MJC project unveils local forgotten history of Modesto
Anti-Chinese advertisements, racist property deeds and old surveys. Students at Modesto Junior College uncovered these in their search for Modesto’s lost history.
Seven students, through an internship, spent about a year researching Modesto’s history between 1870 and 1950. They dug through newspaper archives, sorted through a stack of addresses and reached out to people who could provide insight into the overlooked history.
Among their discoveries was information on Modesto’s longago Chinatown, the resettlement of Dust Bowl refugees in the airport neighborhood and a history marked by years of segregation.
Much of this history was documented in The Modesto Bee’s reporting during this time.
“We thought, what if we get students to do history research themselves, digging into archives, figuring out what our actual history is here and then having that history enrich our understanding of who we are, who we were, where we came from and maybe even giving voice to those who have not had their voices heard,” said Eva Mo, a history professor at MJC. “And so that was sort of the beginning of our project.”
Their research is showcased on the walls of Founders’ Hall, located on the MJC East Campus, 435 College Ave. There are plans for students to soon lead guided tours of the exhibit.
The exhibit features a timeline alongside the students’ findings, all presented through panels crafted by the students themselves. Their project was structured around Richard Rothstein’s book, “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.”
Mo and fellow history department Professor Eileen Kerr worked with the students and oversaw their research. The history department aims to develop a course inspired by the internship.
Additionally, they plan to relocate the exhibit to the McHenry Museum for a temporary showcase. There’s also consideration for integrating it into a forthcoming ethnic studies course at Modesto City