Joseph Kennedy

NMDCA News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico History Museum (NMHM) and the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library (FACHL) have announced that Joseph Kennedy has been selected as the 2024 scholar and recipient of the Steve Wimmer Southwestern Historical Research Fund.

Kennedy aims to study the history of turquoise and jewelry making in New Mexico. He is the third grantee to receive the research funding from NMHM.

The Steve Wimmer Southwestern Historical Research Fund was established in 2021 to honor the memory of Steve Wimmer, head concierge at La Fonda on the Plaza who spent 26 years enthusiastically helping visitors engage with New Mexico history and culture. He was an active patron of the Chávez History Library and often referred visitors to the History Museum.

Kennedy is a graduate student at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, pursuing a master’s in interdisciplinary studies. His research focus combines his academic interests, his art and jewelry hobbies, and his work at the local mine in Grant County. The unique archival and rare book collections at FACHL, as well as the skilled archivists on staff, will assist Kennedy in his research.

The Steve Wimmer Southwestern Historical Research Fund has three aims: to help fund library digitization efforts, to purchase materials for library collections, and, primarily, to bring researchers to the heart of downtown Santa Fe, where they can advance their work and appreciate the things Steve loved. The Fund targets researchers wishing to study New Mexico history between 1879 and 1949 using the collections at FACHL.

Through the fund, selected scholars are provided a $1,000 stipend, lodging at the La Fonda Hotel, and use of FACHL’s collections and archivist expertise for a week of research. In return, recipients are expected to deliver a presentation at the New Mexico History Museum and submit an article for publication in either El Palacio or New Mexico Magazine.

About the New Mexico History Museum

The New Mexico History Museum offers a welcoming place for exploration of multifaceted views on history, dialog that bridges social and cultural divides, and reflection on the conditions needed for a more resilient, just, and sustainable future. The NMHM campus is located on the north side of the historic plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For more information visit nmhistorymuseum.org.