"A Photo History of Mexicans in Southern Nevada, An Evaluation": unpublished manuscript by Roosevelt Fitzgerald

A PHOTO HISTORY OF MEXICANS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA AN EVALUATION
The success or failure of any enterprise is most accurately ascertained by determining whether or not the objectives have been achieved. The Photo [Exhibit of The Mexican American in southern Nevada as prepared and presented by Ms. Corinne Escobar of and at The Barrick Museum of Natural History on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas accomplished much more than it set out to do. Among its objectives:
1.
To document the historic presence of Mexicans8n southern Nevada.
2.
To extablish a photographic record of Mexican Americans in the area.
3.
To dispel the myth, as presented by popular media over the years, that Mexican Americans were only involved in criminal activity.
4.
To note the contributions of the Mexican American experience to the development of southern Nevada.
5.
To describe the origins of the Mexican American in southern Nevada.
6.
To document that early residents of southern Nevada of Mexican descent were both hard working and contributors to the region.
Arriving early and being the last to leave I was able to observe and tabulate the numbers of attendees at the opening of the exhibit. I stopped counting at 200. The total number was well in excess of that. Having attended numerous other openings at the Museum I immediatedly became aware of a major difference between the attendees of May 1 and others; the overwhelming majority were of Mexican descent. Further, there were entire families and extended families present. Additionally, many of those in attendance were either the actual subjects of the exhibit, descendents of the subjects, acquainted with the subjects or knew someone there or elsewhere who were familiar with the subjects of the photographic display.
While most openings have a certain quititude about them as each person contemplates the display, this exhibit had that quality and more. Children would:call to their parents; "Here's grandpa," "Here's grandma," "Here's uncle
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Lupe," and the family would gather, stand there and gaze upon the very same photos that they had provided for the exhibit. These were photographs they had seen dozens of times at homes but had not really been given official cause to view them as being important. I cannot describe the pride I saw in the faces of people who had rarely been given reason to believe that anyone in their family had ever done anything important. The exhibit clearly provided cause for an enhancement of their self concept and, simultaneously, caused those of differing cultures to alter, in a positive way, their perception of the subject group.
We hear and read a lot about the value of role models. This exhibit provides an occasion to see its effects in action. In an age where it is common to hear the youth of America comment that "that was then, this is now," this exhibit allows then and now to mesh in a most dramatic way. The photos did not get lost on the way to the photo albums, living room walls and sight and memory of the people they represented. They got lost on the way to the newspapers and history texts of the times and continue to do so even until now. This exhibit well documents the abundance of positive contributions the Mexican American made to the development of southern Nevada.
Many of the photographs are historically set in the waning years of the "Age of Innocence." They depict ordinary people doing ordinary things; at play, working, with family members. Each illustrates strong family relationships. Those representing the first half of the 20th century are especially poignant. They not only illustrate a simple time in our history particularly as we justapose it with the glitter and glitz of modern southern Nevada but we are also able to view the old southwest at a time when the marriage of the several component cultures were yet discernable even though there are signs of some assimilation and acculturation. Having been a part of Mexico as recently as half century before the earliest photo in the exhibit and the
miscegenous relationships involving natives and Spaniards, it is generally difficult to tell where one racial group ends and the other begins. Mhe exhibit illustrates, especially in the case of the Wilson brothers, differentiation, between ethnicity arid"aBivity.
Overall, tne exhibit has been a tremendous success. Since its opening I have been back several times and each time there are others there. Many students from my classes have viewed the display without any extra points being given or threats of questions pertaining to the exhibit appearing on the final examination being offered or issued. When queried, most students admit that they had not realized that there had been Mexican inhabitants in the area any earlier than the V960s or '70s. Further, the overwhelming majority of them did not realize that before Nevada became a state or a territory it had been a part of Mexico and that theBnhabitants,' whatever their ethnicity were Mexicans.
The exhibit has inspired me to attempt a similar undertaking on the subject of blacks and there would also be a need to do the same with Native Americans and Asian Americans. Because of its mere subject matter the exhibit has attracted a segment of the community to the Museum and campus who ordinarily do not visit.
Finally, the month of May carries a particular significance for Mexico and Mexican Americans. Traditionally it has heralded a military victory of the poor over the well organized legions of France. While that battle was not decisive in determining the outcome of the conflict it was indeed a source of pride. In recent years the date of the battle, May 5, has come to represent a cultural high water mark. The opening of the Photo Exhibit on May 1, 1992 could well be considered the opening of the Cinco de Mayo
celebrations for southern Nevada.
A PHOTO HISTORY OF MEXICANS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA AN EVALUATION
The success or failure of any enterprise is most accurately ascertained by determining whether or not the objectives have been achieved. The Photo Exhibit of The Mexican American in southern Nevada as prepared and presented by Ms. Corinne Escobar of and at The Barrick Museum of Natural History on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas accomplished much more than it set out to do. Among its objectives:
1.
To document the historic presence of Mexicans in southern Nevada.
2.
To extablish a photographic record of Mexican Americans in the area.
3.
To dispel the myth, as presented by popular media over the years, that Mexican Americans were only involved in criminal activity.
4.
To note the contributions of the Mexican American experience to the development of southern Nevada.
5.
To describe the origins of the Mexican American in southern Nevada.
6.
To document that early residents of southern Nevada of Mexican descent were both hard working and contributors to the region.
Arriving early and being the last to leave I was able to observe and tabulate the numbers of attendees at the opening of the exhibit. I stopped counting at 200. The total number was well in excess of that. Having attended numerous other openings at the Museum I immediatedly became aware of a major difference between the attendees of May 1 and others; the overwhelming majority were of Mexican descent. Further, there were entire families and extended families present. Additionally, many of those in attendance were either the actual subjects of the exhibit, descendents of the subjects, acquainted with the subjects or knew someone there or elsewhere who were familiar with the subjects of the photographic display.
While most openings have a certain quititude about them as each person contemplates the display, this exhibit had that quality and more. Children would call to their parents; "Here's grandpa," "Here's grandma," "Here's uncle
-2-
Lupem" and the family would gather, stand there and gaze upon the very same photos that they had provided for the exhibit. These were photographs they had seen dozens of times at homes but had not really been given official cause to view them as being important. I cannot describe the pride I saw in the faces of people who had rarely been given reason to believe that anyone in their family had ever done anything important. The exhibit clearly provided cause for an enhancement of their self concept and, simultaneously, caused those of differing cultures to alter, in a positive way, their perception of the subject group.

