Video Archive

The Mercury Case in the Los Angeles Public Library’s Digitization and Special Collections department comprises the original documents, proceedings, and letters in the only known case in which a contraband trader on the California coast came to a full trial of which an official record was left. We’ve invited three researchers who have been studying the case to shed more light upon this fascinating history. Cameron La Follette, Oregon independent scholar, and coastal historian will discuss the information gaps in the maritime fur trade with respect to Oregon, a major slice of the Northwest coast that is rarely discussed in documents of the era. Richard Ravalli, professor of History at William Jessup University, will discuss the evolving Pacific World context of the early 19th century that led to the seizure of the Mercury and the production of the manuscript. Julius (Rex) Gurney III, professor of History at William Jessup University, will present on issues surrounding the translation of the document. The language of the document will be put in context of the historical evolution of spoken and written Spanish. (May 12, 2021)