Finding Aid of the Abraham Z. Hoffman papers 7090
Jacqueline Morin
USC Libraries Special Collections
2019 July
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Abraham Z. Hoffman papers
Creator:
Hoffman, Abraham
Identifier/Call Number: 7090
Physical Description:
8.35 Linear Feet
14 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1960-2019
Language of Material:
English
.
Biographical Note
Historian and author Abraham Hoffman is currently an adjunct professor at Los Angeles Valley College, but has also taught
history courses at Los Angeles City College, UCLA Extension, USC, Chapman University, Immaculate Heart College, and the Los
Angeles Unified School District. His research interests include minorities in the West, early motion picture history, and
Western water resource development among other subjects-- and are evidenced by the many historical organizations to which
he belongs and the number of books and articles he authored.
Hoffman served as "Sheriff" of the Los Angeles Corral of Westerners in 1997; he had earlier served as the organization's editor
of
The Branding Iron and, in 2016, was named the Corral's Living Legend No. 61.
Hoffman is the author of numerous books and essays on the West including,
Unwanted Mexican-Americans in the Great Depression: Repatriation Pressures, 1929-1939;
California's Deadliest Earthquakes: A History; and
Mono Lake: From Dead Sea to Environmental Treasure, among many others.
Content Description
Dr. Hoffman's papers include many historical organization journals and books, many including essays by Hoffman; his research
materials, much literature related to the society E Clampus Vitus, newsletters and ephemera pertaining to Hollywood's Magic
Castle, and a small trove of underground comic books ("comix"). There are also some materials pertaining to the Los Angeles
Corral of Westerners, of which Dr. Hoffman is a prominent member.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Abraham Z. Hoffman papers, Collection no. 7090, Regional History Collection, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Abraham Z. Hoffman, March 15, 2019.
Related Materials
Los Angeles Corral of Westerners records, Collection no. 0117, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern
California
Subjects and Indexing Terms
West (U.S.) -- History -- Archival resources
West (U.S.) -- History -- Periodicals
Alternative comics
Books
Certificates
Comic books
Crumb, R. -- Archives
E Clampus Vitus (Fraternal order). Platrix Chapter 2 (Los Angeles, Calif.) -- Archives
Hoffman, Abraham -- Archives
Magic Castle (Club) -- Archives
Transierra Roisterous Alliance of Senior Humbugs -- Archives
Westerners. Los Angeles Corral -- Archives
Academy of Magical Arts
1963-2020
Scope and Contents
The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. publishes a monthly newsletter which, in the early years, did not appear to have a title
other than the logo at the top of the newsletter which contained all of the phrases Hollywood/ Magic Castle/ The Academy of
Magical Arts, Inc. within its design. Hoffman's 1963-1983 notebook of newsletters are an example of the earlier style.
The individual newsletters from 1994 through 1999 are longer than the earlier ones (11-12 pages as opposed to 4), and are
now called The Magic Castle Newsletter.
The newsletters contain performance schedules, membership rules, and articles of interest pertaining to the Magic Castle.
Box 9
2016
General Note
The newsletters for this year were published in a larger format which is the reason that this group is in a different size
box. Each issue is approximately 30 pages. Only the months January through June are represented for this year.
Box 9
Magic Castle Souvenir Book
1989
Box 12
Apwa Reporter (American Public Works Administration)
1980 May
Box 12
Arizona and the West
1977 Winter
General Note
Front and back cover, plus article by Abraham Hoffman:
Origins of a Controversy: The U.S. Reclamation Service and the Owens Valley- Los Angeles Water Dispute.
Box 13
Articles, Essays, and Reprints
1972-2015
Scope and Contents
This folder contains many copies of photocopied articles, essays, and published reprints of articles chiefly by Abraham Hoffman.
Box 12
California Historical Society Quarterly
1961 September
General Note
2 copies of a single-title issue by Abraham Hoffman:
A Look at Llano: Experiment in Economic Socialism.
Box 12
California History
Winter 1997/98
Box 12
California Territorial Quarterly, The
2012-2018
Scope and Contents
Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2015, Spring 2018
Box 12
Historical Society of Southern California
2001-2003
Scope and Contents
4 single-title issues by Abraham Hoffman.
