Starting @TeresaVanHoy @StMUPublicHist webinar with students showcasing their public history projects. Also streaming on Facebook for folks to follow along! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3283768315085511&id=1206150969403722

First student, Amber, went through Old Spanish Trail archives to learn more about women involved in initial project. Most listed under husbands’ names, so she worked to recover their stories.

Now @nicolebjohnson1 on Boerne, Texas, and the Old Spanish Trail. Worked with local family to uncover how OST solidified social hierarchy there.

. @the10thstate discusses Ponce de León celebration and dedication of 0 marker on Old Spanish Trail. She went through 30pp pamphlet, showed historical inaccuracies and, especially, anti-indigenous tropes.

Josh talks about going through Old Spanish Trail collection without knowing about it before, so made online story that could provide an introduction—especially for people going into collection for first time.

Have to say, this lightning round of students sharing their research is great. So hard to say something in 3 minutes, and the students are rocking it.

. @edgarVelRey1 talks about how the Old Spanish Trail served as a backdrop for the Wonderwells—a couple—doing a race around the world—by car! Oh my—couple divorced during it, and Walter remarried. Wonderwells captured footage on film, exhibited along the way & around world.

. @mikel_baxter on how one of founders of Old Spanish Trail romanticized Spanish colonial past along the OST. She goes through language he used to emphasize romantic idea of past.

. @holacristalrose discusses the medal King Alfonso XIII presented to Harold Ayres, founder of Old Spanish Trail. Why so? Idea of OST celebrating Spanish golden age. Notes that king and Ayres both innovators in tourist industry.

. @AntonioCoffee_ talking about how original idea of Old Spanish Trail was highway connecting coasts, but Harold Ayres obsessed with Spain—so idea to connect highway to Spanish heritage. As he notes, even now don't think of Spanish past as much, even in San Antonio.

Art talks about a travelog map of Old Spanish Trail that Harral (not Harold, oops) Ayres put together. Headquarters of OST Association was at Gunter Hotel in SA. Goal to travelog to provide accurate info no matter where they were. Focus became San Antonio.

. @TeresaVanHoy mentions that 65 students made posters that they're contributing to Old Spanish Trail Association for celebration of centennial.

Now shifting to Texas history.

Amber talks about African American cemeteries in San Antonio. Dedicates project to grandfather, who took her to cemeteries as child. Did a Google Map tour of City Cemetery Number 3—brings out many stories about individuals in cemetery.

. @AntonioCoffee_—who now has a podcast on history in films(!)—on film Ballad of Gregorio Cortez. Talks about Cortez's side of when a sheriff tried to arrest him after a mistranslation—you can't arrest me, which he said, vs. you can't take me alive, which sheriff understood.

. @nicolebjohnson1 on petitions of enslaved people in the Republic of Texas, sent to Congress of Republic. Texas Republic generally prohibited emancipation, with some exceptions, forced freed people to leave Texas. Looked at petition for woman named Liley, examined ~80 signatures.

. @the10thstate did a digital map of important places in the life of Emma Tenayuca, one of the most amazing people in San Antonio history, most known for pecan strike in 1938. Can go through her life via the map, with images!

Like how @the10thstate included murals of Emma Tenayuca from around San Antonio in her map—showing her life and her legacy. Gwyn rightfully believes Tenayuca should be better-known, up there with César Chavez.

. @mikel_baxter did digital map of how Confederacy commemorated in Texas, through county names (20+), city names, memorials and monuments, etc. Also showing removals, has critical questions for diff age levels. When link ready, will share with @FordsEdu colleagues!

. @edgarVelRey1 about John Wayne's _Alamo_, esp his Mexican quandry. As he notes, Alamo visitors always ask about it (yup!). Wayne was once liberal, turned conservative, anti-communist. Wayne loved Mexico, wanted to film there, second wife Mexican. But outrage against idea...

