Published August 5, 2024
A new documentary titled “Under Five Flags” premiered at Boot Hill Museum on Thursday, Aug. 1. Following the film’s screening, a panel discussion highlighted the area’s evolving cultural diversity. Pictured, left to right (seated), are Ernestor De La Rosa, ITC Regional Manager/Local Government and Community Affairs; Coral Lopez, Main Street Dodge City Director; Holly Mercer, DC3 Library Director and Project Director; Brenda Carmona, Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center Community Specialist; Roxana Arjon, City of Dodge City Management Analyst; (standing) Collin Clark, City of Dodge City Public Information Officer; Monica Shuey, Harmony Marketing; Keith Wondra, Boot Hill Museum Curator of Exhibits and Interpretation; Dr. Leo Oliva, Kansas historian; Melissa McCoy, City of Dodge City Assistant City Manager of Public Affairs and staff person for the Cultural Relations Advisory Board; Tim Wenzl, local historian and Archivist Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City; Susan Finley, at-large-board member Cultural Relations Advisory Board; and Darlin Rayo, City of Dodge City Recruiter & Community Outreach Coordinator. [Photo by Alba Gutierrez-Ortiz]
Dodge City has always been a melting pot of diversity, and the documentary titled “Under Five Flags,” which premiered on Thursday, Aug. 1 at the Boot Hill Museum Mariah Gallery, reflects this rich history. Tracing history, the short film reveals how Ford County has been governed by five different flags in its history: France, Spain, the Republic of Texas, Mexico, and the United States.
A collaborative effort between various organizations, including Humanities Kansas, Dodge City Community College (DC3), the City of Dodge City’s Cultural Relations Advisory Board, Main Street Dodge City, and Boot Hill Museum, the documentary condenses more than 500 years of history into a 13-minute film.
Following the screening, a panel of experts and the film’s historians took the stage to answer questions and discuss the film. Included on the panel were Holly Mercer, DC3 Library Director; Melissa McCoy, Dodge City Assistant City Manager of Public Affairs and staff person for the Cultural Relations Advisory Board; Coral Lopez, Main Street Dodge City Director; Keith Wondra, Boot Hill Museum Curator of Exhibits and Interpretation; and Dr. Leo Oliva, Kansas historian, who served as a consultant for this Humanities Kansas project.
In addition, Tim Wenzl, a local historian and Archivist Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City, was on hand to answer questions during the discussion. And Dr. Luke Gunderson, DC3 Associate Professor of History, who was included in the film, but was not in attendance at the screening, will serve as moderator at a second viewing of the documentary at the Dodge City Public Library on Aug. 23, from 4-5 p.m.
Mercer, who is also the project’s director, said the idea for “Under Five Flags” grew out of the annual Dodge City International Festival.
“The International Festival celebrates Dodge City’s ethnic and cultural diversity during National Welcoming Week in September,” she said. “Feedback after the 2022 festival revealed a desire among locals to tell some of the history of the area beyond the Wild West story that is already so well known.”
Mercer said, “[The film] explores our local history through these five governmental flags that were flown here in Ford County since European colonization. This tells a story of immigration, cultural intersection and expands our understanding of Dodge City’s past.”
After working on this project for several years, Mercer said her appreciation for the land, people, and traditions of our region has deepened.
“By examining how boundaries have changed over time, we can build understanding and unity,” she said.
When asked about new information he came across when working on the project, Wondra said, “I think all the history from Spain to France to even Portugal influence, kind of surprised me. Especially how much influence the pope had on deciding what could be could be explored.”
Discussing how highlighting Ford County affects residents today, Lopez said, “I think it helps them feel more at home.” While McCoy added, “I think that it also helps all of our long-term residents to think about what our history is and what it’s been over the years. Dodge City is always evolving and becoming more.”
Oliva then said, “I think inclusion is the word that we should use. We have a very diverse population, but they are included in this story. I think that’s a key thing.”
One of the aspects highlighted in the film is that Dodge City’s current population is 64 percent Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, more than half of the households in the area speak a language other than English in their home. In the film, McCoy had stated the local school system has 45 different countries represented and 20 spoken languages.
Mercer said, “We’re acknowledging both past inhabitants and current stewards of the land. Together we have the opportunity to shape Ford County’s future.”
By Alba Gutierrez-OrtizDC3 Marketing and Media Specialist
Photos by Alba Gutierrez-Ortiz