Elmo: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This Elmo plush toy is an example of the sorts of things by members of the local community for migrants being served by the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.-Mexico border. Elmo is a character on the popular children’s television show, Sesame Street.

The Humanitarian Respite Center was founded in 2014 by Sister Norma (Sr. Norma) Pimentel, executive director of the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the charitable arm of the Diocese of Brownsville. Out of a belief in supporting the dignity of vulnerable people, Sr. Norma established the center at a time when a surge of Central American migrants caused a humanitarian crisis and great political controversy in the United States. The center shelters and cares for migrants for a day after their release by the Border Patrol before they travel to the homes of sponsors, typically family or friends, as part of their immigration process. Among the center’s supporters are members of the predominantly Mexican-American local community who donate clothing, toys, and other necessary supplies to help the newcomers. Between 2014 and 2021, the center assisted over 100,000 refugees.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 2011
• Object Name: toy
• Physical Description: polyester fibers, plastic stiffener (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 23 cm x 21 cm x 6 cm; 9 1/16 in x 8 9/32 in x 2 3/8 in
• place made: China
• ID Number: 2021.0012.12
• accession number: 2021.0012
• catalog number: 2021.0012.12
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.