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Acuña (Rodolfo F.) Collection
URB.RFA
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Rodolfo F. Acuña Collection
Creator:
Acuña, Rodolfo
Identifier/Call Number: URB.RFA
Physical Description:
117.30 linear feet
Physical Description:
101 Gigabytes
Date (inclusive): 1857-2006
Date (bulk): 1960-2006
Abstract: Rodolfo Francisco Acuña is a renowned
historian, educator, activist, and scholar. In 1969, Dr. Acuña became the first professor
in the Mexican American Studies Department (now Chicana and Chicano Studies Department) at
California State University, Northridge. The
Rodolfo F. Acuña
Collection
documents the academic career of Rodolfo "Rudy" Acuña, whose work was at
the forefront of the Chicano Movement and who was instrumental in the creation of the
Chicana and Chicano Studies Department at California State University, Northridge. The
collection contains works authored by Acuña, especially books, early drafts of unpublished
works, extensive research notes, correspondence, subject files, and materials pertaining to
the trial between Dr. Acuña and the Regents of the University of California
system.
Language of Material:
Multiple languages English, Spanish; Castilian.
Rodolfo Francisco Acuña was born in 1932 in Los Angeles, California. He earned his
bachelor's degree and master's degrees at Los Angeles State College (now California State
University, Los Angeles), and his PhD in History at the University of Southern California. A
renowned scholar activist, Dr. Acuña became the first professor in the Mexican American
Studies Department (now Chicana and Chicano Studies Department) at California State
University Northridge in 1969.
Acuña quickly developed forty-five courses in the department, creating the foundation for
the largest Chicano Studies program in the nation. In 1972, Acuña published his book
Occupied America: The Chicano's Struggle Toward Liberation, a work
about the Chicano community's history, which has been praised as the "Chicano Studies
Bible." Since then, Acuña has continued working to grow and develop the department, using
programs like
Operation Chicano Professor in 1975.
After being denied a position at the University of California Santa Barbara in 1991, Dr.
Acuña sued the Regents of the University of California on the grounds they had discriminated
against him on the basis of age, race, and political orientation. He ultimately won on the
grounds of age discrimination in 1996. Acuña's supporters formed the group Friends of Rudy
(FOR) to raise funds and awareness for Acuña over the duration of the lawsuit.
During his years as a professor of Chicano Studies at CSUN, Acuña's research and
publications have touched on a host of topics including immigration, racial relations, local
politics, education, and Chicano and Chicana rights. Three of his books have received the
Gustavus Myers Award for the Outstanding Book on Race Relations in North America.
Corridors of Migration: The Odyssey of Mexican Laborers, 1600-1933
was named an Outstanding Academic Title by
CHOICE Magazine.
Acuña received the Distinguished Scholar award from the National Association for Chicano
Studies in 1989. In 2008, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National
Hispanic Institute. His community activism has been recognized by the Emil Freed Award for
Community Service from the Southern California Social Science Library, the Founder's Award
from the Liberty Hill Foundation, the Historian of the Lions Award from the Center for the
Study of Political Graphics, and the Activist/Scholar Award from the Community Coalition of
South Central Los Angeles. For his contributions to the discipline of Chicano Studies and
lifelong commitment to activism and advocacy he is known as the "Father of Chicano
Studies."
The
Rodolfo F. Acuña Collection documents the academic career
of Rodolfo "Rudy" Acuña, whose work was at the forefront of the Chicano Movement and who was
instrumental in the creation of the Mexican American Studies Department (now Chicana and
Chicano Studies) at California State University, Northridge. The collection contains works
authored by Acuña, especially books, early drafts of unpublished works, extensive research
notes, and subject files. Correspondence between Acuña and his contemporaries is included,
as well as biographical items about him. A large portion of the collection is dedicated to
materials pertaining to the trial between Dr. Acuña and the Regents of the University of
California system. Some of these materials include flyers, posters, memorabilia, and
newsletters. The collection consists of eight series:
Writing
(1956-2004),
Personal Files (1932-2003),
Correspondence (1964-1999),
Research Files (1857-2006),
Subject Files (1926-2006),
Chicano Studies
Department
(1969-1993),
Multimedia (1990-2005), and
Acuña vs. the Regents of the University of California (ca.
