Manuel Pedro González Papers, 1930-1969

Summary

Creators:

González, Manuel Pedro, 1893-

Abstract:

Manuel Pedro González was a Professor of Spanish American Language and Literature at UCLA (1924 to 1958), the founder and first president of the International Institute of Professors of Ibero-American Literature (1938-1940), and established the Fundación José Martí in Havana (1967/8). He is also noted for his work on Argentine and Mexican literature, and on intellectual relations between the U.S. and Spanish America. This collection consists mainly of correspondence from over 250 Latin American authors and intellectuals.

Extent:

3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)

Language:

English

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists mainly of correspondence from over 250 Latin American authors and intellectuals. It is of particular value in documenting the development of Latin American letters internationally during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as the establishment of Latin American area studies programs in the United States. There is a particular concentration of correspondence from Cuban intellectuals. The correspondence covers the years fom 1928 to 1973, with the majority falling in the 1930s and 1970s. Correspondents include Fernando Ortiz, Mariano Azuela, Gabriela Mistral, Alfonso Reyes, Fernando Ortiz, Juan Marinello, Baldomero Sanín Cano, and Cintio and Fina Vitier.

Biographical / historical:

Manuel Pedro González was Professor of Spanish American Language and Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1924 until 1958. He was born on November 27, 1893 in the Canary Islands and died in July 1974 in Del Mar, California. Educated in Cuba, he received a BA degree at the Havana Institute in 1916, his J.D. at the University of Havana Law School in 1920, and his Ph.D in 1922. He was an instructor of Spanish Literature at San Anacleto College in Havana in 1918, and at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland from 1923-24. Among his awards were the Diploma of Honor of the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua in 1939; elected corresponding membership to the Circulo de Altos Estudios Históricos, Rosario, Argentina, 1936; elected membership to the Sociedad Cubana de Estudios Históricos e Internacionales, Havana, 1942; and elected corresponding membership to the Academia Cubana de la Lengua in 1954. He was the founder and first president of the International Institute of Professors of Ibero-American Literature from 1938-40. Under the Institute's sponsorship, he organized the 2^nd International Congress of Professors of Ibero-American Literature at UCLA in 1940. The Institute began publishing in 1941 Revista Iberoamericana, which he co-edited from 1949 to 1953. The journal was the first to represent the entire panorama of Latin American literature. In 1967/68 he established the Fundación José Martí in Havana in honor of the 19^th century Cuban patriot and poet who led the Cuban revolt for independence from Spain. The following year he started the Anuario Martiano, a journal devoted to scholarly studies and bibliography on Martí written anywhere in the world. He wrote a total of seven books on Martí as well as numerous articles. He has been credited with establishing Martí as the initiator of the Modernist movement, which is now often dated by the appearance of Ismaelillo in 1882, Martí's first published collection. González is also noted for his work on Argentine and Mexican literature, and on intellectual relations between the United States and Spanish America.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

1. Correspondence (Boxes 1-3).
2. Unidentified correspondents (Box 3).
3. Writings by Manuel Pedro González (Box 3).

Physical location:

Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Latin Americanists--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.
Letters (Correspondence).

Location of this collection:

UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library

A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US

Contact:

(310) 825-4988

AskLSC@library.ucla.edu

Website