The American Society of Mexico

The American Society of Mexico

Abbreviation	AmSoc
Formation	Wednesday July 22, 1942; 79 years ago (Wednesday July 22, 1942)
Purpose	Community, Expats, Charity
Headquarters	Mexico City, Mexico
Area served	Mexico
Key people	Larry Rubin, President Adriana Marin, Vice President Jill Metcalfe, Vice President Fernando Gama, Treasurer Javier Garcia-Sancho (BDO), Auditor & Commisary Alexandra Demou, Secretary Agustin Gama, Executive Director
Website	amsoc.mx

The American Society of Mexico (AmSoc) is a community organization and non-profit for the greater American Community living in Mexico.^[1][2][3][4] The organization was established on August 26, 1942, by then-United States Ambassador George S. Messersmith and American community leaders as the American population in Mexico started to increase with the purpose to represent the American community as a whole. Messersmith became the first honorary president and all United States ambassadors have become honorary presidents of the society ever since.^[5] Over the years, the society has organized events centered around American and Mexican traditions and formed partnerships to benefit the American Community in Mexico.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

The American Society of Mexico members hold a banner outside of the American School Foundation in Mexico City welcoming friends to celebrate US Independence Day

History[]

The American Society of Mexico was one of the first players in uniting the American Community within Mexico, helping Americans integrate within Mexico and sharing many distinctly American traditions between the American Community in Mexico and Mexicans.^[5]

The founding president was Mr. Russell Ford Moody who was born on June 13, 1902, in Michigan and received his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering by the University of Michigan in 1925. He was the vice president of the Canada Dry Bottling Company of Mexico, had been assistant general manager of the Compañía Hulera Euzkadi, and was alternate director of the Banco Internacional, Bank of London. He was also a board director to the American British Cowdray (ABC) Hospital, YMCA, and a standing member of the University Club, the American Club, Club de Banqueros, Masons and Tau Beta Pi. Married to Louise, he had two children: Jean Carol and Beverly.

The honorary president, George Strausser Messersmith, was born on October 3, 1883, in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. He entered the Foreign Service and served in different countries, including Germany during World War II, where he was best known for his controversial decision to issue a visa to Albert Einstein. In Mexico Ambassador Messersmith was not only responsible for the foundation of The American Society of Mexico, but also for establishing in the same year of 1942, the well-renowned Benjamin Franklin Library in Mexico City. He was appointed the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico up until 1947 by President Harry S. Truman.

"Amistad: Magazine of American Society of Mexico"[]

From the mid- through the late- 1900s, The American Society of Mexico published a regular bulletin for its members and those associated with the society.^[13] The bulletin served to announce get-togethers, events, initiatives and, perhaps most importantly, updates on U.S. and U.S.-Mexico news before the days of online media.^[13] Due to technological advances, the society has shifted to distribute information online.

Political affiliation[]

The American Society of Mexico is currently run by society president Larry Rubin, who although is the primary representative of the US Republican Party in Mexico demonstrates a conduct of empowering bipartisanship in the society by frequently working alongside and welcoming left-wing organizations.^{[14][15][16][17]} Additionally, Rubin went on air to publicly withdraw support from (at the time) presidential candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.^[15][18]

The 2016 U.S. presidential race[]

The American Society of Mexico has played perhaps the most significant role in Mexico organizing "Election Night" every four years during the U.S. presidential race for thousands of guests from differing political views.^[6][7][8] Prior to Election Day, the society is frequently featured in and consulted by the Mexican press for opinions from the society and its president, Larry Rubin, an opinion leader in Mexico.^[6] In addition to organizing the largest U.S. election party in the nation, AMSOC served as a media liaison between the American community living in Mexico, the United States and the Mexican press bridging the three entities during a particularly contentious U.S. election from the Mexican perspective.^[6][9] Although because of the pandemic in 2020 there was no Election Night, the society organized an "Election Night" in November 2016 with over 2,000 people in attendance and hundreds of media reporting directly from the event where several television stations were displaying the election results. It has organized "Election Night" since the 1960s.

References[]