Ethnic/racial identity Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker

many elite californios/as arcadia bandini stressed spanish (rather mexican) blood , heritage, aligning europe , whiteness , distancing mestizaje (racial mixing) associated mexico recent (mostly lower-income) immigrants mexico. marrying white anglo american men, abel stearns , robert s. baker, served further confirmation , assertion of whiteness.

when white or spanish racial status challenged, californias de stearns baker outraged. instance described scholar eileen wallis illustrates this. when general federation of women s clubs in los angeles made decision officially exclude african american women membership, influential clubwoman caroline severance (though officially supported new policy) remarked did not understand why white americans associated socially italians, spaniards, , representatives of other dark-skinned races, not african americans. de stearns baker, benefactress of clubwomen causes , events, furious @ being labeled part of dark-skinned race decided not participate in annual fiesta de flores in los angeles , took donation fund, setting precedent other elite californias followed.