Finding Aid for the Mendez v. Westminster Archive, 1920-2008
2009.03.r

Madrid Mendez Pamphlet Collection 1997-2008   (1 file folder)

Scope and Contents note

This series contains material donated by Professor Mike Madrid, Ph.D. Education Director at Chapman University and consists of two pamphlets that are related to the Mendez v. Westminster trial as well as one spiral bound publication, in which he authored an article entitled: "The Mendez Case as Neglected History and Missing Curriculum", in the "4th Annual Summer Institute on Leadership for Educational Justice: Conference Proceedings", held at the University of Redlands' School of Education, on July 29, 2008.

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Madrid, Mike

Subject(s)

• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History -- Congresses
• Segregation in education -- California.
• Special events

Ovieda/Murphy Papers 1940-2007   (4 folders)

Scope and Contents note

The Ovieda/Murphy Papers consist of four folders containing some personal correspondence and documents of Cora Ovieda, photographs of her parents, class photos and of her sister Isabel Ayala who was a witness in the Mendez trial. A highlight of the papers is a transcript of her sister's testimony in the Mendez v. Westminster trial.

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Ayala, Isabel -- Trials, litigation, etc.
• Murphy, Jeannie, (Ayala)
• Ovieda, Cora A., (Ayala), 1936-

Subject(s)

• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History -- Congresses
• Segregation in education -- California.

LA Law Library Collection 2004-2007  (Bulk, 2004)   (4 file folders)

Scope and Contents note

The LA Law Library donated photocopies of their handouts and PowerPoint presentation from their "Mendez to Brown" celebration from 2004, a sheet of Mendez stamps from 2007 as well as color photocopies of several copies of court documents.

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

• LA Law Library.

Subject(s)

• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History -- Congresses
• Segregation in education -- California.
• Special events

Colon-Muniz Stamp Day Papers 2006-2007   (3 file folders, 1 foam-core poster)

Scope and Contents note

This is a collection of three file folders dealing with the "Mendez v. Westminster 60th Anniversary and Official U.S. Postage Stamp Unveiling" event held at Chapman University on April 14, 2007.

It consists of e-mail correspondence and documents concerning organizing the event as well as six compact disks of photographs from the event and several newspaper clippings discussing the event and assorted ephemera from the event.

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Colon-Muniz, Anaida, Ed.D.

Subject(s)

• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History -- Congresses
• Segregation in education -- California.
• Special events

 Palomino, Arturo, 1933- Palomino Family Collection 1920s to 2008   (1 document box)

Scope and Contents note

The Palomino Photo Collection consists of sixteen folders containing photographs, documents and clippings of the family of Arturo Palomino from ca.1920 to 2008; photographs, clippings and correspondence of Guadalupe Perez, an uncle of Arturo's killed in World War II; along with photographs, ephemera, clippings, articles, documents, and correspondence related to the Mendez v. Westminster trial, in which Arturo's father Frank Palomino was a witness.

Also included are photocopies of the photo albums' pages. Highlights of the collection include a transcript of Frank Palomino's testimony in Mendez v. Westminster, and school photographs of Arturo Palomino.

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Palomino, Arturo, 1933-

Subject(s)

• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History -- Congresses
• Photographs
• Segregation in education -- California.

 Westminster School District. Westminster Unified School District Collection 1944-2007  (Bulk, 1944-1947)   (1 folder)

Scope and Contents note

This series contains copies of Westminster School District board meeting minutes, copies of legal documents, three Westminster Elementary school class photographs, commemorative stamps and stamp memorabilia.

A highlight of this series is a copy of the petition submitted to the school district on September 8, 1944 calling for an end to racial segregation in the district.

Munemitsu Lease Agreement 1944-1945   (1 file folder)

Scope and Contents note

Original leases for farm land between Munemitsu and Mendez in Westminster, CA with original signatures. The Munemitsu family were in Japanese internment camps at this time.

1 land lease, Westminster, CA December 20, 1944

1 land lease, Westminster, CA, August 31, 1945

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Mendez, Gonzalo, 1913-1964
• Munemitsu, Janice
• Munemitsu, Seiko L.

Subject(s)

• Education--California--Orange County
• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.

