Imagining Mexico in 1921: Visions of the Revolutionary State and Society in the Centennial Celebration in Mexico City

In September of 1921, the government of Alvaro Obregon organized a lavish commemoration of the centennial of Agustin de Iturbide's ouster of Spanish authority and the creation of Mexico. The occasion gave the administration the opportunity to present its image of the revolutionary state and society within the context of historical memory and public policy. The official program promoted economic and social programs rooted in nineteenth-century liberalism, as well as a new cultural vision that portrayed contemporary indigenous culture as integral to Mexican national identity. The occasion also gave conservatives the opportunity to present a counternarrative of Mexican history in newspaper articles and editorials that championed Iturbide, the Catholic Church, and Mexico's Spanish heritage. The organization of cultural and sporting events also show-cased traditional and popular culture.