Finding aid to the Celestino Tagimacruz Alfafara Papers
Finding aid compiled by Katherine Ets-Hokin.
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
2019
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Title: Celestino Tagimacruz Alfafara Papers
Identifier/Call Number: SFH 557
Date (inclusive): 1914-2018
Creator:
Alfafara, Celestino Tagimacruz
Physical Description:
1 carton, 2 pamphlet boxes, 1 shoe box, 2 flat boxes.
(4 Cubic Feet)
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: Celestino T. Alfafara (1897-1990) is
possibly best known for the Alfafara v. Fross case arguing against the denial of his right
to own property in California because of his Filipino heritage. The case went to the
California Supreme Court where he won the case and the right for Filipinos to own property
in California. The collection is significant for its photographs depicting Filipino culture
in California and San Francisco.
Physical Location: The collection
is stored onsite.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English
with some materials in Tagalog.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with
photographs available during Photo Desk hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be
requested 48 hours in advance.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San
Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
All requests for permission to publish from photographs must be submitted in writing to the
Photo Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public
Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Celestino Tagimacruz Alfafara Papers (SFH 557), San Francisco
History Center, San Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
Donated by Lisa Suguitan Melnick February 14, 2019.
Conservation Note
During processing, the collection was foldered and housed in acid-free folders and boxes.
Some photographs remain in scrapbooks and may need to be removed at a later date for
preservation. Some photobooks have been photocopied to retain original order.
Biography
Celestino T. Alfafara (1897-1990) was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the United
States in 1929. He is possibly best known for his challenge to the California Alien Land Law
in the Alfafara v. Fross case. Mr. Alfafara had entered a contract to purchase a $65 parcel
of land in San Mateo County but was denied the purchase based on the argument his Filipino
heritage combined with the Alien Land Act prohibited him from owning property in California.
The case went to the California Supreme Court where he won the right for Filipino's to own
property in California.
In his personal life Mr. Alfafara was married to Juanita Cayton and they had two children.
He was an active member of the Caballeros de Dimas-Alang Organization, a Filipino Community
group modeled on the Masons, and both he and Juanita were active in Filipino heritage
organizations.
Scope and Content
The collection includes photographs, scrapbooks, postcards, certificates of honor and
graduation, papers on the Philippines War Relief, year books and Alfafara family genealogy.
The historical photographs depict Filipino life in California and the Philippines throughout
the 20th century. Photos include images of the Caballeros de Dimas-Alang, family trips to
the Philippines and Hawaii, and family snapshots of the Alfafara family.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in 2 series: Series 1: Records, Series 2: Graphic Materials.
Series 2 is further arranged by Subseries 2.1: Negatives, Subseries 2.2: Prints, Subseries
2.3: Postcards, Subseries 2.4: Scrapbooks / Photo albums.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Caballeros de Dimas-Alang
Filipino Americans -- California -- San Francisco
Filipino Americans
Filipino Fraternal Organizations
Filipino American families.
Filipino American families -- California -- San Francisco
box 5, folder 2
Awards and Certificates
1914-1979
box 1, folder 2
Brochures: Golden Gate International Exposition Philippine Day
1939
box 1, folder 5-7
Family Tree / Genealogy Research
box 5
Only One Love by Chas. Garvice
box 1, folder 9
Philippines War Relief
1944-1945
box 5
Pictorial Album on Rizal Album Pictorico Sobre Rizal
box 5
The Oracle, Oakdale Union High School
1922, 1928
box 5
The Academian, Carcar Academy, Carcar, Cebu
1950
Series 2
Graphic Materials
folder 7
Panoramas. USS Texas crew posing on deck
circa 1940
box 4
Small Prints. Family Photographs
Scope and Contents
Contains snapshots of casual family moments - often posed - from both the
Philipines and the United States. Mostly in black and white with some color images
included. Photographs contain images of ships, baseball games, banquets, Caballeros
de Dimas-Alang, birthday parties, children, posing with cars, dancing, the Marvel
Movie Theater, mountainscapes, airplanes, men in navy uniforms and fishing boats.
There are many photographs of people posing for the camera.
box 3, folder 1-4
Caballeros de Dimas-Alang
1945-1971
box 3, folder 10-12
Family Photographs
Circa 1920-Circa 1960
box 3, folder 13
Leonor Rivera Annual Children's Christmas Party
1959
box 3, folder 15
Women in Cultural Garb
Circa 1955
box 4
Photo Postcards
Scope and Contents
Photo postcards mostly contain images from the Philipines. There are some images of
California including: Guernville, Sonoma, Tahoe, Livermore, Colfax, Oakland, San
Simeon and trains. One view of San Francisco at Geary and Market is inclduded along
with portraits of people from both the Philipines and the United States.
Photomechanical Postcards
box 4
Not San Francisco Subjects
Subseries 2.4
Scrapbooks / Photo Albums
box 2, folder 4-5
Alfafara Family
1923-1930
Scope and Contents
Photo album contains black and white images from the Philipines. Some images have
been colored.
box 2, folder 6-7
Alfafara Family
1930-1939
Scope and Contents
Contains black and white images of the family in California and San Francisco.
Some images include views with San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, or the House
of Shields in the background.
box 2, folder 8
Alfafara Family
1931
Scope and Contents
Includes black and white images of the family posing in California.
box 2, folder 9
Alfafara Family. Juanita
1931-1960
Scope and Contents
Includes black and white images of Juanita Alfafara with family and friends.
Included are images of the Maria Clara Lodge and the Saturnina Rizal Lodge of
Salinas.
box 2, folder 10-12
Alfafara Family
1940-1958, 1971
Scope and Contents
Includes black and white snapshots of the Dimas-Alang Temple, group photos,
birthday celebrations, parades, Filipino Inter-community Organization, boarding a
ship, posing in front of cars, men and women in uniform, Filipino Bachelors Club,
Filipino Children's Club of San Francisco, ships and fishing industry, weddings,
International Family Circle of San Francisco, graduation photos, banquets,
Philippine Aviation Training Program. Includes some color photographs.
box 2, folder 2-3
Celestino
1916-1923
Scope and Contents
Photographs include images from the Philipines.
box 5, folder 3
Family Photo Album
1956-1960
Scope and Contents
Includes images of a young family with lots of children. Includes both black and
white and color photographs.
box 2, folder 1
Juanita
1915-1930
Scope and Contents
Photographs contain black and white images of family life if California. Also
included is one color photo of 2912 Laguna in San Francisco and a family tree.
Scrapbook items include letters of recomendation and school reports.
box 6
Photocopies of Albums in Original Order
box 2, folder 13-15
Family Scrapbook
Circa 1950
Scope and Contents
Includes St. Ignatius High School ephemera, graduation photographs, black and
white images of father-son picnic, wedding photos, St. Vincent de Paul
photographs, travel photos to various places, Philipino Youth league, American Can
Company group photograph, Caballeros de Dimas-Alang ephemera.
box 5, folder 1
Alfafara Family Scrapbook
1914-1965
Scope and Contents
Contains black and white images of Alfafara family in both the Philipines and
California. Many of the photographs include anotations.