Access
Acquisition Information
Biography
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
Scope and Content
Publication Rights
Contributing Institution:
Chicano Studies Research Center Library
Title: Candelario Mendoza Music Collection
Creator:
Mendoza, Candelario 1919 - 2008
Identifier/Call Number: CSRC.0062
Physical Description:
20 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1939-1990
Abstract: This collection of over 2000 vinyl records represents the collected music of educator and dance hall impresario Candelario
Mendoza.
Physical Location: COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Chicano Studies
Research Center Library and Archive for paging information.
Language of Material:
English
, Spanish; Castilian
.
Access
Open for research.
Acquisition Information
Collection donated by Candelario Mendoza to the UC Regents / Chicano Studies Research Center, UCLA. Deed on file at the archivist's
office, 180 Haines Hall, UCLA.
Biography
Candelario Mendoza (1919 - 2008) of Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico, migrated with his family to the United States in 1920 where
his father toiled on the railroads near Ogden, Utah, worked in the potato fields of southern Idaho, worked as a farm hand
on a dairy farm near Chino, California, worked in a sugar beet factory near Oxnard, California, and picked oranges and lemons
in the citrus groves of the Pomona Valley in California. As such, he and his family were constantly moving from place to place
where work was to be found to sustain the family. Sadly, his father was killed when a truck he was riding was struck by a
train when working on the construction of Puddingstone Dam in San Dimas. He left behind a wife and seven children. Luckily,
his father had an insurance policy that afforded his family with enough money to buy a home and attempt to resume life as
usual.
Mr. Mendoza was fortunate to be able to continue attending school while he and his siblings worked selling newspapers and
magazines as well as shining shoes. These were difficult economic times in the United States as it was the Great Depression.
Moreover, schools and other public spaces were segregated based on irrational racial categories. As Mr. Mendoza recalls, "At
that time we grew up segregated economically, socially, racially, and even legally." (quoted in Todd 1993) One of his first
experiences of such prejudice was at the age of 10 when he was denied entry to a public pool because it was not "Spanish Day."
(Mendoza 12 Feb 2005) Schools had been segregated during his first five years of instruction. Beginning in the fifth grade
he attended a class that was no longer segregated. Yet, his class was still composed of 90 percent Anglo students, and this
was not unusual for the rest of his education. In fact, out of 250 students, he was one out of four Latinos that graduated
from his high school. (Mendoza 12 Feb 2005)
Nevertheless, Mr. Mendoza had a very successful career in school. Among some of his accomplishments were: assistant editor
of his high school paper, class representative,
L.A. Times Junior Olympic Champion, awarded Outstanding Graduate Medal by the American Legion, earned a baseball scholarship for Pomona
Junior College, editor-in-chief of his college paper, and vice president of the student body to name but a few. Clearly, Mr.
Mendoza was very involved in his education and was very successful despite some obstacles. In fact, after transferring to
La Verne College he began a teaching job at Hamilton Elementary School. He later graduated from La Verne College with a Bachelor
of Arts degree. However, when he attempted to get a job as a teacher in the Pomona schools, his interviewer informed him,
"I can't hire you... because we don't have one Spanish speaking Mexican teacher in the whole school district. I am just reluctant
to hire the first one because I don't know whether this community is ready to have a Mexican-American teach their kids English,
social studies, and math. Why don't you go somewhere else and see if you can get a job." (quoted in Todd 1993) Yet, that did
not deter Mr. Mendoza who pursued a career in education within the La Habra School District.
At a time of hyper nationalism – WWII era, Mr. Mendoza later decided to join the officer ranks of the military. However,
although scoring well in the standardized test given to him, he was denied admission to officer candidacy school. Curiously,
his friend who was not Latino accompanied him and also took the test scoring lower than Mr. Mendoza and was accepted. Could
it be that the Army was also not ready "to hire a Mexican-American" as an officer? Perhaps. Ironically, in 1944 he was drafted
as an enlisted soldier in the Army. While in the Army he served in France, Germany, and Austria under General Patton's 3rd
Army. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his bravery and effort. Upon returning to civilian life, Mr. Mendoza returned to teaching.
