DALLAS — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., to turn a formerly segregated, "Mexican" school in west Texas into a historic site, the first of its kind.
"We've taken an important step in telling a more inclusive story of the rich, yet often painful, story of our nation," Padilla said after the vote Thursday. "Latino history is American history. Understanding our nation's history of segregation and discrimination in places like the Blackwell School, which serves as an important touchstone of Mexican heritage in Marfa, is integral to building a more inclusive and just future for our country."
Segregated schools once educated Mexican Americans across the Southwest, but they have since been abandoned or converted into offices and community centers. The Blackwell School in Marfa — about 180 miles southeast of El Paso — is one of the few still standing. Opened in 1909 as a three-room "Mexican school," Blackwell expanded to half a dozen buildings, educating more than 4,000 children before it closed in 1965.
