PORVENIR, TEXAS SUBJECT OF NEW PBS DOCUMENTARY

Recorded history has forgotten the details surrounding what happened on the morning of January 28, 1918, in Porvenir Texas.  Some local residents however still carry the memories of what happened over 100 years ago. A new documentary, to be broadcast nationally on PBS stations, examines the events behind that fateful morning.

The documentary, titled PORVENIR, TEXAS will debut on Friday, September 20, 2019, at 10 p.m. ET/9 PM CT as a part of the PBS VOCES series. The program chronicles an incident in the early morning hours of January 28, 1918. Tensions along the border between the United States and Mexico a century ago were also quite high. Under the supervision of the US Army, a band of Texas Rangers and Local Ranchers rounded up 15 Mexican men and boys and killed them execution-style.

“This was one of the darkest chapters in Texas history, and few persons know about it until now,” says Jerry Patterson; who served as a historical consultant for the production.  “It was subject to a governmental cover-up which wouldn’t happen today.”  This act was retribution for a series of border raids and killings which had occurred in the area. A follow-up investigation by the Texas state legislature was held in 1919, but its findings were never fully released.  “This is an example of history that you don’t hear about in the seventh grade,” said Patterson.

Over one hundred years later, an increasing number of current residents in the West Texas region are completely unaware that this event even occurred.  Fewer persons outside the area even know of Porvenir. But to many families on both sides of the story, memories of the incident at Porvenir provoke emotions as vivid as if it were something that happened last week instead of last century.  “Seeking justice for those long since dead isn’t the goal (of the film),” says Patterson, “The descendants still speak highly of the Texas Rangers, but this was truly a dark moment.”

Through comprehensive research, site excavations and dramatizations, PORVENIR, TEXAS examines this story, revisits the circumstances which led up to the events of that night.  Included in the movie are remembrances of the incident by Juan Flores, the last known living survivor. Flores was only 12 years old during the raid and was considered too young to be rounded up with the other boys. The movie also examines anecdotal evidence that points to possible reasons why the village of Porvenir was targeted in the first place and looks at the context of events against the backdrop of World War I.  

Patterson feels that the lessons learned from this are applicable in today’s political climate. “Indiscriminate violence and brutality only leads to more violence,” he said, “You can’t ever justify taking actions against innocent people who weren’t the perpetrators.” When asked if such an event could happen today, Patterson was cautious in his reply. “Yes, it could. But it won’t be violence from a governmental entity,” he said, “The recent events in El Paso show it would be more of an individual.”

For more information, including times and channels in your area, check out https://www.pbs.org/show/voces/