Box 12
History Teacher, The
General Note
November 1971, November 1972.
Box 12
Journal of the West
1973-2018
Scope and Contents
January 1973, October 1975, Winter 2008, Spring 2009, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, Fall 2014, Winter 2017, Spring 2018
Box 5
National Tombstone Epitaph, The
1987-1996
Scope and Contents
The National Tombstone Epitaph is an Arizona-based newspaper centered on the history and culture of the Old West, with particular
interest in the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral involving Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, among others. Founded in 1880,
it's the oldest continually published newspaper in Arizona.
This collection includes nine full issues of the monthly publication, and several photocopied articles. Some of the articles
are authored by Dr. Hoffman.
Box 12
Pacific Historian, The
1976 Summer
Box 12
Roundup, The
1985-2012
Scope and Contents
March 1985, May 1985, June 1985, December 2012. (The 2012 issue is called
Roundup Magazine, rather than
The Roundup.)
Articles by Abraham Hoffman are in each of the issues.
Box 12
Teaching History: A Journal of Methods
2015 Spring
Box 12
Valley, The
1997 October
General Note
Journal of the San Fernando Valley Historical Society
Box 12
War Chief, The
1972 September
Box 13
Western States Jewish History
2007-2013
Hebrew Food Journal
1950
1965-1966
Scope and Contents
Also includes one issue of Hebrew Industrial Journal (1950).
Box 10
Comic Books
1967-1987
General Note
The comic books in this collection are known as "underground comix." Unlike typical children's comic books such as Archie
or Spiderman, underground comix are geared to an adult audience, portraying themes that are socially relevant or satirical
in nature. Unlike mainstream comics, underground comix often depict explicit drug use, sexuality, and violence-- content
forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority. These titles were termed "comix" in order to differentiate
them from mainstream publications. The "x" also emphasized the x-rated contents of the publications. This "genre" of comic
book was most popular in the United States between 1968 and 1975, and in the United Kingdom between 1973 and 1974. Well-known
comix creators included Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, among others.
Dr. Hoffman's collection of 53 comix includes titles published by Last Gasp, Print Mint, etc., and feature the works of Robert
Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, and other well-known comix artists. The files are arranged in alphabetical order by title.
Box 10, Folder 1
Alien Encounters #11
1987
Box 10, Folder 2
Alien Encounters #12
1987
Box 10, Folder 3
Alien Encounters #13
1987
Box 10, Folder 7
Bakersfield Kountry Komics
1973
Box 10, Folder 13
Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers
1972
Box 10, Folder 18
Mom's Homemade Comics #2
1969
Box 10, Folder 21
Motor City Comics #2
1970
Box 10, Folder 24
Ric Sloane Comics #1
1969
Box 10, Folder 26
San Francisco Comic Book #2
1970
Box 10, Folder 28
Skull Comics, Vol. 1, #2
1970
Box 10, Folder 37
Tales from the Ozone #2
1970
Box 10, Folder 40
White Lunch Comix #1
1972
Box 10, Folder 41
Yellow Dog Comics, Vol.2, #13
1969
Box 10, Folder 42
Yellow Dog Comics #17
1969
Box 10, Folder 43
Yellow Dog Comics #18
1970
Box 1
Research Materials
1967-1989
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of five three-ring binders of photocopied articles, abstracts, and book reviews of various history
topics, presumably for Dr. Hoffman's history courses.
Box 2
Los Angeles Corral of Westerners
1981-1999
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of Abe Hoffman's meeting notes, correspondence, and Round-up notices of the Los Angeles Corral of
Westerners. Also included in this series are Hoffman's
Los Angeles and the Owens Valley: Essays on a Century-Long Water Dispute (Keepsake 48 of the Los Angeles Corral of Westerners) and
Cowboy Poetry (Keepsake 2016).
E Clampus Vitus
1987-2018
Scope and Contents
E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the American West, especially
the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area. There are chapters in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado,
Utah, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Outposts in other western states. Members call themselves "Clampers."(More
information on the organization and its history can be found at one of the chapter websites: http://www.eclampusvitus.net/history.htm.)
As a Southern California Clamper, Hoffman belongs to two chapters--Platrix Chapter #2 and Billy Holcomb Chapter. He is also
a member of T.R.A.S.H.--the Trans Sierra Roisterous Alliance of Senior Humbugs. This series consists of publications, correspondence,
and ephemera regarding E. Clampus Vitus and its chapters.
Trans-Sierra Alliance of Senior Humbugs (T.R.A.S.H.)
1990-2016
Scope and Contents
The Trans-Sierra Roisterous Alliance of Senior Humbugs (T.R.A.S.H.) is an independent, at-large affiliate of E Clampus Vitus
which was created to promote and foster the cultural heritage and history of the West, and to seek and explore the trails
and towns of the past. Created in 1974 by Marshall Fey, Julia C. Bulette, and Carl Briggs, TRASH's first trek included the
Dog Valley portion of the Donner Trail in the summer of 1975. Treks have been conducted every year since then; guidebooks
have been published every year since 1979.
Dr. Hoffman's papers include eleven TRASH guides spanning twenty years, most of them published after 2000.The TRASH guides
are arranged chronologically.
Box 3, Item 1
James P. Beckwourth, Pathfinder
1990
Box 3, Item 3
Ghost Towns, Mining, Pony Express and Railroads in White Pine County, Nevada
2005
Box 3, Item 4
Johnson Pass Route from Lake Bigler to Old Hangtown
2006
Box 3, Item 5
Hastings Cutoff (with maps and handouts)
2008
Box 3, Item 6
Rails and Tales of Southwest Nevada
2009
Box 3, Item 7
Beale Wagon Road, The
2010
Box 3, Item 8
Portola Expedition Through the Central Coast, The
2011
Box 3, Item 9
Walker Pass and the Kern River Valley
2013
Box 3, Item 10
Portola Mission to Paradise
2015
Box 3, Item 11
Mojave Road and Lanfair Valley
2016
Box 14, Folder 5
Butterfield-Overland Mail
2019
Box 4, Box 14, Folder 6-8
Billy Holcomb Chapter 1069
1995-2019
Scope and Contents
Billy Holcomb 1069 is a chapter of the Ancient and Honorable E Clampus Vitus located in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Founded in 1969, the chapter is dedicated to the preservation of history of the old West through plaque dedicating and education
of its members.
The materials in this box consist of articles on the west prepared for "clampouts," picnics, and other events and cover topics
such as saving the Salton Sea, pocket mining in the San Jacintos, Saratoga Springs, etc.
Box 5, Box 14, Folder 9
Platrix Chapter No. 2
1994-2019
Scope and Contents
Platrix Chapter No.2 is the chapter of E Clampus Vitus covering the areas of Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties, including
Catalina Island. The materials in this box contain the "clamper" publications of this chapter as well as ephemera related
to clampouts and other activities. Also included in this box is B.T. Fripps's
The Secret History of Southern California, edited by Abraham Hoffman. A folder of correspondence and membership information is part of these materials.
Box 5, Box 14, Folder 10-11
E Clampus Vitus: Miscellaneous
Scope and Contents
This file includes general information on E Clampus Vitus, as well as ephemera and correspondence from chapters other than
Billy Holcomb 1069 or Platrix No. 2. Some of the flyers are for events which include more than one chapter.
Personal Papers
1976-2018
Box 5
Awards and Certificates
1977-2018
Scope and Contents
This file includes several of Hoffman's certificates of recognition and awards including those from the Los Angeles Corral
of Westerners, Westerners International, Los Angeles Valley College, etc. Many of the awards are for books or poetry published.
Box 11
McClure, Paul et al. A Swingin' Tragedy Starring Spade Cooley
2018
Box 11
Meier, Matt S. and Feliciano Rivera. Dictionary of Mexican American History
1981
Box 11
Whitnah, Donald R., ed. Government Agencies
1983
Box 11
Brigandi, Paul, ed. An Orange Shelf: Sixty Books about the History of Orange County, California
2018
Box 11
Hoffman, Abraham. A California History Reader
1998
Box 11
James, Cheewa. The Modoc War
2013
