SAN ANTONIO – A local organization is launching an effort to help people discover whether they are descendants of the Indigenous communities that helped build San Antonio’s historic missions.
The San Antonio Mission Indian Descendants organization announced its “Find Your Roots, Claim Your Story” initiative, a project designed to connect people with their family histories through research conducted in partnership with universities across the region.
The organization was founded in 2022 by descendants who say they spent much of their lives unaware of their own Indigenous heritage and ties to the missions.
“We had no clue that we were Native American, much less that we are descendants of the missions,” said Diane Moreno Reyes, one of the group’s founders. “We were created to help people like us who grew up not knowing who we were.”
Organizers said the initiative was inspired by their own experiences learning about their ancestry and realizing many others may have similar connections they have yet to discover.
To support the effort, the organization has partnered with six universities in San Antonio and Texas State University. Student interns will help conduct genealogical research beginning this fall.
According to organizers, estimates suggest there could be between 100,000 and 300,000 descendants of the Indigenous people associated with the missions living in Bexar County alone.
“For generations, other people have told the story of the Native Americans who lived in the missions,” said organization member Nehemiah Moreno. “It’s time to take that story back. That story is ours to tell.”
The group said the project is not only about tracing family trees, but also preserving Indigenous history and increasing awareness of the role Native communities played in building San Antonio.
The founders note that more than 60 Indigenous groups were present in the region during the mission era.
While researchers may not always be able to identify a specific tribal connection, organizers said helping people understand their Indigenous ancestry remains a meaningful goal.
Organizers say Indigenous contributions to early Texas and American history are often overlooked, despite historical records showing mission residents contributed labor, resources and livestock during the era of the American Revolution.
As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the organization doesn’t want Native American history to be overlooked.
“As Indigenous people, we have been loyal to this country, even when they haven’t been loyal to us,” Diane said. “That’s important. People need to know that.”
The organization will hold a soft launch event June 24 to raise awareness about the initiative and encourage participation at The Doseum.
Organizers hope the project will help descendants reconnect with their heritage while ensuring Indigenous voices are included in conversations about San Antonio’s history and America’s 250th anniversary.
“Without San Antonio, there would be no Texas. Without the missions, there would be no San Antonio. And without the Indigenous people, there would be nothing,” Moreno Reyes said.
Click here to start the process of learning your roots by answering 17 questions about your family.
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