The Latino History Project

i love the latino history project because they did a history report about latinos in oakland and the east bay back in 2002 and 03 the oakland museum and unity council did an oral and picture history project with high school kids to document the history of latinos in oakland they did a really good job they told the story of mexican immigration to oakland and of the old oakland barrio that once existed on 7^th st back in the days they also told the story of the braceros who came to work for the railroads in oakland during ww2 and of the old mexican dances at sweets ball room that were hosted by a man name guadalupe carlos and my freind tina tamale girl family restaurant and history where also featured on the project i only wish that the museum does a permenent exhibit on this one day oaklands latino history has long been ignored so i, m glad the oakland museum did this project …

Years back my family participated in The Latino History Project that was coordinated by the Oakland Museum and The Unity Council
. Much of the exhibit is still available Online ONLY to view at the Oakland Museum’s website and a handful of my relatives participated. The concept was to hire Latino High School students to be on site historians at the Museum for the duration of the Latino History Project (LHP). They did research, recorded oral histories from the elders and copied photographs.
There is much misinformation about how long some Latinos have been in Oakland. Many of our family’s have lived, worked and played in this area anywhere from two to five generations. These young LHP historians interviewed my Mami early one Saturday morning. We were impressed by their bright shining eyes, prepared questions and cotton gloves to handle photographs. My Mami was born in her house on 4^th and Castro via midwife in 1931. She tells stories of the Depression Era like about the Milk Man, the Tar Man (the kids would snitch bite size pieces of tar to chew like gum, no money for candy) and the Ice Man would deliver a chunk of ice for the ice box since everyone didn’t have a refrigerator yet, too expensive. The young historians asked so many questions about everything including racism, the Sunday afternoon Latino only dances at Sweet’s Ballroom, the ladies who worked at the Oakland Canneries, Latinos who participated in the Bracero program, her mother (my grandmother) founding La Borinquena back in 1944.
Her interview lead to an educational poster
in a series that were handed out to Oakland Public Schools to discuss the importance of Latino history here. The historians also spoke to my cousin who’s father, Guadalupe Carlos was the organizer, promoter and force behind the Sunday tardeadas that brought big Mexican bands and performers to Oakland.
They also interviewed Mami’s cousin by marriage who was a Bracero, the US’s failed attempt at organizing legal day laborers from Mexico.
All of this culminated in the now out of print book: Life Stories: Voices from the East Bay Latino Community, a collection of stories based on interviews with East Bay Latinos. My Mami, our relatives and I are all in the book. The two of us were also recorded for the grant proposal video, The Oakland Museum of California presents The Latino History Project «A documentary about a project organized through the Oakland Museum of California, Latino students in Oakland, California, research the history of their city,
bringing long forgotten stories — and community pride — back to life. This is an inspiring story that shows the value of collecting community history and the importance of involving youth in the process.»
I recently spoke to the retired Director of the Unity Council, Jose Arredondo, to find out if the LHP Board of Directors is still active. He says it is on a very limited basis even though almost all of the funding was used for all of the above. He is still very active in the Latino community as a school teacher in the Fruitvale district (his second career) and was happy to hear that I have ties to the younger members of our community. We may work together on something new in the coming year.
Stay tuned… I may have more to update sooner than later.