S.P.M.D.T.U.
Sociedad Proteccion Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos
The Sociedad Proteccion Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos
(SPMDTU) was founded on 26 November 1900 in
Antonito,Colorado by Celedonio Mondragon, pictured on the
right.  The organization was formed to assist its members and
families during tough economic times and to combat
employment and racial discrimination.  The  first SPMDTU
women's auxilliary  was founded in 1933 and was also first
established in Antonito,  My grandfather, Francisco Archuleta,
joined the Concilio Numero Uno in the 1930's.  My
grandmother, Maria Filomena Trujillo-Archuleta, belonged to
all three auxilliaries of the Antonito council.
The two-story adobe SPMDTU building sits on Main Street in Antonito.  My grandfather, Francisco, used to
run a roller skating rink in this building during the late 1940's.  The building is still used for community
events.  The Celedonio Mondragon bronze statue stands south of the building.
Pictured above are some of my grandparents membership emblems and ribbons.  Also
pictured in the collage is the book authored by Jose Timoteo Lopez on the SPMDTU.
My grandmother pinned together her three auxilliary pins.  It is my understanding that
these pins are rare now.  The rest of the ribbons are mounted in a case to preserve them.
This wedding photo of my paternal  grandparents, Francisco and
Maria Filomena Trujillo-Archuleta was taken in 1905.  They both
belonged to the SPMDTU. They are pictured below in the 1950's
My maternal great-grandparents, Apolonio
and Paula Garcia-Quintana were married in
1896.  Apolonio Quintana was one of the
original members of the SPMDTU when it
was founded in 1900.
I was a member of the SPMDTU Concilio Numero Uno from
Antonito for a while.  I am not longer active in the Concilio.
Pictured on the left are members of the
SPMDTU Concilio #3 from Mogote,
Colorado.  The headstone above is for
SPMDTU member Jose Arculeta.  He
was buried at the San Miguel, NM
cemetery south of Antonito, Colorado.
This unknown photo is supposed to be members
of the SPMDTU women's auxilliary in Antonito.
The photo of the SPMDTU was taken by
Larry Ruybal in Chama, NM or CO?? unk.
This historical fact gathered by the Ledger News in Antonito
is not quite factual according to Timoteo Lopez's book