Wayne found self attacked from both sides—got a lot of backlash in Mexico, as well, about film being anti-Mexican. Wound up doing film in Brackettville, TX. Mexican Americans, rather than people from Mexico, took part. Leading lady was Argentinian!

Josh talks about syllabuses for Texas history and government courses at Blinn College—made a syllabus that meets state standards, but adds different viewpoints and interactive learning. "Spices it up," as he says.

. @holacristalrose did Story Map on Winn's—one of earliest general stores in San Antonio. Open from 1927 through 1990s. Store had everything. One of first stores that moved retail out of downtown area. Many old Winn's buildings still exist.

Like that @holacristalrose also talks about doing a Wikipedia entry on Winn's as part of her project. Nice way to get information out even more!

Art talks about newsletter he did on John Mule Miles, Negro Leagues baseball legend originally from San Antonio. Also one of the Tuskegee Airmen—and great granddaughter in class!

. @athleticnerdguy did StoryMap on "Black in the Barrio," on African American on San Antonio's Westside. From Reconstruction on, African Americans settled on both East and West sides in roughly equal numbers—East Side much better known. Among many new things I've learned tonight!

. @athleticnerdguy talks about Keyhole Club, a place for people of all races to come together. Wasn't prohibition on whites going to Black-owned businesses, just vice versa. Much police harassment. Club influential in what became known as Westside Sound. Seeking historical marker.

Now onto California public history projects. @nicolebjohnson1 talks about Ishi, last Yahi from California—following a genocide. Ishi—living person—displayed in museum, basically in cage... Performed romanticized version of past—"Last Wild Indian"—for visitors. Likely no consent.

Amber did StoryMap on historic sites lost in 2020 California wildfires. A good number, unfortunately. Also has a crowdsourcing element so that people can share their own stories, can share where historic places are gone.

StoryMap from Josh on WWII coastal defenses and balloon bombs in California. Mentions how growing up in WA, remembered a lot of coastal defenses still there. Shows map of defenses that still exist in San Francisco.

Josh even superimposed historic maps of WWII fortifications on modern maps. I didn't realize StoryMaps had this particular feature—wow. Need to explore more...

. @the10thstate on prostitution in 19c-20c California. Eventually making a YouTube video to get out stories more. Women endured violence, loss of social standing. Prostitution technically illegal, but localities wanted to get money from it, so... Women rarely forgiven for pasts.

. @the10thstate focuses on two women in particular: Ah Toy and Eleanor Dumont. Telling complicated stories.

. @holacristalrose on LA party crews during 1980s. Elaborate parties for best friends—organized by teens. Dedicates project to friends, because friendship at center of story. Not much info out there—so wanted to start project to get stories and oral histories out to public.

Art did StoryMap about impact of earthquakes on pre-1800s California institutions and individuals. How did people react to earthquakes? As he notes, we most often hear about recent earthquake history. Project especially meant for K-12 students, gives both science and history.

. @athleticnerdguy did website on story not oft told—slavery & racism in California, even after state and US governments banned slavery. Included enslavement of Black and indigenous people. John Sutter example of enslaver. In 2020, Sutter statue torn down—but hospital still named.

. @mikel_baxter did StoryMap on California soldiers & extermination of indigenous people. Focuses on José Ramón Pico, Civil War figure. Wanted to make him better-known... He engaged in war against indigenous people. So wanted to show all parts of story, memorialize victims instead

. @TeresaVanHoy adds on @mikel_baxter's project that many people would slough off dark side of people that they profile, memorialize. Mikel faced the history head-on.

. @edgarVelRey1 did website on "Transgressive Women in the Borderlands," looking at ballad poem Lasca, novel Ramona, and narco-corrido Camelia la Tejana. Looking at limited ways women depicted in these works.

And concluding with a rather relevant piece (nice, @TeresaVanHoy) from @AntonioCoffee_ about anti-masking in San Francisco... During the 1918 flu pandemic. City imposed fines, but still a lot of resistance.