Victoria Word

Professor Vargas-Ortiz
December, 4th, 2016
The Chamizal National Memorial
El Paso has been my home for 18 years and will continue to be for the rest of my life. In
the 18 years that I have lived here, Ive seen and been to many El Paso sceneries and customs
throughout my life and the Chamizal National Memorial has been something that I have been a
part of the past two years. Everyone should know about this amazing place here in our very own
backyard because, its portrays and represents so many important things to the beautiful people
of El Paso, Texas.
The Chamizal National Memorial has been a part of El Paso since 1966. Congress
wanted to commemorate the Chamizal Convention (treaty) of 1963 and saw that the best place to
represent was here in the sun city. The Chamizal Convention treaty represented the peace that
followed after the issues of property. In the early 1960s, there was a dispute between the U.S
and Mexico regarding land. There was a major flood in 1864 that altered a tract from the
Mexican side of the Rio Grande. The land that had been separated by the river and flood was
now on the U.S side but Mexico wouldnt stand for it. The land became known as No Mans
Land due to the increase in immigrants crossing over and the spike in drug and cartel industry.
Cordova Island and the Chamizal tract brought a lot of violence and was strange in the sense that
it was surrounded by U.S territory.
The people that were a part of getting the issue resolved were very crucial. They helped
the helpless by making and correcting things the right way. Aside from the larger contributors,
the community played a very important role in resolving the issue by volunteering and

supporting with any and all issues at any given time. Bigger names of crucial contributors were
Mexican President Adolfo Lpez Mateos; American Presidents John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK)
and Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ); U.S. Department of State Ambassador to Mexico Thomas
Mann; and the two commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission
(IBWC), Joseph Friedkin of the U.S. Sector and David Herrera Jordan of the Mexican Sector,
respectively. (National Park Service). John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) flew down to Mexico city
to meet with Mexican President Adolfo Lpez Mateos regarding the dispute. They discussed
many things but there meeting was primarily to discuss the Cold War era and politics. The
1960s were really the heart and soul in during these tough times. During these times we were
fighting directly with the Soviet Union without direct warfare. The United States and the Soviet
Union were challenging each other economically, politically, and within the military during these
times as well; democracy versus communism.
The International Boundary and Water Commission begin working furiously to create a
solution. (Later known as the Chamizal Convention). David Herrera (Mexico) and Joseph
Friedkin (U.S.) worked together on a plan that everyone from both sides could agree on. Both
sides wrote the treaty so that there wouldnt be any issues and so they could finalize the
Convention. When president John F. Kennedy was asked to meet with the Mexican president, he
didn't really know much about the issue. President JFK called the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico,
Thomas Mann, to ask about the situation. Mann was extremely familiar with the subject on the
Chamizal dispute considering he was the former U.S Department of State Latin America Sector
and had traveled on many trips to El Paso with the intent to resolve the issue. During the process
of getting everything settled, president Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX, so it was later
completed by President Lyndon B Johnson.

In July of 1963, Thomas Mann (U.S.) and Foreign Minister Manuel Tello (MX) finally
signed the document. Remember that the Chamizal National Memorial was created only three
years after. On September, 25, 1964, also known as Chamizal Day; large areas in both cities
shutdown to commemorate the joyous day. Over two- hundred and fifty thousand civilians came
out to celebrate the history and meet the presidents. History was also made when both presidents
walked on the international bridge and met midway to shake hands. It unified us and was a
symbol of peace and goodwill. This revelation led to traditions here at the memorial such as the
Siglo de Oro festival.
Siglo de Oro was created in 1975 and has occurred every year since then. It is a festival in where
people from all around the world preform for an entire week. (5 days to be exact). They perform
traditional dances and plays that are stories told in the Standards golden age. The Golden Age
was when the Spaniards had expressed themselves and worked through political issues in the late
1400s. There were many artists, poets, writers, and actors that began creating la comedia.
These plays were based off of many folklores and spanish history and were just another form of
expressionism. Although things were really different back then, they were able to make it a little
bit more modern all the while keeping the performances as accurate as possible. Here at the
Chamizal National Memorial, they truly take it to heart. It just comes to show that they pride
themselves on it entirely.
I have had my own run in with the Siglo de Oro festival as well. One of the organizations
Im a part of (Upward Bound), has worked closely with them for the past ten years. The past two
years I volunteered at the festival and can I just say, it is so empowering. Youre surrounded by
so many talented and motivated individuals with ages ranging from infants to grandparents.
Siglo is always getting ready to host events and there are events and plays on almost every

weekend. As a volunteer we dress up in spanish attire and greet people as well as seat them and
regulate crowds. Hundreds of people come out to celebrate this glorious event every year from
places like Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico to name a few.
Overall, the Chamizal National Memorial is a very important and historical part of El
Paso. History for many was created in the beautiful sun city. Hopefully you too can take part in
this amazing event one year and make it into one of your own family traditions. "The essence of
the beautiful is unity in variety." -Felix Mendelssohn.

Resources:

https://www.nps.gov/cham/planyourvisit/hours.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cham/planyourvisit/calendar.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cham/learn/historyculture/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cham/learn/historyculture/cultural-performances-so-what-exactlyis.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cham/learn/historyculture/chamizal-convention-postive.htm
http://www.los-paisanos-chamizal.com/the-importance-of-the-festival/