Symposium looks at contributions of immigrants to region
This year’s Martín De León Symposium on the Humanities will showcase the important contributions that immigrants have made in the region’s history.
“The Mexican American community in Texas is vibrant with an extensive, rich history,” said Jim Dupree, assistant professor of history. “As a Texas historian, I want to help people see that impact and appreciate those individuals’ contributions to today’s society.”
The Martín De León Symposium on the Humanities will be hosted by the Texas A&M University-Victoria history department and the De Leon Club of Victoria from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 25 in the Walker Auditorium inside University North, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The symposium is free and open to the public.
The event will begin with coffee and refreshments, followed by a presentation by Dupree from his upcoming book, “The Fragile Edge of Empire: The Origins of Federal Enforcement of the Border with Mexico, 1879-1924.” As part of his presentation, he will take a look at the history of Victoria and the South Texas region, as well as the history of the federal enforcement of the border with Mexico.
Dupree will be followed by a presentation by Felipe Hinojosa, a professor of history at Baylor University, who will present on his current public history project, “Latinx Freedom,” which is curating exhibitions in five U.S. cities that are set to open in July 2026 to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence. The exhibitions highlight the long history of Latinos from the U.S. war against Mexico to the Latino Freedom Movements of the 1960s and 70s.
“I’ve spent much of my career exploring and trying to better understand how Latinos have been part of the making and shaping of American democracy,” Hinojosa said. “If you look at the history of this region and the nation, Latinos have a long history in this region. They aren’t just foreigners who recently got here. I want people to see that and appreciate how Latinos contributed to making this great nation.”
As part of his presentation, Hinojosa will highlight how that perception of Latinos as recent arrivals in the country has created a toxic structure of discrimination that has spread across the country.
“Today, in this political moment, we often see Latinos, specifically immigrants, demonized as individuals who only take,” he said. “We need a complete redo of how we see Latinos to understand how they have contributed to the making of American democracy in Texas and across the nation.”
After Hinojosa’s presentation, there will be a lunch break, followed by a roundtable discussion featuring a representative from Be Will Victoria, an A&M-Victoria employee and a representative from the Mexican Consulate. The roundtable will offer a look at resources available to support the Hispanic community in the area and is open for discussion with community members.
“Anyone with an interest in the Hispanic community in Victoria should attend this event,” Dupree said. “The Hispanic community is a huge part of our past, present and future as a university, a community, a state and a nation. We need to value and honor that as we move forward.”
For more information about the symposium, contact Dupree at dupreeje@tamuv.edu.
Texas A&M University-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the colleges of Business, Education & Health Professions, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and Natural & Applied Science. A&M-Victoria provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as online classes that students can take from anywhere. The university supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.