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Oregon Multicultural Archives: Latino/a People and Culture

Statewide Organizations

Latino Heritage Preservation in Oregon: Building a Network

Oregon Heritage Virtual Summit: Collaboration is Key, April 2021

From the Oregon Heritage Commission: "While some organizations are researching, documenting, and interpreting Oregon’s rich Latino history, no centralized group or movement has emerged. Those who are doing this work may not be aware of other efforts and those who want to do this work may not know where to start. This goal of this networking session was to kick-off a conversation about how Oregon can coordinate efforts to preserve and promote Latino Heritage."

Presentation
Summary & Recommendations from Latin@s in Heritage Conservation
Event Recording

Facilitators: Executive committee members of Latin@s in Heritage Conservation, Desiree Aranda, Independent Cultural Resources Consultant and Sara Delgadillo Cruz, Preservation Planner for the City of Los Angeles. Presenting Organizations: Oregon Multicultural Archives, Oregon State University, Natalia Fernandez; Latino Roots, University of Oregon, Lynn Stephen & Gabriela Martinez; Oregon Historical Society, Eliza Canty-Jones; Women’s History Consortium, Janice Dilg & Kimberly Jensen; Oregon Folklife Network , Emily West Hartlerode

Instituto de Cultura Oregoniana

El ICO es una organización sin ánimo de lucro 501(c)(3). Promovemos la cultura hispanohablante de Oregón y el multilingüismo

Los orígenes hispanos de Oregón (Versión original académica en español) • Hispanic Origins of Oregon (Borrador de la versión en inglés {proyecto interuniversitario])

Manuscript and Photograph Collections

Milagro (Miracle Theatre Group) Records, 1966-2014: This collection consist of the theatre's administrative records, production files, and community outreach work. Also included is the company's artwork, videos and audio of performances, correspondence, and promotional materials. Established in 1985 by José González and Dañel Malán, Milagro is the premier Latino arts and cultures program in the northwest. The theatre produces both classical and contemporary performances that are English, Spanish, or bilingual. Milagro is still active to this day. OMA Blog posts about Milagro

Milagro (Miracle Theatre Group) Oral History Collection, 2015 (OH 31): These 7 oral histories were conducted with theatre members past and present who have worked with Milagro in different.

"Latinos en Oregón: sus voces, sus historias, su herencia" oral history collection: Oral history interviews with members of the central Oregon Latino community who are connected to the Oregon State University Open Campus Juntos program (note: this collection is primarily in Spanish).

Annabelle Jaramillo Papers: This collection documents Jaramillo’s work as a member of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council from 1997 to 2001; her advocacy for minorities and women with the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs and National Image, Inc.; her work as a research botanist with the U.S. Forest Service; and her graduate research at Portland State University.

Colegio César Chávez Collection, 1965–2005: The Colegio César Chávez was established in 1973 as a four year Chicano Serving Institution in Mount Angel, Oregon. The Colegio César Chávez collection consists of correspondence, publications, and photographs from the Arthur and Karen Olivo and Andrew Parodi Family and depicts their time living on the college campus grounds. See the college catalog online. An interview with the collection donors is available online: Andrew Parodi and Karen Olivo oral history interview

  • A precursor to the Colegio César Chávez was the Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon; RG 111 Extension Service Records includes a folder titled "Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon (CISCO), 1971-1972” within Subgroup 2. Director's Office - Series II. Associations, Agencies & Organizations, 1903-1997.

Erlinda Gonzales-Berry Papers: This collection documents the research and publishing of Gonzales-Berry in the fields of Latino literature and culture and immigration from Mexico to the United States and include publications and speeches, awards, photographs, sound recordings, and a videotape. Gonzales-Berry was chair of the Oregon State University Ethnic Studies Department from 1997 until 2007.

The audio visual files of this collection consist primarily of oral histories conducted for Erlinda Gonzales-Berry's book Mexicanos in Oregon: Their Stories, Their Lives, published in 2010.

