Historians knit past, present into a narrative Serra, Chavez and Mulholland are still relevant, authors say.
Three of the most influential Californians — Father Junípero Serra, labor activist Cesar Chavez and water czar William Mulholland — are just as relevant today as they were in their lifetimes — and no less controversial, as their biographers explained Sunday.
Speaking at USC on the second day of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the writers traced the state’s struggles with water, immigration and the labor movement back to the work of these men.
“We probably wouldn’t be here today if it were not for what William Mulholland accomplished,” said Les Standiford, author of “Water to the Angels: William Mulholland, His Monumental Aqueduct, and the Rise of Los Angeles.” “Others might say we’re about not to be here because of what Mulholland
accomplished.”
Author Miriam Pawel told a packed audience that some historians were reluctant to write about Chavez out of fear they would have to criticize the “preeminent Latino icon of our time.”
“Ultimately, I became convinced that the lack of serious scholarship or work that covered his complexity was the reason that people don’t know who he is today,” said Pawel, who wrote “The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography.” “I decided that in writing about him, I could actually help restore him to the place in history he deserves.”
Serra died in 1784, but his place in history remains controversial for his role in the colonization of California. Pope Francis announced in January that he would canonize the man responsible for bringing Catholicism to California under Spanish rule and establishing the mission system. But critics say, as a result, indigenous populations were nearly wiped out as they were exposed to new diseases and pressured to assimilate.
With the release of “Junipero Serra: California’s Founding Father,” author Steven Hackel said readers have not been shy to share their opinions on the religious leader.
“I wouldn’t call it fan mail,” he joked.
“People don’t often know who Junipero Serra is, nor do they want to know who he is. They just want to see him as a saint or a sinner and they don’t want to grapple with the complexities of this life,” Hackel said.
Sherman Oaks resident Stewart Chesler decided to attend the panel after reading a Los Angeles Times oped by Standiford about Mulholland. Chesler, who has a background in urban planning and transportation, described himself as “a student of California history.”
“What a remarkable, complex man he was and how caring he was in terms of promoting conservation. He wasn’t just someone who said, ‘Get as much water as possible,’” Chesler said of Mulholland.
The Festival of Books celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. The annual event included authors, publishers and cultural groups. In the children’s section Sunday, hundreds of parents waited in line for author Jeff Kinney to sign books from the series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”
One mother, Norma Carillo of El Monte, said, “It’s been an hour already. But I’m not complaining since my son is a huge fan of the author and wanted the book signed by him,” she said.
For some in attendance, the Festival of Books was something of a reunion. Mar Vista writer Brian Dunlap, who has attended 19 of the 20 festivals, went to see his professors from UC Riverside and Fresno State.
His love of books runs so deep he even started a blog about the literary culture of Los Angeles, including writings on the city and a calendar of upcoming events.
“I just love this city so much so I’m obsessed with writings about it,” said Dunlap, who wore an L.A. Review of Books T-shirt and was reading “Book of Unknown Americans” as he rode the Expo Line to USC.