SOUTH TEXAS SUMMIT ON PUBLIC HISTORY, CULTURE, HERITAGE, ARCHIVES & MUSEUMS

Heritage and cultural tourism are critical economic drivers for Texas. Individuals and organizations from non-profits and local and state agencies have done important work individually within a limited geographic area. However, South Texas is lagging in developing a regional effort to create heritage and cultural programming and preservation efforts compared to other parts of the state. For this reason, the South Texas Summit on Public History, Culture, Heritage, Archives, and Museums was conceived.

The day-long Summit, held at the South Texas College (STC) McAllen campus on August 8, 2024, was a platform for over 40 attendees from area museums and state agencies to come together. Organized by Trinidad Gonzales, History and Mexican American Studies Instructor of STC and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley- University Library

Special Collections and Archives, the Summit facilitated collaboration. The esteemed presenters included Cristina Saltos, Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA), Marco Buentello, Director of Grants at Humanities Texas, Bradford Patterson, First Deputy Executive Director for Preservation Programs, Christopher Eck, 13th Executive Director of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and James Grossman, Executive Director of the American Historical Association.

After the event, attendees enjoyed an evening reception at the McAllen Heritage Center Museum of History and Culture in downtown McAllen.

For more information about these preservation efforts, please contact Trinidad Gonzalez at South Texas College at Tgonzale@southtexascollege.edu.