Honors Students Explore Tejano History Through Archives and Art

NVC Honors Academy students in Dr. Corina Gonzalez-Stout’s U.S. History course recently toured the Bexar County Clerk’s Spanish Archives, gaining firsthand access to some of the most important primary sources documenting the early history of Hispanic Texas. The Spanish and Mexican records in the collection date from 1718 to 1836, a period when San Antonio was a remote outpost and the principal community on Colonial Mexico’s northern frontier in Tejas.

The Honorable Lucy Adame-Clark, Bexar County clerk, spoke with the students, who are working on a research project for their Honors History 1301 course. Using primary and scholarly sources, they are investigating an aspect of mestizaje in American history through 1877.

Gonzalez-Stout stated that by working directly with archival collections, the students are moving beyond simply learning history to experiencing how it is researched, interpreted, and written.

That exploration of mestizaje continued with another field experience when Professor Marisela Barrera and the Honors Academy students in her English 1301 class visited the Briscoe Museum of Western Art to explore the Tejano Legacy: Another American Origin Story exhibit.

The NVC Honors Academy is designed to challenge high-achieving students to broaden their perspectives and fully engage with their courses, campus, and community. The program, which requires applicants to have a minimum 3.25 GPA, offers many unique opportunities, including field study and applied research; engaging coursework in small, collaborative classes; and direct mentoring from dedicated NVC faculty.

Click here to learn more about the Honors Academy and application deadlines.