Raul Peña Collection: The Raul Peña Collection consists of Peña’s personal scrapbook and a compilation of video-recorded news stories depicting the struggles of migrant farm workers in Oregon during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Peña served in the U.S. Army and Oregon Army National Guard in the 1970s and 1980s, and advocated for migrant worker rights through his work for the Bureau of Labor and Industries in the late 1980s and 1990s.  This collection consists of digitized versions of the scrapbook and video content.

Braceros in Oregon Film Footage

  • Alderman Family Farms Films
    Film footage shot on one of Oregon’s largest row crop farms in the 1940s and 1950s, located near Dayton, Oregon. Includes footage of Bracero workers who helped on the farm in the mid 1940s. A VHS copy of the films is available for viewing.
  • Extension and Experiment Station Communications Motion Picture Films and Videotapes (P120 F/V)
    #109 Farm Labor Organization, 1961; Contract Farm Labor, Green Villa Farm in Independence, 1961
    #182 Migrant Education, New Settlers

Braceros in Oregon Photograph Collection, circa 1940s: Original photographs can be found in P20, P40, P 62, P120 and Harriet’s Collection.

  • Fighters on the Farm Front: A Story of the 1943–46 Oregon Emergency Farm Labor Program: Oregon State College Extension Circular 492, Jan. 1947. This publication provides a detailed overview of the various groups that helped to cultivate and harvest Oregon’s crops during WWII, including the Bracero workers. Includes good statistical information on a statewide basis. This publication is also available in the Valley Library at S537 .O7 A54
  • Braceros in Oregon Photo Collection Exhibit, Fall 2012 - a photo of the exhibit, a link to the exhibit text panels, and more information about the exhibit can be found on the "Braceros Program Photographs Exhibit" blog post
  • Below is a photo analysis video created in fall term 2020 about the collection:

OSU's Latino/a Community

Histories of OSU Students of Color Campus Tour Guidebook: The stories selected for this booklet showcase the impact and contributions that students of color have had on the OSU campus.

Minorities in the Barometer Digital Collection, 1960-1989: Articles from The Daily Barometer pertaining to multicultural issues and minorities on campus. All articles are organized in chronological order in full text searchable PDFs. The PDFs are organized by year; each PDF file begins with a Table of Contents listing the article titles and dates for the year.

César Chávez Centro Cultural (4Cs) Records, early 1990s-2012 (RG 248): The 4Cs was established at OSU in 1970s to educate the campus and local community about Latino/a cultures and heritages. Digitized versions of 16 4Cs albums are available online. The albums depict 4Cs events and activities as well as Oregon State students and staff affiliated with the Center from the early 1990s-2012.

OSU Kalmekak Community Outreach Program Records, 1994-2018 (MSS Kalmekak): The Oregon State University (OSU) Kalmekak Community Outreach Program Records document the administration and outreach activities of this organization. OSU Kalmekak was established at OSU in 1996 and was active until 2018. The program sought to serve and advocate for the Latino/a and Chicano/a community of Corvallis - and more broadly the state of Oregon - within higher education, as well as increase cultural and racial awareness within the Corvallis area.

OSU Here to Stay Club and Dreaming Beyond Borders Resource Center Records The Oregon State University (OSU) Here to Stay Club (HTS) and Dreaming Beyond Borders Resource Center (DBB) Records detail the work of the club and resource center which aim to support undocumented students at OSU and in the surrounding areas. This includes providing resources related to financial aid and professional development; providing education on how to better support undocumented students; and by hosting social events and maintaining a physical space for the students. The entire collection is digital and fully available upon request.

Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) Records: The Association of Latin American Students Records consist of administrative records (correspondence, membership and assistance lists, event planning materials, financial records), 1995–1998; scrapbooks containing photographs, event programs and newspaper clippings, 1994–1997; videotapes of OSU Latin American Night, 1996 and 1998–1999; and event programs, posters and brochures, 1996–1999. The three ALAS albums within the collection are available online: ALAS Albums

OSU's Centro Cultural César Chávez (4Cs) and the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) Digital Display: Images and information regarding the 4Cs and past celebrations of the ALAS.

