Civil Rights in the Rio Grande Valley Exhibit
Opens at Our Lady of the Lake University Library
411 SW 24th St, San Antonio, TX 78207

October 9- December 12, 2025

This traveling exhibit will makes it first stop in San Antonio at the Sueltenfuss Library at Our Lady of the Lake University sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies and Research and the Sueltenfuss University Library.

The Rio Grande Valley has been at the center of civil rights movements and demonstrations throughout history. State lawmaker J.T. Canales investigated the Texas Rangers in a series of legislative hearings in 1919 for their role in state-sanctioned, anti-Mexican violence across the state. Decades later in 1966, farm workers in Starr County shut down every melon packing shed during the harvest season after the Rangers brutally beat workers who demanded a $1.25 minimum wage. The Starr County Melon Strikes are believed to help kick-start the Chicano movement of Texas. Despite its rich history, the Rio Grande Valley — which consists of the four southernmost counties in Texas that share a border with Mexico — often gets left out of important conversations.

This exhibit highlights the rich history for the fight for civil rights in and its importance to Texas and American history.

Please join us on Thursday, October 9th from 6-8 PM in the OLLU Sueltenfuss Library for our opening reception on the 2nd floor. We will have introductions by Jessie Degallado, legendary reporter and the exhibit creators, Juan Carmona and Nicholle Moreno as well as a panel with historians moderated by Dr. Valerie Martinez. This event is free and open to the community. Refreshments will be served.

Date: October 9. 2025
Place: Our Lady of the Lake University Sueltenfuss Library
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Schedule of Events

6:00 PM – Introduction by Maria Cabaniss, Library Director
6:05 PM –Introduction by Dr. Christopher Carmona, Director for the Center for Mexican American Studies
6:10 -6:20 PM -Remarks by Jessie Degallado, KLRN
6:20 – 6:30 PM -Remarks by Juan Carmona and Nicholle Moreno, Exhibit Creators
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Panel

The History of South Texas and Civil Rights
Dr. Valerie Martinez, Associate Professor of History OLLU [Moderator]
Dr. Emilio Zamora, Professor at UT Austin
Dr. Jesse Esparza, Associate Professor at Texas Southern University
Nicholle Moreno, UT Austin student and exhibit organizer
Juan Carmona, Donna High School and South Texas College and exhibit organizer