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Alejandro López Papers and Ethnographic Interviews, 1971-2021

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-943-BC

Scope and Contents

The Alejandro López collection contains ethnographic interviews, Alejandro’s photography and art, service-learning educational material, and publications by and about Alejandro López, which include Newspapers articles and publications documenting Alexandro’s life and work. The interviews in this collection represent dozens of recorded hours of oral histories with elders from northern New Mexico. Conducted almost entirely in Spanish, the interviews discuss the land and their relation to it, politics, contemporary events, religion, folklore/music, regional culture and traditional lifeways. Some of the recording have live musical performances. Most of the interviewees were born in the 1800s.

Dates

  • 1971 - 2021

Creator

Language of Materials

English, Spanish

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.

Biographical / Historical

Alejandro López was born 1951 in Santa Cruz de la Cañada, New Mexico. Alejandro (AKA. Jerry and Jeronimo) is a writer, educator, and program administrator (AmeriCorps, Apprenticeship in Peace, etc.) Alejandro is an artist and photographer, and his art depicts a surrealist photography where people and landscapes merge together. He was the youngest member of La Academia de la Nueva Raza, and his photography was utilized in La Academia publications such as "Ceremony of Brotherhood." The oral history interviews Alejandro recorded feature unique regional Spanish dialogue with elders to preserve knowledge and to find how Chicana and Chicano knowledge production is formed in small New Mexican communities. Alejandro continued his La Academia work by running service-learning programs for the youth of New Mexico. These programs comprised of art development, building construction, and community clean up. Lastly, Alejandro is a successful publisher who has published in many New Mexican magazines. Alejandro López lives a life of community activism, art, and resolana and continues his work with youth and Nuevomexicanos.

Extent

4 boxes + 1 oversize folder

Abstract

This collection contains papers and interviews created and collected by Alejandro López from the 1970s to 2021. The papers relate to education, resolana, and service-learning programs, while the ethnographic interviews focus on elders from Chimayo, Truchas, and other Nuevomexicano communities.

Related Materials

Tomas Atencio Papers and Academia de la Nueva Raza / Rio Grande Institute Records (MSS-827-BC) Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries. Enrique Lamadrid Collection of Folk Songs, Oral Histories and Photographic Projects (MSS-840-BC) Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Joshua Heckman Archibeque, Center for Regional Studies/CSWR Graduate Fellow.
Title
Finding Aid of the Alejandro López Papers and Ethnographic Interviews, 1971-2021
Status
Completed
Date
November 2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is in both English and Spanish
Sponsor
Funding for processing provided by UNM Center for Regional Studies.

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