Associated Students of Oregon State University Records (RG 11): The records of OSU’s student government include information on the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez, the establishment of the Casa Educacional Office and general information on multicultural affairs at OSU.

  • Accession 2002:095, box 3 – Hispanic Cultural Center/racial incidents subject file, 1990–94

College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Records, 1985-1998 ~ The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Records document the activity and outreach of the Oregon State University CAMP office as well as its resources from the late 1980s to the late 1990s. CAMP is a federally funded program operating out of the OSU Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) to support first-year students from migratory and seasonal work backgrounds.

Extension Service Records (RG 111): The county extension office annual reports for those counties in which Braceros worked during WWII often include a section on how many workers were utilized in the county and the types of work done. Some of the reports also include narrative on problems that the workers encountered. The reports are on microfilm only.

The Farm Labor Emergency project records within the Extension Service Records contain numerous brief references to Bracero workers and how they were utilized in Oregon. The project records also include a U.S. Department of Agriculture publication, A History of the Emergency Farm Labor Supply Program, 1943–1947, by Wayne D. Rasmussen [USDA Agriculture Monograph no. 13], 1951. This work contains a chapter on Bracero workers from a national perspective.

  • Subgroup 2 (Director’s Office), series 2 includes a file on the Chicano-Indian Study Center of Oregon (CISCO), 1971–1972
  • Subgroup 2, series 4 includes a file on the Valley Migrant League, 1965–1968
  • Subgroup 2, series 10 includes files on migrant labor housing, 1972; and migrant programs, 1975

Student Affairs Records (RG 102) – Records from Student Affairs contain information on the Hispanic Student Union, recruitment of students from minority and ethnic groups, creation and funding of the Hispanic Cultural Center (Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez), cultural diversity, the Minority Student Affairs Advisory Council, the Casa Educacional Office.

  • Accession 95:024 – Cultural Diversity Incidents – Mexican Flag, 1992

Extension and Experiment Station Communications (RG 69): Contains Spanish language versions of the “Speaking to the Consumer” news release series from 1975.

Educational Opportunities Program Records (Record Group 230): The Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) Records document the administration and activities of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at Oregon State University, a federally funded program for students of migrant or seasonal farmworkers, and other EOP programs that support non-traditional students.

Minority Education Office Records (RG 229): The Minority Education Office Records consist of two Casa Educacional Photograph Albums documenting the activities and programs of Casa Educacional, including the 2004 National MEChA Conference held at Oregon State University. Casa Educacional provides support and advocacy services for Latina/o and Chicana/o students at Oregon State University. Also included are five Casa Educacional Hispanic Initiative Reports, 2006-2008.

Ethnic Studies Department Records (RG 227): The Ethnic Studies Department Records consist of video recordings of a symposium, Sojourners, Settlers, New Immigrants: Mexicanos in Oregon Ayer y Hoy, held at Oregon State University in 2005.

News & Communication Services Photograph Collection (P 57)

  • P57:5551 – Students at the new Chicano Cultural Center, 1977 (used in the April 1977 Oregon Stater)

Beaver Yearbooks: Recent yearbooks include information about Latino student organizations. Also includes information about individual students.

Oregon Multicultural Communities Research Collection Files

Oregon Multicultural Communities Research Collection (OMCRC):
The OMCRC is an artificial collection containing items of interest about multicultural communities within Oregon State University and to a lesser extent, the city of Corvallis, and the state of Oregon.


Castillo, Susan:  Includes newspaper clippings pertaining to the career (state legislator, Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction) of Castillo, an OSU alumnus.

Centro Cultural César Chávez (CCCC): Information on the opening and operation of the CCCC.

Cultural Centers: Contains articles from the Corvallis Gazette-Times about the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez.

Ethnic Studies Department: Information on classes offered relevant to Latino/a Americans and their experiences offered by the ES Department

Farm Labor: Includes Erasmo Gamboa’s October 1982 Pacific Northwest Quarterly article, “Mexican Labor in the Pacific Northwest, 1943–1947.” His article used several of the Bracero photographs from the OSU Archives. This file also includes “Sugestiones To Apple Pickers,” a Spanish language brochure published by Oregon’s Extension Service in August 1943. See this brochure online.

