Oppenheimer: In the film “Oppenheimer,” portrayed by Cillian Murphy, a man discovers an astonishing secret – a covert atomic weapons complex nestled in the wilderness of northern New Mexico, thought to be a mere boys’ school and Native American burial ground. However, beneath this seemingly innocent façade lies a historical tale of displacement and struggle.
Once, the Pajarito Plateau homesteaders, mostly Hispanic, faced a harrowing ordeal at the hands of the U.S. Army. Forced to vacate their homes and properties for 48 hours, some under the threat of guns, they made way for the establishment of the lab that would become the birthplace of the first atomic bombs in 1942. Loyda Martinez, a LANL computer scientist, recalls the demolition of homes, loss of animals, and meager compensation that these families received.
The discrepancy in treatment is evident, as Hispanic farmers received significantly less pay than their white counterparts, while authorities claim that no homes or animals were destroyed and no evictions took place. Martinez, who has passionately represented the marginalized for years, emphasizes the struggles faced by Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, females, and lab personnel.
Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” serves as a cinematic portrayal of northern New Mexico’s connection to the lab, which now employs around 14,000 people. For many Hispanos, whose ancestors hailed from Spain, the lab jobs have offered financial stability, enabling them to invest in homes, pursue higher education, and hold onto ancestral lands.
Marcel Torres, a mechanic from Penasco, spent 35 years crafting nuclear bombs with a noble mission – preventing a world war. In the eyes of the lab, race mattered little as these workers proved invaluable to the cause.
Yet, the price of scientific progress was steep. Thousands of beryllium workers, including Martinez’s father, fell victim to radiation and other pollutants. While Congress recognized their plight in 2000, compensation was delayed, leaving families in hardship.
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Myrriah Gomez, an assistant professor at the University of New Mexico, shares a personal connection to the historical events. Her great-grandparents sold their 63-acre farm to join the Manhattan Project, and her grandfather tragically succumbed to colon cancer thereafter.
Screenwriter Alisa Valdes, who worked on the Abiquiu scenes in “Oppenheimer,” believes that the film overlooked the Spanish origins that rendered the lab a Tewa holy ground. The Mexican-American War further shaped the region, with the U.S. granting territories to Hispanic and white settlers.
Rob Martinez, New Mexico’s state historian, emphasizes the long history of Los Alamos property being taken since 1848, impacting families like his great-uncle’s.
In 2004, $10 million was awarded to the homesteaders, but the echoes of the past continue to resonate. Today, Los Alamos County thrives economically, while Rio Arriba County, with its 91% Hispanic or Native American population, struggles with poverty and exam performance.
Cristian Madrid-Estrada, director of Espanola’s regional homeless shelter, laments the lack of economic growth in their areas, as the focus remains on Los Alamos. The lab itself has drawn employees from outside Los Alamos County since 2018.
As the complexities of history intertwine with Hollywood’s narrative, “Oppenheimer” sheds light on a past that still echoes in the present.
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