We hear and read a lot about the value of role models. The exhibit provides an occasion to see its effects in action. In an age where it is common to hear youth of American comment that "that was then, this is now," this exhibit allows then and now to mesh in a most dramatic way. The photos did not get lost on the way to the photo albums, living room walls and sight and memory of the people they represented. They got lost on the way to the newspapers and history texts of the times and continue to do so even until now. This exhibit well documents the abundance of positive contributions the Mexican American made to the development of southern Nevada.

Many of the photographs are historically set in the waning years of the "Age of Innocence." They depict ordinary people doing ordinary things; at play, working, with family members. Each illustrates strong family relationships. Those representing the first half of the 20th century are especially poignant. They not only illustrate a simple time in our history particularly as we justapose it with the glitter and glitz of modern southern Nevada but we are also able to view the old southwest at a time when the marriage of the several component cultures were yet discernable even though there are signed of some assimilation and acculturation. Having been a part of Mexico as recently as half century before the earliest photo in the exhibit and the

-3-
miscegenous relationships Involving natives and Spaniards, it is generally difficult to tell where one racial group ends and the other begins. The exhibit illustrates, especially in the case of the Wilson brothers, differentiation, between ethnicity and nativity.
Overall, the exhibit has been a tremendous success. Since its opening
I have been back several times and each time there are others there. Many students from my classes have viewed the display without any extra points being given or threats of questions pertaining to the exhibit appearing on 7 the final examination befng offered or issued. When queried, most students admit that they had not realized that there had been Mexican inhabitants in the area any earlier than the 1960s or '70s. Further, the overwhelming majority of them did not realize that before Nevada became a state or a territory it had been a part of Mexico and that the inhabitants,' whatever their ethnicity were Mexicans.
The exhibit has inspired me to attempt a similar undertaking on the subject of blacks and there would also be a need to do the same with Native Americans and Asian Americans. Because of its mere subject matter the exhibit has attracted a segment of the community to the Museum and campus who ordinarily do not visit.
Finally, the month of May carries a particular significance for Mexico and Mexican Americans. Traditionally it has heralded a military victory of the poor over the well organized legions of France. While that battle was not decisive in determining the outcome of the conflict it was indeed a source of pride. In recent years the date of the battle, May 5, has come to represent a cultural high water mark. The opening of the Photo Exhibit on May 1 , 1992 could well be considered the opening of the Ci neo de Mayo celebrations for southern Nevada.