Decline of the Californios

In his enduring study of Spanish-speaking Californians-a group that includes both native-born Californians, or Californios, and immigrants from Mexico-Leonard Pitt charts one of the earliest chapters in the state's ethnic history, and, in the process, he sheds light on debates and tensions that continue to this day. In a new foreword for this edition, Ram n A. Guti rrez discusses the shaping and reception of the book and also views this classic work in light of recent scholarship on California and ethnic history.