Description
The Frank R. LaPena Papers (1900-2013) include subject files on topics concerning
Native Americans, in particular, California Indians. Topics include institutions, people, programs, laws, and events. In addition, files relating
to his time teaching and participating in campus programs at Sacramento State University since the late 1960s are part of
the collection. The collection is rich with records documenting Frank LaPena’s involvement with various public and community
projects, organizations, and activities, among them the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, American Indian Historical
Society, Atlatl, California Arts Council, California Commemorative Seals Advisory Committee, California Indian Education Association,
California State Capitol Commission, California State Indian Museum, and
Native American Heritage Commission. A significant portion of the collection deals with LaPena’s artistic work and philosophy, his participation
in museum and art gallery exhibitions, both national and international, and his scholarly contributions to the art world and
art criticism, especially as it concerns contemporary
Native American art.
Background
Frank LaPena was born on October 5, 1937 in San Francisco, California to parents of the Wintu-Nomtipom tribe of
Native
Americans. He was sent away to live at a federal American Indian boarding school when he was 5 years old and he stayed there until
after he graduated from high school in 1956. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Chico State University in 1965 and
did graduate work at San Francisco State University as well as California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), where he received
his Master of Arts in Anthropology in 1978.
Restrictions
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, Chapter 17 of the U.S. Code. Requests for permission to publish, quote, or reproduce
from collections must be submitted in writing to the Head of the Department of Special Collections and University Archives.
Permission for publication is given on the behalf of the Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Library,
California State University, Sacramento as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include permission of the
copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.