Mercedes, TX (KRGV) — The Texas Historical Commission placed a new historic plaque in Mercedes at the site of the former Colegio Jacinto Treviño, which was one of the first Mexican American colleges in the country.

The plaque marks where the school once stood at the corner of Missouri Avenue and Third Street.

The school taught Mexican American studies and stayed open for six years in the early 1970s.

City leaders say the marker helps preserve a part of Rio Grande Valley history that shaped what students can study today.

“A lot of the founding members or people who attended the colegio said it was very important to continue to remember this history — to continue to remember the rights that they fought for as Mexican Americans that often we take for granted now,” Mercedes historic preservation officer Marisol Vidales said. 

The city says the plaque is part of an effort to commemorate minority stories.