Chicago History Museum’s Exhibit Highlights Latin American Heritage

The Chicago History Museum has launched a new temporary exhibit called Aqui en Chicago in response to protests about the lack of Latin American representation. Elena Gonzales, the museum’s curator of civic engagement and social justice, will discuss the exhibit’s creation on October 6 at the Oak Park River Forest Museum.

In 2019, high school students from Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy in Pilsen visited the museum. They noted that the Chicago history exhibition, Chicago: Crossroads of America, lacked coverage of about a third of the city’s population. Their semester involved protests, letter-writing, and engaging with community leaders to address this issue.

The pandemic paused their efforts, but Gonzales joined the project in 2021, working with both the students’ identified advisers and additional ones. She emphasized that the exhibit showcases the persistent and diverse presence of Latinx communities in Chicago over 170 years. It includes stories of social justice actions like protests and cultural practices such as arts and food ways.

Designed with vibrant colors by Cecilia Beaven, a local muralist, the exhibit tributes both the students and the city’s indigenous roots. Gonzales, deeply involved in the project, collaborated with 43 advisers, 30 interns and fellows, and various museum staff. She selected most objects and authored the texts. Community contributions, museum collections, acquisitions, and loans enriched the exhibit.

A notable piece is a Paleta cart from Reina de Sabores Paleteria, operational for over 35 years and covering around 100,000 miles. Another highlight is a red cooler used by The Tamale Guy to sell tamales in bars for decades.

Gonzales hopes the exhibit educates visitors about the long-standing Latinx presence and histories in Chicago. Aqui en Chicago is open until November 8 at the Chicago History Museum. Gonzales’s talk on October 6 will also cover her career highlights. More information is available at oprfmuseum.org/events/aqui-en-chicago. Admission is $5 for Oak Park and River Forest residents, $7 for nonresidents, and $3 for students aged 7 through college.

Reported by Myrna Petlicki for Pioneer Press.