Moya family memories, 1930s - 1960s, ca. 1990s
File — Box: 3, Folder: 21
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The Emma Moya collection contains original correspondence, copies of historic documents, notes on interviews and stories, sketches and photos, and a few newspaper clippings related to Old Town Albuquerque, Barelas, Los Duranes, Martineztown, and related neighborhoods. Besides keeping the history of her family, their lands and their memories, Moya also collected material about other Hispanic, German, French, Irish, Italian and Mexican families who settled in and contributed to Old Town Albuquerque and nearby areas. Included are histories of the Armijo, Baca, Chacon, Chavez, Duran, Perea, Romero, Michalbach and Springer families. One fascinating story is how the U.S. Government took the Coyote Springs Resort land from the Chacon family for Kirkland Air Force Base. As a recognized local historian, Moya was often called upon to provide historical information, maps and images to defend the rights of these areas or to celebrate their anniversaries and leaders. She interviewed and gathered background notes and photos for various local people when they were honored publicly or to tell their stories in her exhibits and articles. She also eulogized many with her poems, tributes and songs at their final services.
The collection contains images of people and places in Old Town, Barelas, Los Duranes, Martineztown and other locales. Photos and artwork were collected or created by Moya or her family members. Moya commissioned Old Town artist, Joel T. Ramirez, to make sketches based on some of the photos for her presentations and exhibits. Some photos and sketches are originals, others are copies. An oral history with Cleto Duran is included in the collection, as are measured architectural drawings of San Felipe Church made in 1974 and 2004.
The Moya papers provide a grass roots view of the local impact of the 1918 flu epidemic, prohibition, the Great Depression, the New Deal, WPA, and World War II, as well as subsequent decades. Materials trace the peoples’ struggles to preserve their history, lands, schools, and cultural identity in the face of annexation and change. There is insight into the development of tourism and commercialization of Old Town and the role of institutions and customs, such as the San Felipe Church, Old Town School, Old Town Society Hall, the clergy, the plaza, San Felipe fiestas, musicians, foods, legends and ghost stories, Holy Week pageants, luminarias, the river, acequia, gardens, etc. Through the memories of her parents and as a participant, Moya tells about gender roles in the church and community and the activities of children. More limited but similar material is provided for Barelas, Los Duranes and Martineztown.
Moya testified on behalf of the Atrisco Land Grant and the Albuquerque Land Grant, plus proved her family heirship in the Atrisco grant. Her documentation of the Old Town San Gabriel, Rio Grande and Tiguex parks, with controversies over the Luis Jimenez Aztec Pieta sculpture and the Juan de Oñate statue, are particularly important. Included, too, are letters and rebuttals to books on Old Town by the Albuquerque Museum and Father Thomas J. Steele. Also noteworthy are comments about Reies Lopez Tijerina and the 1967 Tierra Amarilla raid, the 1968 Poor People’s March in Albuquerque, the Albuquerque 1971 riot, police brutality, the 1980 State prison riot and the 1972 deaths of the Chicano Black Berets, Rito Canales and Antonio Cordova, as well as accounts of getting health care for the local communities; investigating school busing policies; urging the UNM Law School and Pharmacy School to admit Hispanics and Black students; challenging KGGM TV over its lack of Hispanic anchormen and coverage of minorities; protesting the New Mexico Bar Association exam policy for minorities, etc. There are letters between Moya and politicians, including Joseph Montoya, Manuel Lujan and Toney Anaya. The collection also contains research by Moya on Jewish Sephardic traditions in New Spain and New Mexico, with some material about Jewish history in Europe. Loggie Carrasco and Eleanor Sewell gave some of their Jewish historical materials to Moya. In this collection, Emma Moya tells the history of Old Town and nearby neighborhoods from a rare personal point of view.
In Fall 2016 and Winter 2017, Emma Moya provided additional materials for the collection, which were added in January - February 2017, expanding the existing Boxes. She gave more information in 2021, which was added in 2022.
The collection contains images of people and places in Old Town, Barelas, Los Duranes, Martineztown and other locales. Photos and artwork were collected or created by Moya or her family members. Moya commissioned Old Town artist, Joel T. Ramirez, to make sketches based on some of the photos for her presentations and exhibits. Some photos and sketches are originals, others are copies. An oral history with Cleto Duran is included in the collection, as are measured architectural drawings of San Felipe Church made in 1974 and 2004.
The Moya papers provide a grass roots view of the local impact of the 1918 flu epidemic, prohibition, the Great Depression, the New Deal, WPA, and World War II, as well as subsequent decades. Materials trace the peoples’ struggles to preserve their history, lands, schools, and cultural identity in the face of annexation and change. There is insight into the development of tourism and commercialization of Old Town and the role of institutions and customs, such as the San Felipe Church, Old Town School, Old Town Society Hall, the clergy, the plaza, San Felipe fiestas, musicians, foods, legends and ghost stories, Holy Week pageants, luminarias, the river, acequia, gardens, etc. Through the memories of her parents and as a participant, Moya tells about gender roles in the church and community and the activities of children. More limited but similar material is provided for Barelas, Los Duranes and Martineztown.
