In life, people often feel as if they are separated from other cultures and classes; sometimes we can feel disconnected with our own customs which have evolved though a history that we may or may not have been a part of. Author Mimi Swartz in “Once upon a time in Laredo” correlates the complex history of the small border town of Laredo in south Texas with an annual debutant ball honoring the first United States President and his wife. In an effort to “gin up patriotism along the border” (p.4) the pageant celebration can not only remedy the town’s struggles with their history and multicultural background but also show Laredo’s present struggles with lineage and class structure in a changing modern world. Swartz makes evidence of her claim by giving historical examples behind Laredo and how the town became so famous for its debutant ball. Understanding the unique challenges this border town in Texas was facing, the author paints a picture of how its existence came to be. “After the U.S. defeated Mexico in 1948 in a bitter war for control of Texas, the boundary between the two countries shifted to the Rio Grande, and Laredo jointed the Union”(p.4). Once territories were drawn and many of its citizens came from across the border and even “drawing immigrants from Europe and other parts of the U.S.” (p.4), the town was becoming multicultural in nature. In an effort to cement itself in the country, the citizens of Laredo had created a celebration for George Washington “…to prove that Laredo’s loyalty was to the U. S.” (p.4). Understanding these historical facts, the author is able to support her claim about the importance of history, concluding that it is relative to understanding the importance of these annual pageants. The author begins to show a town consisting of many backgrounds was able to form their own celebration; unique and special only to its residents. The author describes the importance of the border region and the influence of multicultural backgrounds....