James Kent thesis 1941   (1 file folder)

Scope and Contents note

This series contains an original copy of "Segregation of Mexican school children in Southern California" by James Kent the Superintendant of Garden Grove School District. This is a master's thesis written by Kent while attending the University of Oregon in 1941.

This thesis was introduced as evidence by the Mendez attorney, David Marcus, and was used against Kent and the school districts as it outlined the "Mexican problem" and was used by Marcus to show the racist attitudes of the school administration.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

This original second copy was de-accessioned from the University of Oregon's Knight Library to be added to the Mendez v. Westminster archive after the library was contacted by Sandra Robbie inquiring about acquiring a copy.

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

• Knight Library, University of Oregon.

Personal Name(s)

• Kent, James L. -- Trials, litigation, etc.

Subject(s)

• California -- History.
• Education--California--Orange County
• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History.
• Segregation in education -- California.

Santa Ana Unified School District Collection 1997-2007  (Bulk, 2001)   (2 folders)

Scope and Contents note

This series contains two folders of miscellaneous documents and photocopies of materials regarding the Mendez v. Westminster case from the Santa Ana Unified School District.

The two topics covered are the the USPS Mendez v. Westminster commemorative stamp of 2007, and the grand opening and dedication ceremony for the Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School on North Bristol St. in Santa Ana in 2001.

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

• Santa Ana Unified School District.

Personal Name(s)

• Mendez, Felicitas, 20th century -- History-Sources
• Mendez, Gonzalo, 1913-1964 -- History-Sources
• Mendez, Sylvia, 1936- -- History-Sources

Subject(s)

• Education--California--Orange County
• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Santa Ana Unifed School District
• Segregation in education -- California.
• Special events

Sandra Robbie Mendez v. Westminster Collection ca. 1930s-2008   (13 folders)

Scope and Contents note

This series consists of material donated by Sandra Robbie and consists of three DVDs (1 State Assembly DVD, 1 USPS-TV DVD, 1 "Para Todos Los Ninos" DVD, 1 "Mendez v. Westminster, A Civil Rights Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Teachers" CD) as well as a wide variety of photocopied microfilm telegrams, letters, articles, and legal records pertaining to the Mendez v. Westminster case.

Also includes the magazine, OC Weekly November 6-12, 2009 issue containing the article, "Separate But Un-Equal" by Gustavo Arellano. Some photographs of Judge Paul J. McCormick, and some off-prints related to him also included.

Many materials, particularly those related to the role of the NAACP in the Mendez v. Westminster case, were given to Ms. Robbie by Luis M. Acosta of the Howard University Law Library.

A particular highlight of this series are photocopies of school reports and minutes from the El Modena School Board and the OCSO from the 1930s and '40s.

Controlled Access Headings

Family Name(s)

• Guzman Family

Personal Name(s)

• Carter, Robert L., Hon., 1917-
• Kent, James L.
• Marshall, Thurgood, 1908-1993
• McCormick, Paul J., Judge, 1879-1960
• Mendez, Felicitas, 20th century
• Mendez, Gonzalo, 1913-1964
• Mendez, Sylvia, 1936-
• Palomino, Arturo, 1933-
• Robbie, Sandra

Subject(s)

• California -- History.
• DVDs.
• Education--California--Orange County
• Mexican Americans -- California -- History
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.
• Newspaper clippings
• Orange County (Calif.) -- History.
• Segregation in education -- California.
• United States -- Race Relations

Mendez v. Westminster Group Study Room in Honor of the Sayre Family Oct. 14. 2009   (1 file folder)

Scope and Contents note

Material is related to the dedication of the Mendez v. Westminster Group Study Room on the third floor of the Leatherby Libraries, and the honoring of the Federico Castelan Sayre family for their donation.

1. Programs from The Dedication of the Mendez v. Westminster Study Room and Mendez v. Westminster Archive.

2. 2 Certificates of Congressional Recognition from Ed Royce and Loretta Sanchez

Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Royce, Ed, 1951-
• Sanchez, Lorretta, 1960-
• Sayre, Federico Castelan

Subject(s)

• Chapman University--College of Educational Studies
• Chapman University. Leatherby Libraries
• Méndez et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County et al.