The Enormous Vogue of Things Mexican: Cultural Relations between the United States and Mexico, 1920-1935

A landmark study of cultural exchange across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Enormous Vogue of Things Mexican: Cultural Relations between the United States and Mexico, 1920–1935 explores a remarkable period when Mexico captured the imagination of the United States and became a powerful source of artistic, intellectual, and cultural inspiration. Historian Helen Delpar examines the flourishing exchange between the two nations during the interwar years, revealing how artists, writers, educators, political activists, archaeologists, and travelers helped forge unprecedented connections across the border.

In the decades following the Mexican Revolution, Americans increasingly looked to Mexico as a place of cultural authenticity, creative innovation, and social experimentation. Mexican art, music, literature, archaeology, and revolutionary ideals attracted widespread attention in the United States, while Mexican intellectuals and artists actively engaged with audiences north of the border. Delpar traces the individuals, institutions, and cultural movements that fueled this phenomenon, demonstrating how a growing fascination with Mexico reshaped American perceptions of its southern neighbor.

The book examines the rise of the celebrated Mexican mural movement, expanding interest in Indigenous cultures, and the influence of Mexican themes on American literature, visual arts, music, and education. It also explores the political and social forces that encouraged cultural exchange, including enthusiasm among American liberals for the Mexican Revolution and broader movements toward cultural nationalism in both countries.

By focusing on cultural relationships rather than diplomatic or economic ties, Delpar offers a fresh perspective on the history of U.S.-Mexican relations. Richly researched and engagingly written, The Enormous Vogue of Things Mexican remains an essential work for readers interested in cultural history, Latin American studies, art history, borderlands studies, and the evolving relationship between two neighboring nations whose histories have long been intertwined.