The Latin Americanist

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MEXICO’S INDEPENDENCE HEROES: SELLING PUBLIC HISTORY IN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE Lisa Pinley Covert Southern Connecticut State University For the past several years, historians and officials affiliated with Mexico ’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and San Miguel de Allende’s municipal government have labored to develop a new exhibit for the town’s history museum, the Museo Casa de Don Ignacio Allende y Unzaga. The exhibit, unveiled to coordinate with the celebration of the bicentennial of Mexican independence, aims to re-center local hero Ignacio Allende within narratives of the nation’s struggle against the Spanish. The revised account of the 1810 independence movement boldly suggests that Allende, rather than Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, was the driving force behind the conspiracy; moreover, the exhibit presents the argument that had Allende marginalized Hidalgo and remained in control of the insurgency’s military strategy, the failed movement might have had a very different outcome. The timely appearance of this museum exhibit was not merely a coincidence . It represents the most recent in a series of attempts by municipal officials, local historians, and tourism promoters to use San Miguel de Allende’s linkages to the independence movement to obtain recognition and, more importantly, economic resources for their town. For the better part of the past century, San Miguel’s political and business leaders have looked to local independence heroes not only as a source of pride, but also as a way to distinguish their town from the countless others in provincial Mexico seeking funds for public works projects. In San Miguel the 1810 independence movement is more than an historic event; it is an important component in local economic development strategies. Historian Ann Denkler reminds us that public history sites, including museums, often reveal more about individual and collective “hopes, disappointments , dreams, and expectations” than they do about the past.1 This is certainly true in San Miguel, where public history sites and the tourist industry more generally have played an important role in the elite imaginary as a cure-all for the local economy. Local leaders sought to sell history in order to bring the elusive ideals of progress and modernity to San Miguel. On the one hand, they aimed to convince state and federal officials that their historic town was worthy of special attention and investment . On the other hand, they had to persuade local residents that San Miguel’s links to history would bring future prosperity. However, the promised economic benefits rarely seemed to materialize, and when they C  2010 Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 29 The Latin Americanist, December 2010 did, they seldom trickled down to the majority of the local population. In this way, San Miguel’s public history sites are at once aspirational and reminders of unfulfilled expectations. Early Twentieth-Century Development Strategies Residents of San Miguel had long campaigned to bring greater recognition for Ignacio Allende’s contributions to the nation. Allende, a San Miguel native, was one of the chief conspirators in the early struggles for Mexican independence. In 1811 Spanish forces captured and executed him for treason along with fellow leaders Hidalgo, Juan Aldama (also of San Miguel) and Mariano Jiménez. Although he played a major role in the independence movement, nationalist mythology never elevated Allende to the status of Hidalgo, who is widely referred to as the Father of Mexican Independence or the Father of the Nation. San Miguel first formally honored Allende’s sacrifice by taking his name in 1826 after Mexico achieved independence (the town was formerly called San Miguel el Grande). During the twentieth century, elite residents participated in various civic groups to honor Allende.2 These early efforts were principally aimed at preserving local heritage and cultivating the idea that their small town in the state of Guanajuato held a special place in the nation. Figure 1. Map of the state of Guanajuato, by the author. 30 Covert By the 1930s attempts to recognize Allende were more directly linked to economic development. Although San Miguel was not a site of major conflict during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), the exodus of workers who joined the...