law enforcement officers whose duty it was to stop illegal aliens and terrorists from entering the United States. Having begun his career on the U.S.-Mexico border as a journeyman Border Patrol agent in 1971, Eugene Davis worked his way up the ladder and served at a variety of capacities before retiring as the Deputy Chief of the Blaine sector in NW Washington State. "Dangerous Red Flags: My Life as a Border Patrol Agent" offers a unique boots-on-the-ground/firsthand perspective as to how our international borders have been impacted by poor Congressional oversight, along with a clear explanation in regards to our country's, Mexico's, and Canada's misguided immigration/visa policies, which have caused so much hardship to U.S. citizens--such as occurred with the 9/11 tragedy--along with the collateral suffering of the hard-working migrates who continue to flood into the U.S. under the harshest of conditions. At times criticizing his own superiors, Eugene Davis does not pull any punches. He explains the good, the bad, and the ugly as to why millions of undocumented aliens have been able to illegally come to the United States. His is a personal story that delves into the life-risking decisions that our frontline law enforcement officers have to constantly struggle with so as to properly serve and protect their country. Many readers will probably learn for the first time how truly compassionate and well-meaning our Border Patrol agents actually are. Plus, there are true-life examples of the ill-advised shortcuts that were performed on our southern border, such as frustrated Border Patrol agents commandeering private vehicles, along with a disturbing occurrence of how our constitutional protections were once overapplied by a misguided U.S. Attorney on our northern border--via a legal loophole that almost caused a terrorist bomber to be released from custody. Telling insights are also offered in regards to the behind-the-scenes actions that were taken to track down the D.C. snipers, who were first questioned by a Border Patrol agent in Bellingham, WA, before the two killers ever began their murderous crime spree, which eventually killed 17 innocent Americans. Retired Deputy Chief Davis also explains how our out-of-control borders could easily be fixed if Congress would simply pass a comprehension E-Verify law that's similar to the legislation which was initially recommended by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan--who chaired the Commission of Immigration Reform. Davis goes through a step-by-step explanation, with historical facts, as to the primary causes behind our dysfunctional borders and points out that Beltway lobbyists have been pounding a political drumbeat, for many years, to keep wages low for a variety of hourly workers, while at the same time using our country's job magnet to entice undocumented aliens to illegally cross our borders because certain businesses do not want to pay a living wage to our own citizens."Dangerous Red Flags" is a firsthand account of the day-to-day intrigue along the U.S. border and why our immigration policies have been neglected for so many years by those with self-serving political agendas, which have allowed terrorists to enter the U.S. This book explains why tens of thousands of illegal aliens continue to cross the U.S. border and how the situation could easily be corrected in order to help prevent 9/11-type terrorists from entering the country.
HONOR FIRST: the Unsung Heroes of Oxford
Author: Joseph Banco
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
The U.S. Border Patrol quietly figured as an instrument of change in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s by supporting the U.S. Marshals Service in protective details for key events, and protecting members of the African-American community in their struggle for desegregation, equal rights, and opportunity. During this period, upholding federal law frequently meant defying state and local governments, including confronting local and state police; and unruly, sometimes violent crowds and demonstrations. This is the story of one of the most significant challenges to the U.S. government and the Constitution in the last century and how Border Patrol Inspectors were the unsung heroes that long night sixty years ago when James Meredith enrolled in the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). President John Kennedy lauded the unsung heroes who defended the Constitution and stopped the insurrection on the night of September 30, 1962 and early morning of October 1, 1962. The courage and dedication which you demonstrated while in great personal danger prevented a serious and tragic incident from becoming a disaster for our country. Had you failed, our country would have suffered irreparable damage.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
The U.S. Border Patrol quietly figured as an instrument of change in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s by supporting the U.S. Marshals Service in protective details for key events, and protecting members of the African-American community in their struggle for desegregation, equal rights, and opportunity. During this period, upholding federal law frequently meant defying state and local governments, including confronting local and state police; and unruly, sometimes violent crowds and demonstrations. This is the story of one of the most significant challenges to the U.S. government and the Constitution in the last century and how Border Patrol Inspectors were the unsung heroes that long night sixty years ago when James Meredith enrolled in the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). President John Kennedy lauded the unsung heroes who defended the Constitution and stopped the insurrection on the night of September 30, 1962 and early morning of October 1, 1962. The courage and dedication which you demonstrated while in great personal danger prevented a serious and tragic incident from becoming a disaster for our country. Had you failed, our country would have suffered irreparable damage.
