“the american congo" by john g. bourke (1894)
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Bourke, John G. “The American Congo,” Scribner’s Magazine Vol. XV, no. 5 (1894): 591-610.BRIEF BIOGRAPHYJohn Gregory Bourke was born in Philadelphia in 1846. He distinguished himself at the Civil War battle of Stones River, Tennessee, in 1862 and was awarded the Medal of Honor. In 1869 he was commissioned a second lieutenant with the Third U. S. Cavalry. He served as aide-de-camp to Gen. George Crook from 1871 to 1883. Although he served during the Indian wars in the American West, Bourke gained sympathy for the Indians and he fought for their rights. The volumes of notes he took during his time in the West resulted in two works, Medicine Men of the Apache and Scatological Rites of all Nations. He also collected photographs of Indians, such as these. He died in Philadelphia in 1896. SUMMARY:This article was written for and published by Scribner’s Magazine just a few years before Bourke died. Typical of its time, it is riddled with stereotypes and condescending commentary about non-whites. Bourke informs the reader that “the purpose of [his] sketch [is to describe] the territory…and superstitions of the Mexicans” living between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers (590). He does this by comparing this south Texas region with the African country, the Congo. He explains that, like the Nile River, the Rio Grande began in some far off distant land in the mountains that the people settled near its mouth were oblivious of. He continues his absurd comparison of the rivers evoking “water gods,” “wild tribes,” and other nonsensical allusions that have no basis in reality. From here, Bourke transitions into an analysis between American and Mexican culture. He mentions the thriving cattle business, cotton trade, and the smuggling that occurred along the border. After praising American entrepreneurs and vilifying Mexicans as shiftless smugglers, he returns to his Congo comparison and clarifies his position. Bourke felt that the comparison applied, because both regions shared populations that were “degraded, turbulent, ignorant, and superstitious” (594). Throughout the article Bourke points out cultural nuances and traditions that he interprets as superstitious, and his overall tone is characteristic of nineteenth century American attitudes towards the “lawless” Mexicans and their bandits. In fact, he has very few nice things to say about Mexicans in general, and distinguishes between those living on this side to those on the other side of the border. Bourke thinks Mexicans are better than the homegrown Mexican Americans. Perhaps this is reflective of Anglo Texan views at the time that the only good Mexican was in Mexico. In conclusion, Bourke’s description of the border as an American Congo is a good source for its prevalent attitudes of white American superiority and its racist overtones towards Mexican Americans in the late nineteenth century and beyond.TRANSCRIPT
