The Politics of Patronage

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2018, so it is a timely development to have a detailed historical narrative on its founding, including its good (many major legal victories), bad (some questionable policy decisions), and ugly dimensions (some dreadful board behavior). Fortunately, there have been many more important court victories and examples of significant advocacy than there have been stumbles. As in his earlier work, an authoritative history of LULAC, Benjamin Márquez has a riveting tale to tell about the most successful national Latino organization. He also makes it clear that MALDEF lawyers are focused on suing bad hombres for another fifty years and more.

— Michael A. Olivas

Progressive support for undocumented Americans…is only recent. Not only were unions slow to come around, powerful philanthropic foundations resisted attempts by organizers to defend the undocumented. This story is played out in excruciating detail in [The Politics of Patronage].

— 3Streams

Márquez has written a well-researched, well-documented study…[Márquez] has successfully argued that Ford Foundation funding translated into less power for MALDEF lawyers. Despite a stark contrast between community members and community interests versus MALDEF, the book details MALDEF’s critical achievements fostering Latinx political empowerment both because of Ford’s funding and in spite of Ford’s control.

— Southwestern Historical Quarterly

The Politics of Patronage is a groundbreaking source for scholars of Mexican American civil rights and legal history...Marquez’s book successfully inserts MALDEF into the historical cannon alongside other important civil rights groups of the twentieth century, where it rightfully belongs.

— Western Historical Quarterly