Looking into to southern Arizona's past with the Nuestra Tierra Project

Library of Congress, via Flickr
The craft of the historian is based on documents and eye witness accounts of past events. Often, however, extant documents focus on limited facets of society. Accordingly, many communities and events can be overlooked. This has been a problem that scholars of Hispanic cultural history in southern Arizona have grappled with for years. Mexican-American Studies Associate Professor Lydia Otero’s Nuestra Tierra project looks to overcome this deficiency.  Dr. Otero compiles documents, photos, and oral histories of different Hispanic groups throughout the 20th century. Currently, the Nuestra Tierra project is focusing on Club Iris, a Hispanic social club that provided an outlet for Mexican-Americans to participate in organized community events. Dr. Otero’s efforts provide us with useful portal into the past and a valuable resource to scholars who are interested in southern Arizona’s rich history.