Goals of Las Gorras Blancas (The White Hats)

Las Gorras Blancas (The White Hats) was a movement in late 19th-century New Mexico Territory advocating for Hispanic and indigenous land rights. Their core goals were:

1. Land Reform: Redistribute land from large grant holders to small-scale farmers and communities.
2. Improve Working Conditions: Secure fair wages, reasonable hours, and humane treatment for agricultural laborers.
3. Protect Indigenous Rights: Defend traditional lands and cultural practices of Native communities; ensure their voice in decisions affecting them.
4. Resist Government Repression: Oppose authoritarian measures, defend civil liberties, and push for democratic governance.
5. Achieve Social Justice: Address economic inequality, uphold workers' rights, and advocate systemic political change for marginalized groups.

The movement used both direct action and political organizing to challenge the concentration of land and power after the US annexation of the territory.