Pictured are Jackie Becker, Dr. Joseph Shepard, Patricia Cano, and Tracey Spikes, Silver City Museum Director.

Silver City, NM – Historical photos and memorabilia items capturing the legacy of Chicano music artists from the Grant County area were recently donated to the Silver City Museum in an agreement signed by the museum and Western New Mexico University President Joseph Shepard.

Photos of bands and singers who performed in Grant County from the post World War II era to 2013 are now part of the museum's permanent collection. According to Jackie Becker, Curator of Collections and Photo Archivist, the donation is the cornerstone of the collection of photos and stories depicting the history of the diverse localculture.

Earlier this year, the Silver City Museum displayed a portion of the collection in an exhibit titled Parece Que Fue Ayer, honoring local musicians through history. The photos were originally on display at the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art in 2013.

"The decision to donate the photos was made so that the community could have better access to this important time period in our local history," said Dr. Patricia Cano, organizer of the 2013 Chicano Music Festival. "In time, the footage and music that was collected during the project will also be archived at the Silver City Museum."

Western New Mexico University has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as acomprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and serves a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.