Hispano Capitalista of the Santa Fe Trail

In 1821, Missouri became a state, and 2021 marked the 200th anniversary of Missouri’s statehood, Kansas was still a territory. Both states played a role in developing commerce with Mexico. In that same year, Mexico became a nation having gained its independence from Spain. Mexico opened trade with the United States. Hispano and American entrepreneurs were ready and able to make the Santa Fe Trail a two-way international trade route and a conduit for cultural exchange between the two nations. This program will explore the role of Hispano capitalists who facilitated the success of the trail.ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dr. Chavez is known for documenting the life experiences of Mexican and other immigrants in the Midwest. He has led an oral history collecting initiative for the Kansas City Museum and contributed to the Kansas City Urban Public Library‘s Digital Encyclopedia Project to create a Kansas City oral histories web portal. He collaborated with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues a bilingual journey into the heart of American baseball. He was a co-author of Mexican American Baseball in Kansas City. This presentation is sponsored by the Missouri Speakers Bureau. The Missouri Speaker Bureau is jointly organized and managed by Missouri Humanities and the State Historical Society of Missouri.