¡Viva Vaquero!: Imaging Mexican Cowboys in the Wild West, 1885–1924

This paper will explore depictions of Mexican vaqueros in Wild West traveling entertainment shows through an analysis of advertisement posters, show programs, souvenir postcards, and newspaper reports. In the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, immigration from Mexico and racial attitudes in the United States significantly altered perceptions of Mexicans in the public sphere.  Americans of Mexican-descent contended with increasingly negative depictions in media such as newspapers and magazines.  In an attempt to accurately depict the historical West, Buffalo Bill incorporated Mexicans into his shows.  However, as events such as the 1910 Mexican Revolution influenced ideas about Mexicans, the public image of the vaquero changed. This paper will also compare the roles performed by Mexicans in the Wild West shows during their tours in the Southwest Borderlands, the United States Eastern seaboard, and Europe.