The Poinsettia’s Sad History
The United States nurtured a lust for an enormous part of Mexico 20 years before it took as war booty. Initially, America applied constant diplomatic pressure.
Joel Poinsett, a U.S. diplomat, traveled to Mexico City to have our southern neighbor part with Texas, New Mexico, Upper California, and parts of Lower California, Sonora, Coahuila, and Nuevo León. Mexican officials turned away the overture, but other diplomats also sought a deal.
Meanwhile, Poinsett came upon a large, bright red flower in Guerrero, Mexico. It is the Flor de Noche Buena. He had never seen one before.
Poinsett, having failed to talk Mexico into parting with its land, returned to the States with the flower. It was renamed in his honor.
Ricardo Chavira Chicano 