Decade of Betrayal
Author: Francisco E. Balderrama
Publisher: UNM Press
ISBN: 0826339743
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 438
Book Description
During the Great Depression, a sense of total despair plagued the United States. Americans sought a convenient scapegoat and found it in the Mexican community. Laws forbidding employment of Mexicans were accompanied by the hue and cry to "get rid of the Mexicans!" The hysteria led pandemic repatriation drives and one million Mexicans and their children were illegally shipped to Mexico. Despite their horrific treatment and traumatic experiences, the American born children never gave up hope of returning to the United States. Upon attaining legal age, they badgered their parents to let them return home. Repatriation survivors who came back worked diligently to get their lives back together. Due to their sense of shame, few of them ever told their children about their tragic ordeal. Decade of Betrayal recounts the injustice and suffering endured by the Mexican community during the 1930s. It focuses on the experiences of individuals forced to undergo the tragic ordeal of betrayal, deprivation, and adjustment. This revised edition also addresses the inclusion of the event in the educational curriculum, the issuance of a formal apology, and the question of fiscal remuneration. "Francisco Balderrama and Raymond Rodríguez, the authors of Decade of Betrayal, the first expansive study of Mexican repatriation with perspectives from both sides of the border, claim that 1 million people of Mexican descent were driven from the United States during the 1930s due to raids, scare tactics, deportation, repatriation and public pressure. Of that conservative estimate, approximately 60 percent of those leaving were legal American citizens. Mexicans comprised nearly half of all those deported during the decade, although they made up less than 1 percent of the country's population. 'Americans, reeling from the economic disorientation of the depression, sought a convenient scapegoat' Balderrama and Rodríguez wrote. 'They found it in the Mexican community.'"--American History
Publisher: UNM Press
ISBN: 0826339743
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 438
Book Description
During the Great Depression, a sense of total despair plagued the United States. Americans sought a convenient scapegoat and found it in the Mexican community. Laws forbidding employment of Mexicans were accompanied by the hue and cry to "get rid of the Mexicans!" The hysteria led pandemic repatriation drives and one million Mexicans and their children were illegally shipped to Mexico. Despite their horrific treatment and traumatic experiences, the American born children never gave up hope of returning to the United States. Upon attaining legal age, they badgered their parents to let them return home. Repatriation survivors who came back worked diligently to get their lives back together. Due to their sense of shame, few of them ever told their children about their tragic ordeal. Decade of Betrayal recounts the injustice and suffering endured by the Mexican community during the 1930s. It focuses on the experiences of individuals forced to undergo the tragic ordeal of betrayal, deprivation, and adjustment. This revised edition also addresses the inclusion of the event in the educational curriculum, the issuance of a formal apology, and the question of fiscal remuneration. "Francisco Balderrama and Raymond Rodríguez, the authors of Decade of Betrayal, the first expansive study of Mexican repatriation with perspectives from both sides of the border, claim that 1 million people of Mexican descent were driven from the United States during the 1930s due to raids, scare tactics, deportation, repatriation and public pressure. Of that conservative estimate, approximately 60 percent of those leaving were legal American citizens. Mexicans comprised nearly half of all those deported during the decade, although they made up less than 1 percent of the country's population. 'Americans, reeling from the economic disorientation of the depression, sought a convenient scapegoat' Balderrama and Rodríguez wrote. 'They found it in the Mexican community.'"--American History
Out on Foot
Author: Rocky Elmore
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692488386
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
When Rocky Elmore joined the United States Border Patrol, he knew it would be a journey fraught with danger. But little did he know that the very real trails he walked night after night would soon lead him into surreal encounters from a different dimension. This was never more evident than when the ghost of a recently fallen fellow agent began to appear on top of the cliff from which he died. It marked the beginning of the end to one of the most bizarre series of events in the history of the U.S. Border Patrol. This collection of true stories provides a rare look into law enforcement that includes not only the routine nightly patrols of the USBP but also actual paranormal activity as it happened to the agents in the field. Readers will go on nightly patrols with the agents of the Brown Field Border Patrol Station, and will face their worst fears as they come face to face with smugglers, mountain lions, ghosts, and even a Sasquatch in this isolated no-man's land. OUT ON FOOT takes place in the mysterious Otay Mountains just east of San Diego, California. It is an emotional roller coaster ride that is not for the faint of heart.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692488386
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
When Rocky Elmore joined the United States Border Patrol, he knew it would be a journey fraught with danger. But little did he know that the very real trails he walked night after night would soon lead him into surreal encounters from a different dimension. This was never more evident than when the ghost of a recently fallen fellow agent began to appear on top of the cliff from which he died. It marked the beginning of the end to one of the most bizarre series of events in the history of the U.S. Border Patrol. This collection of true stories provides a rare look into law enforcement that includes not only the routine nightly patrols of the USBP but also actual paranormal activity as it happened to the agents in the field. Readers will go on nightly patrols with the agents of the Brown Field Border Patrol Station, and will face their worst fears as they come face to face with smugglers, mountain lions, ghosts, and even a Sasquatch in this isolated no-man's land. OUT ON FOOT takes place in the mysterious Otay Mountains just east of San Diego, California. It is an emotional roller coaster ride that is not for the faint of heart.
