Lynching on the border: the death of Antonio Rodriguez and the rise of anti-Americanism during the Mexican Revolution

Abstract

This thesis examines the lynching of Antonio Rodríguez along with the incident’s aftermath. Analysis interjects the narrative at crucial points throughout, and especially in chapter conclusions. The use of a transnational historical framework attempts to explain the intricacies of both nations’ diplomatic efforts. Similarly, both Mexican and American newspapers are used to stress differences in the respective publics’ opinion of events. Historians have often described the lynching of Antonio Rodríguez as an isolated incident, and one relegated to the sidelines of history as the Mexican Revolution unfolded. This thesis aims to reassess the significance of Rodríguez’s death, suggesting that the incident became a symbol of the failure of President Porfirio Díaz to provide for his citizens (at home and abroad). Furthermore, Rodríguez’s murder was not subsumed into the greater event of the Mexican Revolution; rather, the death of Antonio Rodríguez altered the initial phase of the Mexican Revolution.