Author: Danielle Garza

Listening to the podcast “The BackStory: Fit to Print- A history of Fake News,” talk about the lies and deceit that in some ways the American people wanted is an astonishing phenomenon. The Sun Newspaper is a good example of this when the reporters deliberately printed untrue articles about the celestial planets and aliens. These articles are so outlandish yet internalizing it if I was in the citizen’s shoes at the first publication this idea could have been very confusing. In your mind, you may know it is not true, but before this, you have always trusted what is in the newspaper. This is where people at the time received most of their factual information.

The hosts of The BackStory also explain at this time of the beginning of the Penny Press and false publications within, P.T. Barnum began to emerge as a household name. This man made his entire empire on the base of lies and deceit. The people of the United States wanted to be fooled and if you could then they loved you for it. This may play into the idea of American culture as being deceitful and Americans wanting to be fooled.

Looking deeper into this idea of American culture and American history riddled with deceit you can see how this may be detrimental. The podcast goes on to talk about Slavery and this idea of deceit for entertainment. A man with a medical condition of Vitiligo is being sold off as an African American man who is turning white. This idea puts fear into many that this was even remotely possible and with this fear grew curiosity. Many people had come to examine this man and in the end, finances his life.

This story raises questions about what will happen if African Americans rise up just like the Americans did to the British. The British were not slaveholders of the Americans, unlike the Africans. The injustice and animalistic ownership of slaves puts an idea in America’s mind that if slaves had the chance they will hurt everyone. Now, that this line of black and white can be crossed it may be very hard to enforce superior identity.

During our time in class this week, our professor took us on a detour from our regular class discussions. Meeting in a place 15 minutes from the University and yet the feeling of the neighborhood completely changed. From the colorful buildings and beautifully painted murals, you could tell this place was special to someone. We began this journey in a small home in the middle of the west side. It was not big but not as tiny as the others I had seen on the way over. It did not look like your usual organization building and at one point I almost drove right past it. The building was small and was flanked by other homes, but it definitely felt like your family home. Walking in I had a very moving and surprising feeling, it felt as if I was walking into my great grandmothers home. The home exactly resembled her home, from the way the bedrooms are placed to the railings on the porch.  A woman who made her life in San Antonio on the west side and created memories with my grandmother and great-aunt by her side. It had been over 8 years since I set foot in her house and yet it felt as if it was yesterday that I saw her waving goodbye on the front porch.

I had learned a great deal that night in this ghost of a house. It reminded me of San Antonio’s rich history and in turn mine as well. We walked the streets of the west side listening to its rich history and remembering part of my own history intertwined with these streets. Walking towards the Virgin Mary candle that is raised off the wall and remember taking my graduation pictures in the same building.  Feeling such a strong draw towards this area and the projects that The Esperanza organization has, I would like to dig deeper into this history and create a project of my own.

My Great Grandfather was a full-time Mariachi and my great-grandmother a stay at home mom. My Grandmother and her sister were moved from city to city for years until finally settling down in San Antonio. They were poor and so settled in the San Antonio West side where they have lived for over the past 50 years. My grandmother and grandfather have told me stories of their lives before marriage and after. these are stories and a legacy that I think is worth saving personally and generally to give to the San Antonio Westside.

After my Great-grandmother’s passing her home on the west side has stayed in the family. If I was able to reach my true goal I would like to create an exhibit of a family legacy and I would like to incorporate other families that are not only my own. Creating this interlocking relationship of the community on the west side. To show the importance of the San Antonio west side not only to the north, south, and east side but to the west siders themselves. A community full of loving grandmothers, independent aunts, strong mothers, and inspired children.

Good afternoon fellow classmates, My name is Danielle Garza and I just wanted to tell you a little about me. For my undergrad, I studied here at St. Mary’s for all four years of my degree. My degree was in Public History and I am so excited to begin this journey with wonderful colleagues and professors. What interests me about Public History is being able to work in Museum Education. The idea that I can make these amazing kid-friendly projects that not only make them happy but maybe inspire the next generation to want to know more about history. Another aspect of Public History I find interesting is curatorial studies where you are the voice of the museum in many ways. The one who creates the storyline of a certain history for the public to see and what they will learn.