This time he was not denied a teaching position within the Pomona School District. Indeed, his persistence paved the way for
other Chicanos/as interested in a career in education. He was the first Mexican to teach in a Pomona elementary school. In
1949 he began a moonlighting career in radio while teaching. He worked as a Spanish radio announcer for KPMO – a local AM
radio station. At that time, Spanish broadcasts were relegated to only 1-3 hours in the early morning. The rest of the day
was designated for English only broadcasts. As such, his broadcasts provided Mexican workers in the citrus groves and elsewhere
in the community with music that "helped them prepare for a day of strenuous labor. [Moreover, it] allowed many Mexicans to
stay abreast of the various trends in Latin America." (Garcia 193) This is very important because it created a link to people's
homes in Mexico, and it reinforced and strengthened their cultural practices, language, and traditions here in the United
States. His career in radio continued for 15 years and was very successful. In fact, in 1950 he took on yet another job as
a nightclub music consultant, emcee, and booking agent at Pomona's then famous Rainbow Gardens. He did this for approximately
12 years. Not surprisingly, prior to 1950, "rarely [did] a black or brown face appear in the audience" (Garcia 192) or as
performers at Rainbow Gardens. Again, this was a reflection of the time period. Nevertheless, Mr. Mendoza had a very successful
career in this venue mixing Latino and non-Latino musical genres. As such, the Latino presence within Rainbow Gardens began
to increase as did the success of the club, while its non-Latino patrons began to wane until completely ceasing to go to the
nightclub altogether. Although his career as educator contributed significantly to the Chicano community, his career in the
music industry helped bridge the gap between Mexicans' home abroad (in Mexico) and their home within the United States. The
music as well as the experience of attending Rainbow Gardens fostered a sense of unity amongst the community as well as a
sense of familiarity and cultural continuity. Thanks to his efforts, Chicanos/as were able to create a social space at a time
when space was limited. During this time, Mr. Mendoza continued a career in education. He was a teacher, a counselor, and
a principal – first at Kellogg Elementary, then at Hamilton Elementary. In 1979, he left the Pomona Unified School District
and accepted a position as Superintendent of Los Nietos School District, followed by a position as President of the School
Board. In 1981, he co-founded a community newspaper titled
La Voz (which continues to be very popular today within the Latino community). Until recently, Mr. Mendoza was still part of the
school board and vice president of the Pomona Historical Society. Clearly, his life merits recognition as a very accomplished
and instrumental member of his community. As such, in 1983 Hamilton Elementary School was renamed Candelario J. Mendoza Elementary.
This is quite an honor for a school is never named after someone who is still alive.
Work Cited Garcia, Matt. "Rainbow Gardens," A World of its Own: Race, Labor, & Citrus in the Making of Greater Los Angeles,
1900-1970. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2001.
Mendoza, Candelario. Informal Personal Interview. 12 February 2005.
Todd, Jean Boyd. "Pomona's Hispanic Hero: Candelario Mendoza – Pioneer Educator
and Newspaperman," Biography written for Presentation at Pomona Parent Assisted Learning Center, 5 March 1993.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Candelario Mendoza Music Collection, 62, Chicano Studies Research Center, University of California,
Los Angeles.
Processing Information
Collection processed by unknown persons in 2008. Finding aid revised by Jason Lowder in 2020 under the supervision of Doug
Johnson. The revision took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, so there was no access to the physical colllection.
Scope and Content
This collection of over 2000 vinyl records represents the collected music of educator and dance hall impresario Candelario
Mendoza. In 1949 Candelario began a moonlighting career in radio while teaching. He worked as a Spanish radio announcer for
KPMO – an AM radio station local to Los Angeles. At that time, Spanish broadcasts were relegated to only 1-3 hours in the
early morning. The rest of the day was designated for English only broadcasts. As such, his broadcasts provided Mexican workers
in the citrus groves and elsewhere in the community with music that "helped them prepare for a day of strenuous labor. [Moreover,
it] allowed many Mexicans to stay abreast of the various trends in Latin America." This is very important because it created
a link to people's homes and pasts in Mexico, and it reinforced and strengthened their cultural practices, language, and traditions
here in the United States. His career in radio continued for 15 years and was very successful. In fact, in 1950 he took on
yet another job as a nightclub music consultant, emcee, and booking agent at Pomona's then famous Rainbow Gardens. He did
this for approximately 12 years. Not surprisingly, prior to 1950, "rarely [did] a black or brown face appear in the audience"
(Garcia 192) or as performers at Rainbow Gardens. Again, this was a reflection of the time period. Nevertheless, Mr. Mendoza
had a very successful career in this venue mixing Latino and non-Latino musical genres. As such, the Latino presence within
Rainbow Gardens began to increase as did the success of the club, while its non-Latino patrons began to wane until completely
ceasing to go to the nightclub altogether. Although his career as educator contributed significantly to the Chicano community,
his career in the music industry helped bridge the gap between Mexicans' home abroad (in Mexico) and their home within the
United States. The music as well as the experience of attending Rainbow Gardens fostered a sense of unity amongst the community
as well as a sense of familiarity and cultural continuity. Thanks to his efforts, Chicanos/as were able to create a social
space at a time when space was limited. Please see the biographical note in this finding aid for a more complete history of
Candelario's life.
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. LP Records
- Series 2. 45 rpm Records
- Series 3. 78 rpm Records and EPs
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center. All requests for permission to publish must be
submitted in writing to the Chicano Studies Research Center Library. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the
UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
from the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Dance Music
Mambo (Dance)
Cha-cha (Dance)
Rumba (Dance)
Rancheras
Latin jazz