Image - A Cross of Thorns: The Enslavement of California's Indians by the Spanis

A Cross of Thorns: The Enslavement of California's Indians by the Spanish Missions

from A Cross of Thorns: The Enslavement of California's Indians by the Spanish Missions held on February 9, 2015

Mon, Feb 9 2015 - 6:00pm

Elias Castillo, Author, A Cross of Thorns: The Enslavement of California's Indians by the Spanish Missions

Monday Night Philosophy refutes the myth that the 21 Franciscan missions in California were idyllic sites where Franciscan padres and Native Americans lovingly commingled. In reality, the missions were death camps in which the Catholic missionaries, guided by mission founder Junípero Serra’s direction that the “savage” Indians be controlled through "blows,” practiced unremitting violence against their charges. Drawing on exhaustive archival research, Castillo details the dark secrets that the missions have tried to keep under wraps for over 100 years.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs

The leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Each year, we bring nearly 500 events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy to our members and the public, both in-person and via extensive online and on-air listenership and viewership.

The views of Club speakers are their own and their participation does not constitute or imply endorsement or recommendation by Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

San Francisco Headquarters

110 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-597-6705

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 194210
San Francisco, CA 94119–4210

Silicon Valley

408-280-5530