This coming Thursday, Sept. 17th, the MVCC Library and the Green Hills Public Library are partnering to present the program Mexican Chicago: A History in Pictures. The presentation will take place at 7pm at the Green Hills Public Library on 103rd St. in Palos Hills. Through photographs, storyteller Rita Jirasek will shares stories of the lives and experiences of Mexicans in Chicago.
If the presentation inspires you to enjoy more resources with this special focus, a few books from our collection are great ways to explore this topic further. The first is Barrio: Photographs from Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village. This is a collection of photographs and journal entries by photographer Paul D’Amato that capture life, both public and private, in these Mexican communities in Chicago. You can also view more of this artist’s work at his website.
Another interesting book is Pots of Promise: Mexicans and Pottery at Hull-House, 1920-40. This is a photograph and essay collection that brings us the story of Mexican artisans in Chicago as well as the history of the Hull-House. From the forward, “If only these pots could talk…the pots speak volumes about Hull-House, its Mexican neighborhood, and transnational material culture.”
Bringing Aztlan to Mexican Chicago is another book that portrays the Mexican experience in Chicago. This is the autobiography of Jóse Gamaliel González, a Mexico born artist, who came to call Chicago home. Illustrations and recollections depict his community advocacy and struggle to bring arts programming to Chicago.
Also, don’t forget that next Tuesday the 15th, Jose Angel N., the author of this year’s One Book, One College selection Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant will be at the library to discuss his book and his life.