Hispanic Student Union: Contains information on the H.S.U. in the 1990s as well as the organization’s constitution. Also includes information on the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez.

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanos de Atzlan (MEChA): Newspaper clippings and flyers pertaining to the activities of this student organization.

Omega Delta Phi: Materials pertaining to the Alpha Theta chapter of this Latino based fraternity at OSU include a brochure, history, constitution, and a Brennan Cup Award application.

Ovando, Carlos J.: Newspaper clipping pertaining to an OSU faculty member.

Pesticides: Includes newspaper clippings about the effects of pesticides on farm workers, including migrant workers.

Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences Program (SMILE): Information on this program designed to support underserved students in science and mathematics includes brochures, flyers, memos and clippings. Hispanics make up the largest community served by this program.

Oregon Historical Society Digital Resources List for Latinx History in Oregon (2022)

Other Collections Across the State Regarding Oregon's Latino/a Community

Oregon Latino Oral History Project via the NW Film Center

The project began in the spring of 2017 inspired by Héroes Magníficos, an earlier effort with Portland, Oregon area Latino youth. Emerging Latino filmmakers worked with Film Center faculty and Milagro Executive Director Jose Gonzalez to interview these Latino elders. These elders reflect eloquently on their paths while revealing the power of education and everyday heroes, or héroes magnífícos, in their lives and the collective culture.

Latino/as In the Oregon Wine Industry
Beyond the Vines: Latinos in the Oregon Wine Industry: An exhibit by Linfield College students as part of the college's Oregon Wine History Archive
Wine Notes: Latino winemaker has unique Oregon distinction: August 12, 2013 Oregonian article by Katherine Cole about winemaker Jesus Guillén

Oregon Historical Society Valley Migrant League Photographs Collection ~ A digitized collection of nearly 400 photographic prints and negatives in the Valley Migrant League photographs collection, which are now available online on OHS Digital Collections. The Valley Migrant League (VML) was a private, nonprofit organization that advocated for migrant farm laborers in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The photographs were taken primarily by staff of the Valley Migrant League for their program newspaper, Opportunity News, and to document the organization-sponsored adult education and child care programs, working and living conditions for agricultural migrant laborers, labor organizing activities, and community events. The collection also includes portraits of many individuals associated with the VML and the agricultural labor movement of the 1960s.

Radio Movimiento
"Dinos Quién Eres" interviews: Based in Woodburn, Radio Movimiento has a great podcast series "Dinos Quién Eres" featuring the stories of Latino/a Oregonians

OSU related interviews of note include:

Daniel López Cevallos
Octaviano Merecias
Loren Chavarria
María Chávez-Harolson
Ana Lu Fonseca
Jorge Martínez
Jessica Casas
Eduardo Rodríguez

#StandUpFG: Latinx Youth Activism in the Willamette Valley Exhibit Online

Latinx Youth Activism in the Willamette Valley, curated by Five Oaks Museum 2021. Guest Curator Israel Pastrana, is now featured on the museum's website in English and Spanish! On May 19, 2016, over 1,000 students staged a walkout in response to racially-charged incidents at Forest Grove High School in Oregon. By lunch time, thousands of students at schools across Oregon had walked out in support of #StandUpFG, the hashtag used by Latinx youth activists to represent their movement. This exhibition uses narrative, contemporary artworks, testimonio, and other forms of creative expression to tell the story of #StandUpFG, its connection to the past, and how Latinx youth activism continues to shape our collective futures. Walk in the footsteps of Latinx youth activists as you follow the unfolding events through tweets, art, and music of the student walkouts which led to the adoption of ethnic studies in the state of Oregon. “This is such an important exhibit, not just for Chicano/Mexicano/Latinx gente in Oregon, but anyone who is motivated to better understand what diversity, equity, and inclusion work looks like beyond today's checked box.” – Alfredo Moreno, Co-Chair of the Five Oaks Museum Board of Directors