In Sight of America
Author: Dr. Anna Pegler-Gordon
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520944631
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 340
Book Description
When restrictive immigration laws were introduced in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, they involved new requirements for photographing and documenting immigrants--regulations for visually inspecting race and health. This work is the first to take a comprehensive look at the history of immigration policy in the United States through the prism of visual culture. Including many previously unpublished images, and taking a new look at Lewis Hine's photographs, Anna Pegler-Gordon considers the role and uses of visual documentation at Angel Island for Chinese immigrants, at Ellis Island for European immigrants, and on the U.S.-Mexico border. Including fascinating close visual analysis and detailed histories of immigrants in addition to the perspectives of officials, this richly illustrated book traces how visual regulations became central in the early development of U.S. immigration policy and in the introduction of racial immigration restrictions. In so doing, it provides the historical context for understanding more recent developments in immigration policy and, at the same time, sheds new light on the cultural history of American photography.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520944631
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 340
Book Description
When restrictive immigration laws were introduced in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, they involved new requirements for photographing and documenting immigrants--regulations for visually inspecting race and health. This work is the first to take a comprehensive look at the history of immigration policy in the United States through the prism of visual culture. Including many previously unpublished images, and taking a new look at Lewis Hine's photographs, Anna Pegler-Gordon considers the role and uses of visual documentation at Angel Island for Chinese immigrants, at Ellis Island for European immigrants, and on the U.S.-Mexico border. Including fascinating close visual analysis and detailed histories of immigrants in addition to the perspectives of officials, this richly illustrated book traces how visual regulations became central in the early development of U.S. immigration policy and in the introduction of racial immigration restrictions. In so doing, it provides the historical context for understanding more recent developments in immigration policy and, at the same time, sheds new light on the cultural history of American photography.
Energy Islands
Author: Catalina M de Onís
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520380622
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
"Weaving together historical and ethnographic research, Catalina M. de Onâis challenges the master narratives of Puerto Rico as a tourist destination and site of 'natural' disasters. She demonstrates how fossil-fuel economies are inextricably entwined with colonial practices and policies and how local community groups in Puerto Rico have struggled against energy coloniality and energy privilege to mobilize and transform power from the ground up. This work decenters continental contexts and deconstructs damaging hierarchies that devalue and exploit disenfranchised rural, coastal communities"--
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520380622
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
"Weaving together historical and ethnographic research, Catalina M. de Onâis challenges the master narratives of Puerto Rico as a tourist destination and site of 'natural' disasters. She demonstrates how fossil-fuel economies are inextricably entwined with colonial practices and policies and how local community groups in Puerto Rico have struggled against energy coloniality and energy privilege to mobilize and transform power from the ground up. This work decenters continental contexts and deconstructs damaging hierarchies that devalue and exploit disenfranchised rural, coastal communities"--
La Guera Rodriguez
Author: Silvia Marina Arrom
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520383435
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 263
Book Description
Fact is torn from fiction in this first biography of Mexico’s famous independence heroine, which also traces her subsequent journey from history to myth. María Ignacia Rodríguez de Velasco y Osorio Barba (1778–1850) is an iconic figure in Mexican history. Known by the nickname “La Güera Rodríguez” because she was so fair, she is said to have possessed a remarkably sharp wit, a face fit for statuary, and a penchant for defying the status quo. Charming influential figures such as Simon Bolívar, Alexander von Humboldt, and Agustín de Iturbide, she utilized gold and guile in equal measure to support the independence movement—or so the stories say. In La Güera Rodríguez, Silvia Marina Arrom approaches the legends of Rodríguez de Velasco with a keen eye, seeking to disentangle the woman from the myth. Arrom uses a wide array of primary sources from the period to piece together an intimate portrait of this remarkable woman, followed by a review of her evolving representation in Mexican arts and letters that shows how the legends became ever more fanciful after her death. How much of the story is rooted in fact, and how much is fiction sculpted to fit the cultural sensibilities of a given moment in time? In our contemporary moment of unprecedented misinformation, it is particularly relevant to analyze how and why falsehoods become part of historical memory. La Güera Rodriguez will prove an indispensable resource for those searching to understand late-colonial Mexico, the role of women in the independence movement, and the use of historic figures in crafting national narratives.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520383435
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 263
Book Description
Fact is torn from fiction in this first biography of Mexico’s famous independence heroine, which also traces her subsequent journey from history to myth. María Ignacia Rodríguez de Velasco y Osorio Barba (1778–1850) is an iconic figure in Mexican history. Known by the nickname “La Güera Rodríguez” because she was so fair, she is said to have possessed a remarkably sharp wit, a face fit for statuary, and a penchant for defying the status quo. Charming influential figures such as Simon Bolívar, Alexander von Humboldt, and Agustín de Iturbide, she utilized gold and guile in equal measure to support the independence movement—or so the stories say. In La Güera Rodríguez, Silvia Marina Arrom approaches the legends of Rodríguez de Velasco with a keen eye, seeking to disentangle the woman from the myth. Arrom uses a wide array of primary sources from the period to piece together an intimate portrait of this remarkable woman, followed by a review of her evolving representation in Mexican arts and letters that shows how the legends became ever more fanciful after her death. How much of the story is rooted in fact, and how much is fiction sculpted to fit the cultural sensibilities of a given moment in time? In our contemporary moment of unprecedented misinformation, it is particularly relevant to analyze how and why falsehoods become part of historical memory. La Güera Rodriguez will prove an indispensable resource for those searching to understand late-colonial Mexico, the role of women in the independence movement, and the use of historic figures in crafting national narratives.