Moya testified on behalf of the Atrisco Land Grant and the Albuquerque Land Grant, plus proved her family heirship in the Atrisco grant. Her documentation of the Old Town San Gabriel, Rio Grande and Tiguex parks, with controversies over the Luis Jimenez Aztec Pieta sculpture and the Juan de Oñate statue, are particularly important. Included, too, are letters and rebuttals to books on Old Town by the Albuquerque Museum and Father Thomas J. Steele. Also noteworthy are comments about Reies Lopez Tijerina and the 1967 Tierra Amarilla raid, the 1968 Poor People’s March in Albuquerque, the Albuquerque 1971 riot, police brutality, the 1980 State prison riot and the 1972 deaths of the Chicano Black Berets, Rito Canales and Antonio Cordova, as well as accounts of getting health care for the local communities; investigating school busing policies; urging the UNM Law School and Pharmacy School to admit Hispanics and Black students; challenging KGGM TV over its lack of Hispanic anchormen and coverage of minorities; protesting the New Mexico Bar Association exam policy for minorities, etc. There are letters between Moya and politicians, including Joseph Montoya, Manuel Lujan and Toney Anaya. The collection also contains research by Moya on Jewish Sephardic traditions in New Spain and New Mexico, with some material about Jewish history in Europe. Loggie Carrasco and Eleanor Sewell gave some of their Jewish historical materials to Moya. In this collection, Emma Moya tells the history of Old Town and nearby neighborhoods from a rare personal point of view.
In Fall 2016 and Winter 2017, Emma Moya provided additional materials for the collection, which were added in January - February 2017, expanding the existing Boxes. She gave more information in 2021, which was added in 2022.
Dates
- ca. 1990s
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 8 boxes (5.25 cu ft.) plus 1 oversize folder
General
Emma's notes, Albuquerque area life 1910s-1950s, World War I, Prohibition, Great Depression, WPA, World War II, soldiers, changes, etc. In this Folder, 1930s Rio Grande floods before Elephant Butte Dam. Commerce between communities. Halloween 1935, 1936 Corpus Christi Day outdoor home altars, immigrants, 1938 Indian vendors from Isleta and local area Hispanic vendors. Isleta Felipe Sangre singing at wakes in 1942. First electric lights and radio in home 1936, church, school. William's chicken farm 1937 on site of El Encanto Restaurant, eggs .25 a dozen. Juanita Fierro, 1943 El Sombrero Cafe. An Old Town painter, Antonio Garcia, promoting presidential candidate Wendel Wilkie on the plaza. Prohibition, Moonshine, mulah, bootleg liquor, speakeasy, gangsters, La Mano Negra, Old Town and Valencia County, Pretty Boy Floyd, Al Capone, King's Rest Motel, Sundance Kid. WPA gazebo 1936, military fort stone wall around plaza, 1936 fiesta, WPA concerts. WPA scandal, nepotism in relief, Senator Dennis Chavez, Hatch Act. Politics, rallies, intimidation voters, officials, candidates, discrimination toward Hispanic men in the relief food lines. Dancing, throwing corn meal at spring rain. Politics, how church activities lessened impact of Great Depression, Old Towners believed Depression manipulated by the political leaders, area fared better farms, gardens, acequias, neighbors helped each other. Memories of 1939 fiesta and dangers of fireworks. Memory of an African American Black family in Old Town named Robinson, from Alabama, daughter was Shirley Mae. Account of a Passion play 1936 Holy Week, San Felipe School. Memory of 1969 procession on Rio Grande Blvd. for Old Town and Los Duranes, included Cesar Chavez huelga marchers and Archbishop Davis. One street light, local men as constables patrolling village at night time, law enforcement. Children collecting and selling beer bottles to make money for a movie. Music, Lydia Mendoza, Mexican gymnasts, etc. World War II blackouts, victory gardens watered by acequias, scrap drives, radio war news at school, praying for soldiers who died, women learning to fold bandages for wounded soldiers,.50 jeep rides by the military around the plaza. No anti-Semitism, anti German sentiment against Carl Von Hassler, but not against Mann brothers for German made car with swastika, POWs cleaning acequias, etc. Identity, speaking Spanish at school, Anglo - Hispanic relations, racial mix, father’s painters labor union. Kirtland Air Force Base, Kimo Theater children’s singing show; comments on contents El Independiente, local newspaper, etc. Note on Melquiades Alderete, bombardier in World War II, family. Comments on effects of forced 1949 annexation, demolishing the old court house made into the San Felipe school,removal of neon signs in Old Town businesses. (See also Box 5 World War II Folder)
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451