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Guide to the University of California, Santa Barbara, El Congreso Collection
UArch 104
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Table of contents
Title: University of California, Santa Barbara, El Congreso Collection
Dates: ca. 1969-1994
Bulk Dates: 1973-1974
Collection number: UArch 104
Creator:
Congreso (Student organization : Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Collection Size:
0.2 linear feet
(1 half-sized document box).
Repository:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Dept. of Special Collections
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Abstract: The El Congreso collection contains organization files such as constitutions, correspondence, etc., as well as files on La
Escuela, a bilingual elementary school, and event flyers.
Physical location: Del Sur, University Archives, 26B.
Languages:
English
None.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
University of California, Santa Barbara, El Congreso collection. UArch 104. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library,
University of California, Santa Barbara.
Undetermined.
Scope and Content of Collection
From El Congreso constitution preamble, folder 1:
"Where as Chicanos as a people have been neglected and systematically excluded from this society's social, economic, political,
and educational institutions, and recognizing the great needs of our people, we as Chicanos at University of California Santa
Barbara unite together under the name 'Congreso de la Raza Libre.' Our purpose is: 1) to provide services for our community,
2) to promote and implement programs that will prepare the Chicano student to return to his/her community, 3) to promote relevant
Chicano education, 4) to provide and promote Chicano political awareness, and 5) to push for Chicano control of Chicano programs
and programs that deal with Chicanos in the community and university."
From El Congreso website,
http://orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/elcongreso/ourstory/ :
"El Congreso came into existence as a call for unity among all Chican@ students. This organization represented a merging of
the two existing Chican@ factions at that time in UCSB, M.E.Ch.A. and La Raza Libre. That year 100 raza students at UCSB came
together to form El Congreso. El Congreso represented and expressed a unity of all raza students under one movement, one organization,
whose vision and purpose was to be of service to the communities of Santa Barbara, Isla Vista, and Goleta. Since then, El
Congreso has taken great pride in giving voice to the Chican@/Latin@ students at UCSB."
Groups affiliated with El Congreso as subcommittees include La Escuelita (education), Los Curanderos (pre-health students),
Los Ingenieros (math, science & engineering students), MUJER (women's group), Carnales in Aztlan (men's group), Latino Business
Association (LBA), Psychology/Sociology, MENTE, Pre-Law, Protesta y Apoyo Zapatista, Radio Chicana, Cultural Arts, La Voz,
Estudiantes Para Avanzar la Communidad.
The collection contains organization files such as constitutions, correspondence, etc., as well as files on La Escuela, a
bilingual elementary school, and event flyers.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Congreso (Student organization : Santa Barbara, Calif.)
In University Archives:
- Associated Students subject files, UArch 21 – Files on MEChA and La Raza Libre.
- El Centro collection, UArch 71.
- Chicano Studies Center records, UArch 25 – Contains large number of files on La Escuela, as well as files on MEChA, La Raza Libre, El Congreso, and co-sponsored events.
- Department of Chicana/Chicano Studies collection, UArch 15 – Files on courses, co-sponsored events, affirmative action, MEChA, etc.
- Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) records, UArch 20 – Files on El Congreso, El Centro, hunger strike, MEChA, etc.
- Office of Public Information Isla Vista / Student Unrest subject files, UArch 36 – Files on MEChA, minority programs.
- Office of Public Information subject files, UArch 12 – Files on MEChA and La Raza Libre.
- Student Organizations collection, UArch 101 – Files on affiliated subcommittees, MEChA, La Raza Libre, etc.
- Vice Chancellors collection, UArch 67 – File on El Congreso ethnic studies hunger strike.
- Si Se Puede, El Congreso publication in University Archives Serials Short Runs and Short Runs Oversize.
- La Voz del Congreso, El Congreso publication in University Archives Serials Short Runs Oversize.
- Other Chicano/Latino group, department, and program publications can be found in the University Archives Serials section.
- Oversize posters and broadsides from El Congreso and affiliated subcommittees have been separated to the Student Organizations collection, Oversize series.
In the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives (CEMA):
- Confederation of La Raza Organizations (CORO) collection, CEMA 31 – Contains files on El Congreso, La Escuela, and other related groups.
- Jose Joel Garcia collection, CEMA 73 – Papers of student involved in MEChA and UMAS (United Mexican American Students) student groups and the movement to establish a Chicano studies program at UCSB.
- MEChA collection, CEMA 36.
- UCSB Ethnic Studies Protests collection, CEMA 93.
El Congreso website:
http://orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/elcongreso/