1911, 1962-2004).
Series I,
Writing, contains materials that Acuña authored
throughout his career. Materials have been separated into six subseries.
Books (1972-2004)
, contains various editions of his
books, galley proofs, typescript pages, proposals, publisher agreements, and peer reviews.
These are arranged in alphabetical order according to book title.
Chapters in Books, Journals & Magazine articles (1970-2000), contains works
Acuña wrote for different publications. These items are arranged alphabetically by title of
the work.
Book Reviews (1985-2000), documents his review of other
scholarship in his and related fields. It is arranged alphabetically by title of the work.
Political Essays (1986-2004), is arranged chronologically by
the year the piece was written.
Unpublished Works (1970-1991) and
Early Writings (1956-1965), are arranged by title of the
work.
Series II,
Personal Files, contains biographical items
pertaining to Acuña's life. This series is split into four subseries.
Biographical (1932-2001) includes Acuña's birth certificate and military
records.
Academic (1952-1968) consists of awards and
certificates he has received, as well as research papers, final oral examinations, notes,
bluebooks, yearbooks, and a curriculum vitae.This subseries is arranged alphabetically by
title of the university he attended.
Articles About (1985-2003)
contains articles written by authors regarding Dr. Acuña, and is arranged alphabetically
according to the author's last name.
Awards (1985-1999) contains
awards he won over the years, and consists of certificates, folio-sized awards, and plaques.
These materials are arranged alphabetically according to the institute that granted
them.
Series III,
Correspondence, consists of handwritten and typed
correspondence exchanged between Acuña and his friends and colleagues, including Edward
Roybal, Jerome Richfield, Julian Nava, Delmar T. Oviatt, and Cesar Chavez, and documents
conversations both professional and personal, with topics including drug use in the barrio,
university boycotts, Chicano/Chicana civil rights, the United Farm Workers/AFL-CIO, and
affairs at California State University, Northridge. The series is arranged alphabetically
according to last name.
Series IV,
Research Files, consists of materials that Acuña
compiled and used as a part of his research throughout the years, and is arranged by format.
It is split into thirteen subseries:
Archival Research
(1857-2006),
Articles (1906-2004),
Books
(1890-2004),
Court Cases (1970-1990),
Journals (1968-2002),
Magazines
(1960-2000),
Manuscripts (1999-2000),
Newsletters (1966-2006),
Pamphlets (1906, 1954-2001),
Theses and Dissertations (1912-2001),
Research Notes
(1972-2002),
Note Cards (ca. 1970-1990),
and
Complete Newspaper Issues (1969-1999). Topics covered include
social injustice, women's rights, the Zoot Suit Riots, the Sleepy Lagoon case, Mexico City,
the 1933 Cotton Strike, Chavez Ravine, and the United Farm Workers movement. Each subseries
is arranged alphabetically.
Series V,
Subject Files, documents Acuña's personal interests
and general research conducted by him independent of a specific book or other research
project. Topics covered include the Los Angeles riots, Proposition 187, labor union issues,
the California State University system, Chicano/Chicana creative arts, the Los Angeles
Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, migrant farm workers, and La
Raza. This series consists of many clippings from newspapers and magazines, research
reports, census information, programs, flyers, announcements, minutes, and booklets. The
series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series VI,
Chicano Studies Department, documents the
establishment of the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department at California State University,
Northridge, and contains materials such as early department proposals, course proposals,
teacher training manuals, annual reports, correspondence, meeting minutes, brochures, and
graduation announcements. These materials are arranged alphabetically by item type.
Series VII,
Multimedia, consists of different types of media,
including video, photographs, negatives, audio reels, and microfilm. The series contains
features and interviews with Acuña, documentaries, political forums, official government
records, and covers topics such as the bracero migration of the 1950s, the protests at UCSB,
and issues affecting Mexican Americans in the southwest. The series is arranged
alphabetically, and separated by the form of media.
Series VIII,
Acuña vs. the Regents of the University of
California,
has been divided into six subseries.
Court
Documents
(ca. 1911, 1992-1998) contains official court materials such as clerks
transcripts, declarations, exhibit lists, objections, transcripts, and notices of
depositions. The subseries is arranged by the court the trial took place in.
Depositions (1993-1995) contains depositions from individuals
involved in the trial. They are arranged by the last name of the individual.
Correspondence (1981-1998) includes letters between Acuña and others
regarding the case. This subseries is arranged by last name of the correspondent.
Research Files (1962-2004) contains a vast amount of research used
during the trial such as correspondence about the case, aggregate summaries, materials
produced during the case, numerous CVs, court reference material, and witness lists. They
are arranged alphabetically by title of the subject.
Trial
Exhibits
(ca. 1968-ca. 1999) contains trial exhibits used during the case. They are
arranged according to the court stamp number assigned to them.
Friends
of Rudy (FOR) Acuña Committee
(1986-1998) includes items used by the committee to
raise funds for Acuña during his trial, especially correspondence, tickets for events,
memorabilia, advertisements, and newspaper articles. Items are arranged alphabetically by
type.
Series I: Writings, 1956-2004
Subseries A: Books, 1972-2004
Subseries B: Chapters in Books, Journals & Magazine Articles, 1970-2000
Subseries C: Book Reviews, 1985-2000
Subseries D: Political Essays, 1986-2004
Subseries E: Unpublished Works, 1970-1991
Subseries F: Early Writings, 1956-1965
Series II:Personal Files, 1932-2003
Subseries A: Biographical, 1932-2001
Subseries B: Academic, 1952-1968
Subseries C: Articles About, 1985-2003
Subseries D: Awards, 1985-1999
Series III: Correspondence, 1961-1999
Series IV: Research Files, 1857-2006
Subseries A: Archival Research, 1857-2006
Subseries B: Articles, 1906-2004
Subseries C: Books, 1890-2004
Subseries D: Court Cases, 1970-1990
Subseries E: Journals, 1968-2002
Subseries F: Magazines, 1960-2000
Subseries G: Manuscripts, 1999-2000
Subseries H: Newsletters, 1966-2006
Subseries I: Pamphlets, 1906, 1954-2001
Subseries J: Theses and Dissertations, 1912-2001
Subseries K: Research Notes, 1972-2002
Subseries L: Note Cards, circa 1970-1990
Subseries M: Complete Newspaper Issues, 1969-1999
Series V: Subject Files, 1926-2006
Series VI: Chicano Studies Department, 1969-1993
Series VII: Multimedia, 1990-2005
Series VIII: Acuña vs. Regents of the University of California Files, ca. 1911,
1962-2004
Subseries A: Court Documents, ca. 1911, 1992-1998
Subseries B: Depositions, 1993-1995
Subseries C: Correspondence, 1981-1998
Subseries D: Research Files, 1962-2004
Subseries E: Trial Exhibits, ca. 1968-ca. 1999
Subseries F: Friends of Rudy Acuña Committee (FOR), 1986-1998
Digital reproductions of selected items in this collection are available electronically as
a part of the
Latina(o) Cultural Heritage Archives
project.
Publications donated by Rodolfo F. previous hit Acuña next hit are available in the
Library Catalog.
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has been transferred to California State University, Northridge or is in the
public domain. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction
of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair
use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain
cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility
for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Rodolfo F. Acuña. 09/02/1987. 2003
2003
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual,
or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Robert G. Marshall, Luis Moreno, and Monica Valenzuela, 2007 and 2008
Greg Gonzalez and Ben Salin, 2013
This collection was processed in part under a U.S. Department of Education Title V
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Grant.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Photographs
Audiovisual materials