STC Library Art Gallery Program and community organizations to paint four murals at McAllen Historic Site 

Murals will be painted at McAllen’s Bethel Garden located at 1322 S. 16th Street on October 6th and 7th. An extra day has been added for Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

In coordination with the RGV Bethel Garden Mural Taskforce and Village in the Valley, the South Texas College Library Art Gallery and Art Department take pride in preserving McAllen’s culture. To honor this pride, four murals will be painted representing the themes of Hope, Faith, Love, and Unity at the Historic Bethel Garden.  

On October 6th & 7th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at 1322 S. 16th Street in McAllen, TX, South Texas College art students will assist in painting the murals while gaining experience in mural painting and connecting with leaders in the community.  

The mural painting days are open to the public, and supplies will be provided. Those looking to contribute will need to wear work clothes and shoes that can be painted on. 

According to Ray Howard, a community organizer, the history of “McAllen’s Bethel Garden is a tribute to its African American heritage and cultural influence. It is a continuous celebration of our inclusion and contributions to the city’s growth and development over time. Under former Mayor Darling’s leadership and now Mayor Javier Villalobos, coupled with interagency collaborations and a host of volunteers, the treasured memories of our McAllen ancestors and their vision for an even better future for all is preserved for generations to come”. 

In the 1930s, one of McAllen’s early African American families relocated to the McAllen community from Victoria, Texas. Mr. Eugene Hubbard, a World War I veteran, worked for The San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railway. In 1941, the City of McAllen added the Booker T. Washington Addition, where those of African descent could buy property. In 1943 Hubbard and Williams purchased a property at the corner of S 16th Street and later Booker T. Avenue, where the center of the neighborhood began with Little Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and later Booker T. Washington School. 

The original building was condemned in the early 2000s after the congregation moved. In 2012, the City of McAllen requested help from the Hidalgo County Historical Commission to achieve state-recognized historical status for the former Bethel Church site. Today, the Bethel Garden is living and serves as a prominent reminder of how faithful resilience and hope can overcome the divisive forces of segregation and discrimination. Many community volunteers, area businesses, educational institutions, and the City of McAllen have helped preserve this site.  

South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and programs to engage student understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art. 

For more information, contact (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryartgallery. 

Deadline to send artwork is September 27th at 5:00 p.m. to the STC Pecan Campus Library.

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery asks students, faculty, staff, and the public to send artwork made from recycled materials for an upcoming exhibit about nature. The exhibition will feature two local nature artists, Brittney Luna and Jessica Monroe, plus entries from the community. The deadline to enter the exhibit is September 27, 2021, and artwork must be made from items that would have otherwise end up in a landfill or recycling center. The exhibit will be at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, second floor, from October 1 through December 10, 2021. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

On October 27, there will be two virtual painting workshops from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and programs to engage student understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, contact (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryartgallery.

In coordination with the RGV Bethel Garden Mural Taskforce and Keep McAllen Beautiful, Inc., South Texas College Library Art Gallery seeks muralists to help portray and preserve history and culture within McAllen, Texas. Bethel Garden is located at 1322 S. 16th Street, McAllen, TX, 78501 (corner of S. 16th and Booker T. Washington Streets).

In 2020, The City of McAllen adopted Bethel Garden, a Texas Historical landmark and the former site of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church – McAllen’s first African American church (1941– 2004). The McAllen City Parks and Recreation Department was tasked to make improvements to the site, including the construction of four additional mural panels. This call for muralists is also an opportunity to focus on the former Booker T. Washington High School (BTW), located across the street from the church (1946-1957). The BTW School was the only high school available for African American youth in Hidalgo and its neighboring counties.

Those interested are invited to submit up to three designs for one or more of the 4 – six by six-foot mural panels in separate themes focused on:

• Faith – the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church 
• Hope – the Booker T. Washington High School 
• Love – Community Charitable Services
• Unity – the La Paloma Neighborhood (formerly known as the Booker T. Washington Addition) 

The Bethel Garden Mural Taskforce is accepting designs through June 30, 2021. 

A total of four murals will be painted. This mural project is made possible through a grant to provide artists with materials and a small stipend.

According to Ray Howard, a community organizer, “McAllen’s Bethel Garden is a tribute to its African American heritage and cultural influence. It is a continuous celebration of our inclusion and contributions to the City’s growth and development over time. Under Mayor Darling’s leadership, coupled with interagency collaborations and a host of volunteers, the treasured memories of our McAllen ancestors and their vision for an even better future for all is preserved for generations to come”.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational programs to engage student understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, contact gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.