Commemorating George Washington's Birthday on the U.S.-Mexico Border, 1898-Present

FAIN: FT-60803-13

Elaine Pena
George Washington University (Washington, DC 20052-0001)

American Ethos examines the tradition of commemorating George Washington’s Birthday on the United States-Mexico border. The annual festival, which has weathered political strife, economic instability, and recurring violence for over a century, is unapologetically osentatious. Contemporary events continue to feature pageants,diplomatic ceremonies, and popular activities that promote U.S.-centric historical and cultural narratives. Although celebrated primarily in Laredo, Texas (United States), festivities have involved organizations and individuals based in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas (Mexico) since its inception in 1898. Drawing from the fields of cultural anthropology, performance studies, and political science, American Ethos considers the transnational dimensions of those patriotic expressions—how idealized representations of American patriotism not only traverse but also potentially reinforce geo-political boundaries.

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