Archivo de Fortaleza
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with the Library
We invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the library, and learn more about the experiences and contributions of the Hispanic/Latinx community at UC Davis. UC Davis is on the path of becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institute, with 29% of its fall 2023 admitted students coming from Hispanic or Latinx backgrounds. This milestone would not be possible without the tireless efforts of the faculty, staff, students and advocates who paved the way. Fortunately, these pioneers left vibrant records in different mediums to document their journey.
Archives and Special Collections stewards a variety of these resources, which reflect the activities of the Hispanic/Latinx community in and around Davis. Below are some examples of what we hold in our collections to comprise los archivos de fortaleza (the archives of fortitude/strength).
Two New Collections Acquired
We are pleased to announce the arrival of new collections from two UC Davis affiliates: the Francisco J. Dominguez Photography Collection and the Joaquin D. Galvan Collection.
These collections enhance our holdings in subjects such as the history of Chicano/a Studies, Native American Studies and D-Q University. They also contain materials related to the United Farm Workers protests and other movements or protests in Davis and Northern California. Please contact Archives and Special Collections if you would like to review materials from these collections, as they are still being processed in preparation for public access.
Francisco J. Dominguez Photography Collection
The UC Davis Library acquired 25 prints from Sacramento-area photographer and printmaker Francisco J. Dominguez. He started as a photographer for the Third World Forum at UC Davis and a lot of his photography reflects protests, resistance movements, and cultural days at our university. These photographs document important moments in the history of people of color at UC Davis, including moments that affected the people in the Hispanic/Latinx community.
Photographed by Francisco J. Dominguez.
The two photographs above were taken during events from La Raza Cultural Days on the Quad. The photos show how different the events, performers, and speakers were during La Raza Cultural Days each year. According to Dominguez, the cultural days he remembers were full of excitement because the students were still driven by the cultural revival that occurred during the Chicano movement. Today, La Gran Tardeada, the culmination of La Raza Cultural Days, is one of many annual events offered to the UC Davis community.
Some of the prints acquired also document historical protests at UC Davis. The following photograph was taken during a student protest against the Spanish Department at UC Davis in 1990. This photograph documents one of many instances where students gathered to protest the decisions of the Spanish Department during that time period.
Photographed by Francisco J. Dominguez.
For inquiries on Francisco Dominguez’s photography, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Joaquin D. Galvan Collection
This summer, UC Davis alumnus Joaquin D. Galvan donated an impressive collection of posters and ephemera to the UC Davis Library. Previously, he has donated papers that formed the Joaquin Galvan Collection on Racial Conflict at UC Davis.
Galvan received a B. A. in Chicano Studies and a Master in Education at UC Davis. He boasts a 30-year career at UC Davis where he retired as a Retention Coordinator at the Student Academic Success Center (now known as Student Life, Campus Community, and Retention Services). He was integral to the UC Davis Special Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) and he was an early supporter of D-Q University and Chicano Studies. Outside of Davis, he was active in many of the local community organizations and activities.
The materials Galvan donated offer a glimpse into the activities of the Hispanic/Latinx community at UC Davis as its presence grew. His donations also provide a sample of the rich history of the Hispanic/Latinx community in Davis and their connections throughout California.
The program below, for example, demonstrates the celebration of an event where UC Davis Professor Emeritus of Chicano Studies, Malaquias Montoya, received the 1997 Adaline Kent Award from the San Francisco Art Institute. Montoya’s art reached far beyond his work at UC Davis and it is one of many examples of the way the Hispanic/Latinx community embeds their creativity and their fortitude (fortaleza) into the records they leave behind. Coincidentally, the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art has an upcoming exhibition featuring Montoya’s work, titled Malaquias Montoya and the Legacies of a Printed Resistance.
The two collections differ significantly in format but all of these items enhance the voices of Hispanics/Latinos in the archives.
Available Collections
Come explore more of the library’s resources that reflect Hispanic/Latinx culture and history. See our information for visitors page to learn more about how to view these materials in Archives and Special Collections.
- Chicano History and Culture Collection
- Cruz Reynoso Papers
- Adaljiza Sosa Riddell Papers
- Peter Camejo Papers
- Chicano Record Collection
- Chicana/Latina Research Center Records
- Department of Chicana/o Studies Records
- East Los Angeles College New Careers Program Collection
- Armando de María y Campos Collection
- Mario G. Obledo Papers
- Emilio A. Soltero Papers
Other related collections you may be interested in: