Finding Aid for the Maria Acosta Duran Papers, 1915-1988 CSRC.126
Doug Johnson
Chicano Studies Research Center Library
August 2019
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: Maria Acosta Duran Papers
Creator:
Duran, Maria Acosta
Identifier/Call Number: CSRC.126
Physical Description:
1.8 linear feet
(2 boxes; 1 oversize flat box)
Date (inclusive): 1915-1988
Abstract: This collection contains the personal papers of Maria Acosta Duran (also known as Maria Duran Lang), a garment worker, political
activist, and entrepreneur. It consists of photographs and personal documents. It also includes documents from groups she
was active in, such as the Alianza Hispano-Americana, the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, and the Community
Service Organization. There is a small amount of correspondence and some writings. Perhaps most notable is Duran's first-hand
account of the Battle of Columbus, Pancho Villa's 1916 raid into the United States, as well as its aftermath and her 1973
meeting with Luz Corral, Villa's widow. There is also some material on her businesses in Lancaster, CA, and other events in
the city, such as the construction of the prison there.
Language of Material: Materials are in English and Spanish.
Physical Location: COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Library
and Archive for paging information.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unknown, but the James and Margarita Mendez Papers were donated by Victor Duran Mendez on June 7, 2011. It is likely this
collection was part of that gift.
Arrangement
The arrangement was determined by the initial archivist.
Biographical / Historical
Maria Acosta was born on August 15, 1906 in Mexico. Around 1914, her family moved to Columbus, New Mexico, where she would
witness Pancho Villa's incursion into the United States in 1916. In 1925 she married Epimenio Duran in Los Angeles. That same
year, they had a daughter, Margarita, and a year or two later, a son, Eloy. Maria filed for divorce in 1935. She worked in
the garment industry and, going to night school, earned her high school diploma in 1940.
She was involved with the Aliana Hispano-Americana, a mutual aid society and insurance company for Mexican Americans. She
was active with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. She served as treasurer for the Community Service Organization,
a civil rights group where she worked with future congressman Edward Roybal, among others. She was so central to the CSO's
operations that the group actually used her home address as its business adress for a time.
In 1950 she married Charles H. Lang. At some point, they moved to Lancaster, California, where she opened a cafe called Don
Carlos. She was at times the only woman on the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce. There is evidence that she remained politically
active with the
Chicano
Moratorium
in 1970. She died on February 26, 1988 in Lancaster.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Maria Acosta Duran Papers, 126, UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, University of California,
Los Angeles.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by an unknown person. It was described by Doug Johnson in 2019.
Related Materials
Scope and Contents
The collection includes photographs, mostly from the 1920s to the 1940s. They include portraits and candid shots, including
several of Duran's Japanese American neighbors in the years leading up to World War II. There are documents of a personal
nature, as well as from the groups Duran was involved in, such as the Alianza Hispano-Americana, the International Ladies'
Garment Workers' Union, and the Community Service Organization. There is a small amount of correspondence, and some writings.
Perhaps most notable is Duran's first-hand account of the Battle of Columbus, Pancho Villa's 1916 raid into the United States,
as well as its aftermath and Duran's 1973 meeting with Luz Corral, Villa's widow. There is also some material on her businesses
in Lancaster, CA, and other events in the city, such as the construction of the prison there.
Conditions Governing Use
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
Community Service Organization
Villa, Pancho, 1878-1923
Corral Vda. de Villa, Luz, 1894-1981
Alianza Hispano-Americana
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Lancaster (Calif.)
Box 1, Folder 1
Personal documents
1925-1988
Scope and Contents
Includes: marriage certificate for Epimenio Duran and Maria Acosta, 1925; life insurance policy for Epimenio; certificate
from the White Sewing Machine Company School of Domestic Art; divorce papers; commencement program and diploma from John H.
Francis Polytechnic High School, 1940; marriage certificate for Maria Duran and Charles Lang, 1950; identification cards;
notice from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority that Maria was to receive a History Maker Award for her contributions as an advocate
for minorities in the Antelope Valley, 1983; death certificate for Maria, 1988.
Box 1, Folder 2
Programs and printed material
1934-circa 1950
Scope and Contents
Includes: program for a tardeada for the Alianza Hispano Americana, 1934; program for Las Posadas at the Padua Hills Theatre,
circa 1934; so'ngbook; parliamentary law booklet from the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, 1936; statement from
the Cloak Makers' Union, circa 1950 [in English, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew].
