The Life and Times of Padre Martínez is a film portrait of Padre Antonio José Martínez of Taos, New Mexico, one of the most important figures in southwestern history during the 19th century. Martìnez lived through some of the most turbulent episodes of the borderlands, when the region changed first from Spanish to Mexican control, and then was conquered by the United States.

Martínez was born in 1793 in Abiquiu, New Mexico. A priest, educator, writer, publisher and advocate for his people, Martínez was involved in the protection of indigenous rights for both Hispanics and Native Americans. He published New Mexico's first newspaper and opened the first major coeducational school in New Mexico. During the Mexican period, he was an outspoken critic of land grants made to outsiders. By the time of the U.S.- Mexican War of 1846-1848, he played a key role in activities unfolding in the region. In the years following the war, Martìnez found himself at odds with the newly-

A Brief History of Taos: This site provides a brief description of life in 19th century northern New Mexico. As Spanish sovereignty ended and as the U.S. pushed west throughout the 1800s, Padre Martínez found himself living alongside a diverse collection of Anglo mountain men and fur trappers, Spanish hold-overs, Mexican officials, and Native Americans. He is profiled along with some of his more famous contemporaries, such as Kit Carson.