News Release

Exhibit Features Local Artists in Commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month

Date: October 6, 2011

Release date: October 6, 2011
Contact: Justin Sochacki
Phone number: [phone]

Topeka, KS - Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the opening of a new exhibit on Friday, Oct.7, 2011. From Mexico to America: Through the Eyes of Kansas Artists features local artists Joey Rocha and Andy Valdivia and depicts stories of migration from Mexico to Topeka. The exhibit will kick off with a free, public reception from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7. Light refreshments will be served and music will be performed by Flamenco guitarist Raul Gomez.

Following the period of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) many Mexicans came north in search of better opportunities in the United States. By 1930, a sizable Mexican American population existed in urban centers in Kansas. Finding work, raising families, and building communities are all threads that are part of the local and national fabric of our nation. The exhibit features original paintings and collages depicting the artists' family histories and stories of migrations from Mexico to Topeka. "We are delighted to partner with local artists to highlight this important migration story," said Park Superintendent David Smith. "This exhibit depicting Mexican American history and culture will provide our park visitors with an educational opportunity to understand some of the rich diversity of people who call Kansas home."

From Mexico to America: Through the Eyes of Kansas Artists will be open on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4 for the First Friday Artwalks from 5 to 9 p.m. Artists will be onsite during the Artwalks to discuss their works and the stories that inspired them. The exhibit is free and open to the public daily from Oct. 7 to Nov. 30. The site is closed Thanksgiving Day. The exhibition is sponsored by the National Park Service and the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research. For a list of all events and exhibits, please visit www.nps.gov/brvb and click on the Special Events link.

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site tells the story of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended legal segregation in public schools. The site is located at 1515 SE Monroe Street in Topeka, Kansas, and is open free of charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the exceptions of Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/brvb or call 785-354-4273.