One hundred years ago, guns blared as the Mexican Revolution pitted Maderistas (followers of revolutionary Francisco Madero) against Porfiristas (followers of dictator Porfirio Diaz) in bloody opposition to established rule that became a series of bloody civil wars.   

On the 100^th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution, the University of Houston Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) hosts a two-day conference that explores the dynamics and impact of the war.   

"It's our hope that this conference will lead to a better understanding of the Mexican Revolution, the role of the border and how the revolution affected the Tejano way of life personally, politically, culturally and economically ," said CMAS Director and Professor Tatcho Mindiola.  "The border has always been an area of harmonious and contentious relationships between people on both sides, and this conference makes that clear." 

 "War Along the Border: the Mexican Revolution and its Impact on Tejano Communities" focuses on the history and impact of the more than 10-year war, and examines how the struggle shaped attitudes and identities of Mexicans and Texans.  The event is planned for 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sept. 23 -24, at the UH M.D. Anderson Library's Rockwell Pavilion. The conference is free and open to the public.    

"The major themes from our experts are violence, immigration and the limits of government authority to control what occurs at the border," Mindiola said. "These issues are still with us today and may be with us for a long time." 

Among those participating:

• Paul Hart, Texas State University: "Beyond Borders: the Making and Meaning of the Mexican Revolution at Home and Abroad"
• Richard Ribb, University of Texas at Austin: "La Rinchada: Revolution, Revenge and the Rangers, 1910-1920"
• Gerald Horne, University of Houston: "Eureka! The Mexican Revolution in African American Context"
• Sonia Hernandez, University of Texas-Pan American: "Women's Labor and Activism in the Greater Mexican Borderlands, 1910-1930"
• Arnoldo De Leon, Angelo State University: "The Mexican Revolution's Impact on Tejano Communities: the Historiographic Record"

For more information on the UH Center for Mexican American Studies, visit http://www.class.uh.edu/CMAS/

WHO: The University of Houston Center for Mexican American Studies 

WHAT: "War Along the Border: the Mexican Revolution and its Impact on Tejano Communities"                          

A conference commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution  

WHEN:  9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Sept. 23 & 24 

WHERE:  University of Houston Rockwell Pavilion, 2^nd floor of the M.D. Anderson Library

For directions and parking information, visit  http://www.uh.edu/campus_map/buildings/L.php