Introduction to Fire in California
Author: David Carle
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520379144
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 245
Book Description
"What is fire? How are wildfires ignited? How do California's weather and topography influence fire? How did the California Indians use fire? David Carle focuses on this fundamental element of the natural world, giving a fascinating and concise view of this complex topic. This clearly written, dramatically illustrated book will help Californians, including the millions who live near naturally flammable wildlands, better understand their own place in the state's landscape. Carle covers the basics of fire ecology; looks at the effects of fire on wildlife, soil, water, and air; discusses fire-fighting organizations and land management agencies; explains current policies, and explores many other topics, including the extreme and deadly fire events of 2020 and evidence that climate change is changing the wildfire story in California"--
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520379144
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 245
Book Description
"What is fire? How are wildfires ignited? How do California's weather and topography influence fire? How did the California Indians use fire? David Carle focuses on this fundamental element of the natural world, giving a fascinating and concise view of this complex topic. This clearly written, dramatically illustrated book will help Californians, including the millions who live near naturally flammable wildlands, better understand their own place in the state's landscape. Carle covers the basics of fire ecology; looks at the effects of fire on wildlife, soil, water, and air; discusses fire-fighting organizations and land management agencies; explains current policies, and explores many other topics, including the extreme and deadly fire events of 2020 and evidence that climate change is changing the wildfire story in California"--
Hella Town
Author: Mitchell Schwarzer
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520391535
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 424
Book Description
Hella Town reveals the profound impact of transportation improvements, systemic racism, and regional competition on Oakland’s built environment. Often overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger and more glamorous twin, Oakland has a fascinating history of its own. From serving as a major transportation hub to forging a dynamic manufacturing sector, by the mid-twentieth century Oakland had become the urban center of the East Bay. Hella Town focuses on how political deals, economic schemes, and technological innovations fueled this emergence but also seeded the city’s postwar struggles. Toward the turn of the millennium, as immigration from Latin America and East Asia increased, Oakland became one of the most diverse cities in the country. The city still grapples with the consequences of uneven class- and race-based development-amid-disruption. How do past decisions about where to locate highways or public transit, urban renewal districts or civic venues, parks or shopping centers, influence how Oaklanders live today? A history of Oakland’s buildings and landscapes, its booms and its busts, provides insight into its current conditions: an influx of new residents and businesses, skyrocketing housing costs, and a lingering chasm between the haves and have-nots.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520391535
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 424
Book Description
Hella Town reveals the profound impact of transportation improvements, systemic racism, and regional competition on Oakland’s built environment. Often overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger and more glamorous twin, Oakland has a fascinating history of its own. From serving as a major transportation hub to forging a dynamic manufacturing sector, by the mid-twentieth century Oakland had become the urban center of the East Bay. Hella Town focuses on how political deals, economic schemes, and technological innovations fueled this emergence but also seeded the city’s postwar struggles. Toward the turn of the millennium, as immigration from Latin America and East Asia increased, Oakland became one of the most diverse cities in the country. The city still grapples with the consequences of uneven class- and race-based development-amid-disruption. How do past decisions about where to locate highways or public transit, urban renewal districts or civic venues, parks or shopping centers, influence how Oaklanders live today? A history of Oakland’s buildings and landscapes, its booms and its busts, provides insight into its current conditions: an influx of new residents and businesses, skyrocketing housing costs, and a lingering chasm between the haves and have-nots.