Día de los Muertos in El Valle

This project utilizes oral history interviews and archival research to document the history of Día de los Muertos celebrations in the Phoenix metro area. Our research focuses on Xicanindio Shee-can-een-dee-oh), a multidisciplinary arts organization founded in the 1970s. This collective of Chicano artists produced the first public celebration of Día de Muertos in El Valle (the Valley). Our project examines Day of the Dead’s significance for the artists and local communities who’ve participated in this cultural tradition, while also situating Xicanindio’s Día de los Muertos festival in the context of the broader Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement.