Marcus, David (photograph and nameplate), 1940s, 1940s, 2017

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Summary

Title:
David Marcus photograph and nameplate
Subtitle:
Part of the Mendez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al. archives
Dates:
1940s, 1940s, 2017
Creators:
DeLapp, Robert and Robbie, Sandra
Abstract:
This collection consists of 1 high resolution digital photo of David Marcus and 1 nameplate that belonged to Marcus from his law office.
Containers:
: Mendez v. Westminster doc-box 2
folder: 7
Extent:
0.1 Linear feet (1 folder)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], David Marcus photograph and nameplate (2017.013.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 1 high resolution digital photo of David Marcus and 1 wooden and metal nameplate belonging to Marcus from his law office.

Biographical / historical:

David Marcus was the civil rights attorney for Gonzalo Mendez and the other plaintiffs in the Mendez v. Westminster case of 1946-1947. In 1927, Marcus graduated from the University of Southern California's law school and eventually set up a successful private practice in Los Angeles. He was a Jewish American who had a son with his first wife, Esther Rosenthal. He later married Maria Yrma Davila, a Mexican woman with whom he had two daughters.

The 1946 Mendez v. Westminster class action lawsuit is also known as Gonzalo Mendez, et al., Petitioners. vs Westminister [sic] School District of Orange County, et al., Respondents. The petitioners and their attorney, David Marcus, won their case against Mexican American school segregation in Orange County, CA in 1947.

The case's petitioners were fathers and children from five Latin American families. They were Gonzalo Mendez and his children Sylvia, Gonzalo, and Geronimo; William Guzman and his son Billy; Frank Palomino and his children Arthur and Sally; Thomas Estrada and his children Clara, Roberto, Francisco, Syria, Daniel, and Evelina; and Lorenzo Ramirez and his children Ignacio, Silverio, and Jose.

The case's respondents were four Orange County school districts and their administrators. They included Westminster School District of Orange County's Trustees J. A. Houlihan, Lewis Conrady, and Ray Schmitt, as well as Superintendent J. Harris. For Garden Grove Elementary School District of Orange County, they included Trustees William C. Noble, Robert B. Smith and Paul Applebury, as well as Superintendent James L. Kent. For Santa Ana City Schools, they included Board of Education members George R. Wells, Hiram M. Currey, James K. Givens, Daniel W. Stover and George J. Busdieker, as well as Superintendent Frank A. Henderson and Secretary Harold Yost. For El Modeno [sic] School District, they included Trustees Henry Campbell, Theodore Hower, Clarence Johnson, and Superintendent Harold Hammarsten.

Acquisition information:
Accession record in filing cabinet (2009 folder) states that the donor of this collection is Robert DeLapp, but that it is also a loan from Sandra Robbie. (Deposited on November 17, 2009.)
Processing information:

The following refers to processing decisions that were conducted during the work of this collection.

Processed by Lisette Ocampo in 2017 and by Lauren [?]. Reprocessed by Victoria Perez in February 2024 and last updated by Perez in September 2024.

The papers were previously titled the "David Marcus records." Collection title was renamed for clarity and DACS-compliance.

This collection's box and folder were incorrectly labeled in processing with the identifier 2017-005-r. They have been relabeled with the correct identifier 2017-013-r.

Event dates refer to the approximate dates of the original item that was reproduced. Creation dates refer to the items' known dates or their approximate reproduction dates.

This resource abbreviates the case name either as Mendez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al. or Mendez v. Westminster. See biographical/historical note for a full list of the case's petitioners and respondents.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged by material type.

Physical location:
Leatherby Libraries, Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Bibliography:

Affidavit of David C. Marcus, March 19, 1945; Gonzalo Mendez et al v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al; Civil Case Files, 1938–2004; Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685–2009, Record Group 21; National Archives Building, Riverside, CA. National Archives and Record Administration. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6277728.

Appeal Bond, March 30, 1946; Gonzalo Mendez et al v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al; Civil Case Files, 1938–2004; Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685–2009, Record Group 21; National Archives Building, Riverside, CA. National Archives and Record Administration. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6277748.

Jauregui, Eddie A., and Barbara A. Martinez. "Mendez v. Westminster: The Mexican-American Fight for School Integration and Social Equality Pre-Brown v. Board of Education." June 16, 2021. Federal Bar Association. https://www.fedbar.org/blog/mendez-v-westminster-the-mexican-american-fight-for-school-integration-and-social-equality-pre-brown-v-board-of-education/.

Library of Congress. A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States. Accessed September 19, 2023. https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-civil-rights/mendez-v-westminster#s-lib-ctab-24709371-2.

Strum, Philippa. Mendez v. Westminster: School Desegregation and Mexican-American Rights. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2010.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Lissete Ocampo, Lauren [?], Victoria Perez
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-09-26 12:28:06 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], David Marcus photograph and nameplate (2017.013.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Location of this collection:
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866, US
Contact:
(714) 532-7719
speccoll@chapman.edu
Website