This year is potentially a big one for the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collecction thanks to the confluence of major anniversaries celebrating two important historical events in Mexico’s history.

2010 marks the bicentennial of Mexican Independence and the centennial of the Mexican Revolution, and we’ve been working with Dr. Miguel Soto (National Autonomous University of Mexico) to build an exhibit – Frente a Frente: The Mexican People in Independence and Revolution, 1810–1910, which will add to the other myriad celebrations going on around campus. The exhibition will highlight the Benson’s remarkable collections and hopes to consider the importance of Texas to these formative events in the history of our southern neighbor.

Dr. Soto gave a preview of the exhibit recently to supporters of the Libraries, and his enthusiasm for the subject matter and especially for the collections was contagious, to say the least. Soto did his best to encapsulate 200 years of Mexican history into a brief 45-minute talk, presenting a slideshow that was equal parts visually-compelling and concise in its addressing of the points of historical importance that form the foundation for the exhibition that will grace the Benson later this year.

Attendees also had the opportunity to get up-close with some of the original materials from the Benson’s collections, and Dr. Soto lingered long after his talk discussing both materials that will be included in the exhibition, and those that may not have made the cut, but still play an important part providing a context for the history of Mexico.

Frente a Frente will open this spring at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection in Sid Richardson Hall near the LBJ Presidential Library. We also anticipate a touring component of the exhibition that could potentially visit a half-dozen or so partner universities across Texas, so check back to this space for developments.