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

 

Series 1 Records

box 5, folder 2

Awards and Certificates 1914-1979

box 1, folder 1

Articles

box 1, folder 2

Brochures: Golden Gate International Exposition Philippine Day 1939

box 1, folder 3-4

Correspondence 1928-1949

box 1, folder 5-7

Family Tree / Genealogy Research

box 5

Holy Cards

box 1, folder 8

News clippings 1935-1957

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 1, folder 10

Publications 1934-1991

 

Yearbooks

box 5

The Oracle, Oakdale Union High School 1922, 1928

box 5

The Academian, Carcar Academy, Carcar, Cebu 1950

 

Series 2 Graphic Materials

box 3, folder 17

Subseries 2.1 Negatives

 

Subseries 2.2 Prints

box 3, folder 16

Folder Frames

drawer 10, folder 1-6

Panoramas 1924-1955

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

8 x 10

box 3, folder 1-4

Caballeros de Dimas-Alang 1945-1971

box 3, folder 5

Celestino Alfafara

box 3, folder 6-8

Events 1937-Circa 1960

box 3, folder 9

Exteriors Circa 1950

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 14

Wedding Circa 1955

box 3, folder 15

Women in Cultural Garb Circa 1955

 

Subseries 2.3 Postcards

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 5

Ricordo di Napoli

box 4

San Francisco Subjects

box 4

Not San Francisco Subjects

box 4

Calling Cards

 

Subseries 2.4 Scrapbooks / Photo Albums

 

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

 

Scrapbooks

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.