Carmelita Torres: Bath Riots of 1917
Prior to U.S. entry into WWI and fearing typhus outbreaks, the U.S. erected delousing stations at its borders with Mexico forcing migrant crossers to strip, bathe, and have their clothes fumigated with hydrocyanic acid before entry. Workers found with lice, were shaved of all body hair, and forced to take toxic shower. On January 28, 1917, a 17-year-old maid, Carmelita Torres, on route to being deloused, refused to suffer the indignity of forced public denuding, stomped off the bus, and was joined by thousands of other migrant workers who similarly detested such humiliation. Despite receiving national attention, such delousing stations remained active until the 1950s. Aiming to disrupt the “melting pot” narrative of immigrant histories as untroubled and equitable, this unit explores multimodal strategies towards empathy and critical engagement with popular history and media bias.
Unit Lessons
- Examine and critique primary sources for biased and prejudicial language.
- Write a letter to a 1917 editor from one of the articles from the perspective of a family member, a witness to the events, or a person going through the disinfectant line.
- Read three articles and compare and contrast three newspaper clippings and explain how similar or contrasting themes continue to affect Mexican or other groups of migrant laborers as they are described in media.
- Pick a counter-story narrative from sources provided below Howard Zinn or David Dorado Romo and explain how they differ from the dominant narratives created by these newspaper clippings.
- Re-write an article along with headlines that change the language in the articles from humiliation and scorn to dignity and respect.
- Create an artistic representation to honor her resistance. In a short-written response, explain your artistic choices: First, explain any symbolism in your work. Then explain why you portrayed her that way.
Questions
- Compelling Question: What was happening nationally, internationally and between people that contributed to the Bath Riots of 1917?
- Staging the Question: Why are borders created between countries?
- Supporting Question 1:Why would governments be interested in eugenics?
- What was the cost vs. benefit to the US government of bringing domestic migrant workers across the border daily?
Supporting Question 2:What is your or your family’s experience of crossing the US/Mexico border? Or any other borders?
- Supporting Question 3:What kind of words are used today to describe migrant people or people who cross national borders?
New Mexico Social Studies Standards
- 9-12.US.55. Examine immigration policy in the US over time.
- 9. Present adaptations of arguments and explanations that feature provocative ideas and perspectives on issues and topics to reach a range of audiences and venues outside the classroom using print and oral technologies and digital technologies.
- 9-12.Civ.40. Analyze historical inequalities and evaluate proposed solutions to correct them.
- 9-12.US.88. Describe how particular historical events and developments shaped human processes and systems in World War I.
- 9-12.Civ.41. Apply an effective questioning strategy to evaluate sources intended to inform the public, and consider the effects of choices made by media organizations (including social internet platforms), on elections and social movements.
- 9-12.ECI.21. Investigate how identity groups and society address systemic inequity through individual actions, individual champions, social movements, and local community, national, and global advocacy.
9-12 Econ.24. Critique Inequalities that exist in Economic systems.