Box 1, Folder 3
Writings
1922-1986
Language of Material: Materials are in Spanish and English.
Scope and Contents
Includes: correspondence, most interestingly from Eloy Duran; poems (some were written by Maria, and some were written by
others and transcribed by her); invitation to a victory dinner for Glenn M. Anderson, who had recently been elected Lieutenant
Governor of California; songbook compiled by Eloy.
Box 1, Folder 4
Cards and programs
1922-1989
Scope and Contents
Includes: post cards; program for Diego Rivera exhibit at the Mexican Museum, 1985.
Box 1, Folder 5
Alianza Hispano-Americana
1935
Scope and Contents
Includes: pamphlets; newslettters; insurance documents.
Box 1, Folder 6
Journal
1939-1940
Language of Material: Entries are in Spanish and English.
Scope and Contents
Includes: poems; dirty jokes; essays; notes; names and addresses.
Box 1, Folder 7
Correspondence
1947 and 1975-1984
Scope and Contents
The 1947 letter is typed, from Margarita Duran to Eloy Duran; the rest are handwritten by Maria; includes drafts of a letter
to the Lancaster City Council opposing the construction of a prison.
Box 1, Folder 8
Community Service Organization
1948-1983
Scope and Contents
Includes: photographs; program for a fundraiser dance for Edward R. Roybal, 1949.
Box 1, Folder 9
Don Carlos
1955-1980
Scope and Contents
Contains material related to Maria's restaurant and gift shop; includes: photographs; letter to "Honey" about preparations
to open the restaurant [probably Margarita Mendez]; matchbooks; business cards.
Box 1, Folder 11
Pancho Villa
1915-1983
Scope and Contents
Includes handwritten essay "Pancho Villa and the Raid at Columbus, New Mexico, March 9, 1916," which Maria wrote for Eloy.
Maria's father had settled the family in Columbus two or three years prior to the raid. This essay is Maria's first-hand account
of Villa's incursion into the United States and the U.S. Army's response. It also relates her meeting with Luz Corral, Villa's
widow, years later in Mexico. Also includes: post card written by Maria's father, 1915; photograph of Columbus, 1917; photograph
of Maria with Luz Corral, signed by Corral, 1973; notes taken by Maria during her 1973 trip to Mexico.
Box 1, Folder 12
Family portrait photographs
1918-1927
Box 2, Folder 4
Photographs
1921-1986
Scope and Contents
Also includes: post card addressed to Harry Truman asking him to veto the Taft-Hartley Act; Maria's membership applicaton
for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Box 2, Folder 5
Photographs
1941-1947
Scope and Contents
Includes portraits of some of Maria's Japanese neighbors, as well as her own family.
Box 2, Folder 6
Photographs
1934-1948
Scope and Contents
Includes: photographs of Margarita with some of her Japanese friends; photographs of the Lancaster Mexican Chamber of Commerce,
1947 [Maria is the only woman].
Box 2, Folder 7
Dismantled scrapbook
1934-1942
Scope and Contents
Includes: photographs taken in Los Angeles and Mexico; clipping about a George Washington play that Margarita appeared in,
1939.
Box 2, Folder 8
Photographs
circa 1952-circa 1970
Scope and Contents
Includes photos with Henry B. Gonzalez, Edward Roybal.
Box 2, Folder 9
"Mexican Moratorium" photographs
1970-06
Box 3, Folder 1
Printed materials
1945-1970
Language of Material: Materials are in Spanish and English.
Scope and Contents
Includes: "La Marcha Hacia la Libertad," a World War II-era propaganda booklet; oversize newspaper clippings, 1945-1950;
El Angelino, 1950-09-22 ["Roybal Comunista?"]; poster for the
Chicano
Moratorium
march of August 29, 1970.
Box 3, Folder 2
Oversize photographs
1931-1955
Scope and Contents
Includes: panoramic photo of the Alianza Hispano Americana, 1931; a Japanese wedding party, 1946; panoramic photo of Community
Service Organization banquet at the Alexandria Hotel, 1950; panoramic photo of a California State Conference of Operating
Engineers at the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego, 1955.
Box 3, Folder 3
Newspaper front pages
1963-1974
Scope and Contents
Includes:
Los Angeles Herald Examiner Extra, 1963-11-22 ["Kennedy Slain"];
Los Angeles Times, 1963-11-23 ["Kennedy Assassinated"; includes entire first section];
Los Angeles Times, 1974-08-08 ["Nixon Resignation Appears Imminent"].