Aug 12: Aurora History Society exhibit opens at the DLP

Creating Mexican American Identities: Multiple Voices, Shared Dreams

Join us for a special exhibit opening!

Friday, August 12th, 2011
5:00-7:00 pm
20 E. Downer Place ("the DLP")

We know immigration is a hot topic these days but little did we realize it could lead to record-breaking attendance at our museum exhibits! The Luxembourg exhibit closed just a few days ago and was a blockbuster success. We are proud to follow it up with “Creating Mexican American Identities: Multiple Voices, Shared Dreams”, curated by the West Chicago City Museum and the Aurora Historical Society/Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board and created with funding by the History Channel and the Illinois Humanities Council.

Aurora and West Chicago were early hubs for many Mexican immigrants who were recruited to work for the railroad in the 1920s and made their first homes in box car camps. Since early immigrants rarely have a tradition of written history, the Mexican American story has been recorded here through loaned and donated photographs and oral histories.

We all will find much to reflect upon here.

The exhibit opens on Friday, August 12, 2011 with a free reception from 5:00-7:00pm at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 East Downer Place. There will be food from local Oaxacan restaurant La Palapa, music and a cash bar.

This is also the closing day of the immensely popular gallery show on the third floor, “Warm Light, Cool Shadows – the Life and Art of Ruth Van Sickle Ford”, so you can catch both exhibits AND our Civil War exhibit before visiting Aurora’s up-and-coming Restaurant Row for dinner. Just a suggestion!

The Mexican immigration exhibit will be up through October 15. Museum hours are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from Noon to 4:00pm. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. See www.aurorahistory.net or call (630) 906-0650.

Looking ahead, when the weather turns colder, plan to visit the Tanner House at Oak and Cedar for a thought-provoking and chilling brush with Victorian death culture in the sequel to last autumn’s sellout success. This year’s tour is titled “Death Comes to the Tanner House: the Séance”. For a sunnier experience, visit the Tanner House in December for the annual décor blowout, the Designer Holiday Showcase. All details at www.aurorahistory.net, where there’s also a nice slideshow of the Civil War weekend this summer!

Please feel free to contact Events@aurorahistory.netor call Event Chair Mary Clark Ormond at 630-859-3292! Best for the rest of the summer!