Inter-American Notes

TL;DR: The IX Conference of Mexican, Canadian and United States Historians focused on the history of the three nations and included numerous sessions and activities.

Abstract: The IX Conference of Mexican, Canadian and United States Historians took place October 27-29, 1994 in Mexico City. The central theme, "The History of Three Nations. Mexico-United States-Canada," was organized around four plenary sessions, "The Construction of Space," "Political Culture and Institutions," "Sociocultural Change and Continuity," and "Economic Structures and Change." Luis Gonzailez y Gonzailez, one of Mexico's most eminent historians, presided over the conference as president. The sixty-eight round tables and panels took place in nine separate locations situated in historic buildings in Mexico's historic colonial center including the Casa de la Primera Imprenta de America, the Palacio de la Escuela de Medicina, and the Museo Nacional de las Culturas. Delegates received opportunities to visit many restored colonial buildings, some of which are not generally open to the public. There was an evening reception at the Palacio de la Escuela de Medicina, and a closing concert in the Recinto Parlamentario of the National Palace. Although some of the organizers had expressed concerns that delegates might experience difficulties moving from one session to the next, there were very few problems connected with traffic or distance. Some delegates could not immediately locate colleagues scattered throughout downtown hotels, but most historians expressed high enthusiasm for the different locations and praised the organizers on the Mexican Organizing Committee. Many North American historians relived earlier experiences as researchers at the Archivo General when it was situated in the National Palace or later in the Palacio de Comunicaciones which today is the Museo Nacional de Arte. They visited restaurants that they had not frequented for years-such as the Caf6 Tacuba where nothing much had changed except the prices-and searched for bookshops, bars, and other formerly essential facilites.