A Mexican Family Story

Exploring Mexican history through genealogy, research, photos, and the stories of our Mexican ancestors. This is a story about you and me, our parents, our friends, our grandparents, our cousins, our Padrinos, our brothers, our sisters, our past, our present, and our future. This is A Mexican Family Story.

Mexicans in the U.S. Civil War 03/03/2025

Mexicans in the U.S. Civil War During the American Civil War, thousands of Mexicans and Mexican Americans fought on both sides, driven by ideology, survival, and regional loyalties. In Texas and California, many Tejanos and Californios joined the Union, opposing slavery and seeking to defend their communities from Confederate expansion. Others, particularly in Texas and along the border, sided with the Confederacy, seeing economic and cultural ties as reasons to fight. Figures like Colonel Santos Benavides, who led Confederate forces in Texas, and Mexican volunteers in Union regiments exemplified this divide. Their contributions, often overlooked, played a crucial role in shaping the war’s southwestern frontier. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/35497440

Mexican Divorce 02/16/2025

Mexican Divorce In the mid-20th century, Juarez became the ultimate escape hatch for Americans seeking a quick divorce. You’d cross the border, where the rules were looser, the lawyers more than willing, and the paperwork shockingly easy. No waiting period, no drawn-out court battles—just a couple of signatures, a stack of cash, and boom, you’re free. The city's cheap motels, smoky bars, and bustling street corners became the backdrop for this legal loophole. It was the perfect storm of desperation, opportunity, and good old-fashioned American ingenuity. Juarez wasn’t just a city—it was a factory for broken hearts and fresh starts. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/35300795

1930's Mexican Repatriation 02/02/2025

1930's Mexican Repatriation During the 1930s, the U.S. government forcibly deported or pressured over a million Mexicans and Mexican Americans to leave the country in response to the Great Depression. Framed as “repatriation,” this mass expulsion disproportionately targeted American citizens, reinforcing racial discrimination and shaping Mexican-American identity for generations. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/35113940

Rebeca Mendez Jimenez - Part 1 11/10/2020

Rebeca Mendez Jimenez - Part 1 Released in 1997, “En El Muelle de San Blás” became one of the biggest international hits for iconic Mexican Rock band, Maná. Their album, Sueños Liquidos, went Platinum once in the United States, 3 times in Mexico, and twice in Argentina. It is one of the most recognizable songs in their catalog to this very day, and in its wake, it has left behind a legend, or in reality, a mystery. In this Episode, we begin the exploration into the real story of Rebeca Mendez Jimenez: “The Madwoman from the Wharf of San Blás”. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/16751132

Roman Castro 07/03/2020

Roman Castro Today’s guest is well-known Fisherman, Podcaster, Photographer, and YouTube content creator Roman Castro. Roman and I have been close friends for over 20 years and we had a long conversation about growing up as first-generation Americans, discovering our passions and learning how to share them online, staying productive during the pandemic, and of course, we take a look into his ancestry and Mexican roots. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/15075302

Ted Williams: Mexican-American 01/13/2020

Ted Williams: Mexican-American In this episode, we explore the Mexican side of baseball legend Ted Williams' family and uncover some mysteries about his ancestry. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/12713678

European Connections 11/11/2019

European Connections In this 10 minute episode, we briefly explore how European settlers shaped the history and genetics of Mexico's population since their arrival in the 1500's. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/11985170

Richie "The Boogeyman" Martinez 08/21/2019

Richie "The Boogeyman" Martinez My very first podcast guest is Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, Richie “Boogeyman” Martinez. He is an active Jiu Jitsu competitor, breakdancer, and the head coach of 10th Planet San Diego. We learn about his life and dive deep into his unique ancestry. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/10939253

Introduction 08/21/2019

Introduction This is a quick introduction and description of the podcast for new listeners. /episode/index/show/amexicanfamilystory/id/10938047

A Mexican Family Story

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