About Us
Established in 2008, the Dallas Mexican American Historical League (DMAHL) was awarded its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status on June 30, 2013 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about Mexican American history in Dallas, Texas.
The purpose of DMAHL is to research, collect, document and preserve the city’s Mexican American history, and educate the public on the historical and cultural experiences and contributions of Mexican Americans in Dallas, Texas beginning from the early 1900s.
DMAHL has a membership of over 100 and a eighteen member Board of Directors.
The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors is comprised of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
DMAHL has six Standing Committees: Barrios History, Exhibit/Program, Communications, Finance, Membership, and Nominating.
Some of the activities in which DMAHL has been involved:
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Interviews with 50+ elders with assistance of SMU Mexican American students
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Video interviews with 10+ elders with assistance from oral history video project of Big Thought and Methodist Children’s Home involving elementary and middle school student interviewers and videographers
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Mini-community exhibits
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Community outreach to seek historical data, photographs, artifacts, and volunteers from Dallas’s Mexican American barrios:
One person can make a difference in historical preservation: a DMAHL member’s commitment to collect and preserve a barrio’s history – Los Altos in West Dallas, and later committing to take responsibility for the nearby barrios of La Bajada and El Cemento Chico, increased the collection of all from 3-5 photographs in 2008 to 1000+ since.
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“Los Viejos de Los Barrios” and “Las Comadres” grassroots community organizations began shortly after DMAHL was established.