Finding Aid for the Ron Lopez Sleepy Lagoon Research Collection 1921 - 1974 CSRC.6
Processed by Michael Stone. Reprocessed by Doug Johnson, April 2018.
Chicano Studies Research Center Library
April 2018
144 Haines Hall
Box 951544
Los Angeles, California 90095-1544
librarian@chicano.ucla.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Chicano Studies Research Center Library
Title: Ron Lopez Sleepy Lagoon Research Collection
Creator:
Lopez, Ronald W., 1930-
Identifier/Call Number: CSRC.6
Physical Description:
.4 linear feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1921-1974
Abstract: This collection consists mostly of materials gathered by Ron Lopez for his research into the Sleepy Lagoon murder case.
Language of Material: Collection materials in English and Spanish.
Physical Location: Stored OFF-SITE at SRLF. Requests for viewing must be made two weeks in advance. Contact the CSRC Library for paging information.
Access
Open for research.
Acquisition Information
Papers donated by Ronald W. Lopez to the Chicano Studies Research Center. Deed on file at the CSRC Archive, 180 Haines Hall,
UCLA.
Arrangement
The material is arranged alphabetically.
Biography
Ron Lopez has had a long career as an educator in Southern California. He has held teaching posts at UCLA, Occidental College,
Pasadena City College, and Claremont College in Claremont, California. Ron Lopez has served the community as a drug counselor
as well as a tax referee. He has also been a consultant in advertising as well as being in the food business.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Ron Lopez Sleepy Lagoon Research Collection, 6, Chicano Studies Research Center, University of California,
Los Angeles.
Scope and Content
This collection consists mostly of materials gathered by Ron Lopez for his research into the Sleepy Lagoon murder case. Primary
documents include statements and correspondence from various groups advocating for the rights of the defendants. Secondary
documents include clippings and scholarly articles on the trials and the Zoot Suit Riots. There is also material from the
1920s-1930s and 1960s-1970s about the condition of Mexican Americans more generally. Virtually everything in the collection
is a photocopy.
Publication Rights
These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user
must assume full responsibility for any use of materials, including but not limited to infringement of copyright and publication
rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.) Police Department
Mexican American youth
Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee
Sleepy Lagoon Trial, Los Angeles, Calif., 1942-1943
Zoot Suit Riots, Los Angeles, Calif., 1943
Box 1, Folder 1
The Alien in Our Midst - excerpts
1930
Box 1, Folder 2
Articles - miscellaneous
1942-1970
Scope and Contents
Includes:"Pachuco: An American Spanish Argot"; short pieces from
Life,
The Nation,
Newsweek, and other publications.
Box 1, Folder 3
The Belvedere Coordinating Council Minority Group Committee report
1943
Box 1, Folder 4
Bilingualism
1967-1968
Scope and Contents
Includes
Congressional Record excerpt; press release from Congressman George Brown.
Box 1, Folder 5
Citizens' Committee for the Defense of American-Mexican Youth
circa 1942
Language of Material: Spanish and English.
Scope and Contents
Includes "The Sleepy Lagoon Case."
Box 1, Folder 6
Congress of Industrial Organizations [CIO]
1942-1944
Scope and Contents
Includes resolutions; review of
The Sleepy Lagoon Mystery by Guy Endore.
Box 1, Folder 7
Council for Civic Unity
1944
Box 1, Folder 8
Demographic data
1921-1960
Scope and Contents
Includes: map showing location of Mexicans in Los Angeles, 1921 [barely legible]; "Tuberculosis Map of Los Angeles," 1921
[barely legible]; "Mexican Population as of June, 1942"; chart "County Distribution of White Persons of Spanish Surname,"
1960.
Box 1, Folder 9
Dimitroff, James Stephan - correspondence
1967-1968
Scope and Contents
Contains letters to a UCLA student writing a thesis on the Sleepy Lagoon murder case. Most of these are responses to research
inquiries. Includes letters from Marvin Braude, Alice McGrath, Carey McWilliams, J. Edgar Hoover. The most substantive letter
is the first four pages from an unidentified correspondent, possibly Guy Nunn.
Box 1, Folder 10
"Excerpts from the Decision of the Second District Court of Appeal of the State of California In the Sleepy Lagoon Case"
1944
Box 1, Folder 11
"Findings and Recommendations of the Grand Jury of Los Angeles County for 1943, Based Upon Its Inquiry into Juvenile Crime
and Delinquency in that County"
1943
Box 1, Folder 12
Fraternidad - Publicacion Mensual del Comite Mexicano contra el Racismo
1944
Language of Material: Spanish.
Scope and Contents
Includes "Wendell Wilkie, Antiracista."
Box 1, Folder 13
Grand Jury testimony
1942
Scope and Contents
Contains: statement by Walter H.C. Laves of the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs; testimony of Carey McWilliams;
"Tabulation of Facts on Conditions in Hicks' Mexican Camp"; testimony of Guy T. Nunn of the War Manpower Commission; "The
Problem of Crime among the Mexican Youth of Los Angeles" bu Harry Hoijer; paper presented by Manuel Aguilar of the Mexican
consulate; paper presented by Oscar Fuss of the CIO; letter from Sheriff E. W. Biscailuz.
Box 1, Folder 14
Handwritten notes
1939-1967
Box 1, Folder 15
"Information for the 1942 Los Angeles County Grand Jury"
1942
Box 1, Folder 16
Kenny, Robert W.
1944
Scope and Contents
Letter to Father Joseph Gutierrez.
Box 1, Folder 17
Los Angeles Department of Police - correspondence
1942
Box 1, Folder 18
Los Angeles Times - clippings
1942-1943
Box 1, Folder 19
Mexican Voice
1938-1939
Language of Material: In English and Spanish.
Scope and Contents
Photocopies of articles from the magazine of the Mexican Youth Conference.
Box 1, Folder 20
The New Republic editorials
1943-1944
Box 1, Folder 21
Pacific Reporter - People vs. Zamorra
1944
Box 1, Folder 22
"Report of Special Committee on Problems of Mexican Youth of the 1942 Grand Jury of Los Angeles County"
1942
Box 1, Folder 23
"Sinarquismo Is the Only Salvation of Mexico"
undated
Box 1, Folder 24
Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee
1943-1945
Scope and Contents
Includes: letter from Chet Huntley; mailings from Carey McWilliams; report from Alice Greenfield about her trip to Folsom
and Sen Quentin prisons; cartoon sketch of a zoot suiter by Delgado; "The Sleepy Lagoon Mystery" by Guy Endore; group photo
of defendants inscribed "To Alice with love from her boys."
Box 1, Folder 25
Special Mexican Relations Committee
1942
Scope and Contents
Includes letters to various U.S. government officials; letter to the grand jury.
Box 1, folder 26
"Statistics" by Ed. Duran Ayres
undated
Scope and Contents
Profoundly racist essay on the biological disposition of Mexicans to crime.
Box 1, Folder 27
Survey on television viewing and newspaper delivery
circa 1974
Box 1, Folder 28
Youth Committee for the Defense of Mexican American Youth
undated
Scope and Contents
Letter to Henry Wallace.
Box 1, Folder 29
"The Zoot Suit Riots" by Elizabeth C. Fahr
1971
Box 1, Folder 30
"Zoot Suiters And Mexicans: Symbols in Crowd Behavior" by Ralph H. Turner and Samuel J. Surace
1956-1967
Scope and Contents
Includes handwritten notes.
