The “Hispanic Legacies of Route 66 in New Mexico” webpage recently received the 2022 Stanton-Horton Award for Excellence in National Park Service History from the Organization of American Historians.
The StoryMap webpage, of which the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program was a prominent partner, combines photos, video and other interactive elements.
The Organization of American Histories wrote in a news release about the award:
This project exemplifies unusual merit and warrants citation for illuminating a rarely considered aspect of America’s story—the recent history of Hispanic communities along iconic Highway 66 in New Mexico.
The focus of this exceptional project corresponds with contemporary Park Service emphases on capturing parts of American history that have traditionally been glossed over, in particular the lives and experiences of Hispanic Americans. This competently realized and completed project, by every indication, was originated and implemented with skill, knowledge, and sensitivity. The role and guidance of qualified historians underscore the content and direction of the program. Oral history interviews effectively advance the themes of the project, and the technical components of the undertaking are consistent with contemporary standards of producing videos and utilizing websites.
As a New Mexico resident, I recognized a few of the names of those interviewed for the project.
The corridor program had this to say about the website:
The StoryMap is the result of many years of research and work completed by interns Lena Guidi and Gianna Sanchez from the University of New Mexico. Many thanks to Lena and Gianna for their invaluable contributions, and to all who made the StoryMap possible including the Latino Heritage Internship Program, Environment for the Americas, the Spanish Colonial Research Center at University of New Mexico, National Trails Office history, interpretive and GIS staff, and many others.
(Screen-capture image of the “Hispanic Legacies of Route 66 in New Mexico” StoryMap)