In 1985 Simon Burrow began acquiring the maps that eventually became the Changing Boundaries Exhibit.  Most of them were purchased from antiquarian book dealers in the Southwestern United States.  Over twenty years he accumulated more than 100 original maps and 200 original books all related to the evolving relationship between the United States and Mexico.

Simon explained why he made the collection “I have always been a collector. In 1984 two thing happened I read a book called “Confessions of an Advertising Man” by David Ogilvy and I opened a factory in Mexicali, Mexico.   One piece of advice Ogilvy gave was to make your hobby align with your career.  So when you worked on your hobby it would help your career and visa versa.  So since I had a factory in Mexico I started to collect maps and books showing the history of the relationship between Mexico and the United States. I framed some of the maps and hung them in my factories and offices in the US and Mexico.”

After he sold the business Simon began a career as an activist for increased immigration.  He made a documentary film (Beyond Borders) and began using the maps and images of them in talks he gave about the ethics of immigration.  This evolved into the successful initial exhibit at the University of San Diego sponsored by the Trans Border Institute in the spring of 2010.

Now the exhibit is available to schools and museums as a learning tool.  Without having to say a word it puts the current “Illegal Immigrant” controversy into a historic perspective.  Perhaps it will change some minds.

Click Here for a biography of Simon Burrow.