Californios and Ethnicity with Archaeologist Jennifer Lucido

In today's interview, I am talking with archaeologist Jennifer Lucido.

Jennifer has worked at several important historical sites in the Monterey area and has recently traced the genealogies of some of California's early poblador families. Her fascinating work has shed light on how their ethnic identities shifted as they arrived in a new territory.

In our conversation, we discuss the complex ethnic classifications of New Spain, how the frontier simplified them and how today's categories of nationality and race don't always match how people thought of themselves 200 years ago.

We also delve into the role of social mobility and class consciousness in Spanish and Mexican California.