The Mercedes Public Library is honoring what’s believed to be the Rio Grande Valley’s first Mexican-American college.

The history of Colegio Jacinto Treviño is part of the permanent exhibit at the library.

The college was founded in Mercedes during the late 1960s.

Lupe Cásares attended the college. 

“My family struggled as farmworkers, and we were victims of discrimination and racism in the public school settings in those days,” Cásares said. “There were no Mexican-American curriculum anywhere, there were not enough Mexican-American teachers. That made us think we have to create it.”

A doctoral student from Donna is behind the exhibit.

The accredited college was created after local families claimed discrimination at area school districts. The families said children were being punished for speaking Spanish, and students were segregated if they didn’t speak English.

The school moved to San Juan before closing in the 1970s.