Grants Awarded
SPMDTU Concilio Superior
Conejos County
La Sociedad Proteccion Mutua de Trabajores Unidos (SPMDTU) is a long-standing institution of Colorado’s civil rights history.
After the Mexican-American War, Hispanic communities in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico suddenly found themselves in annexed U.S. territory. The handful of volunteers who founded La Sociedad worked to provide financial aid and legal advocacy for the Hispanic population working in the mine, rail, and agricultural industries throughout the southwest. The original home of the Concilio Superior (head or lead council) still stands along Main Street in Antonito, and is a landmark in both the State and National registers. The governing board of La Sociedad will use a SHF grant to plan for a comprehensive restoration of the interior and exterior of their historic headquarters building. The site will soon serve as a museum and hub for artifacts, photos, and documents for both Hispanic and Native American people groups.