American literature -- Mexican American authors

Series Description From the Series:

Writings by others span 1985-2014 and contain works by contemporaries and friends of Cisneros, as well as writings sent to her either by an author or publisher. Of note are works by: Norma Alarcón; Julia Alvarez; Daniel Arreola; Tony Beckwith; Ruth Behar; Norma Cantú; Denise Chávez; Joan Frederick; Pat LittleDog; Levi Romero; Jim Sagel; Liliana Valenzuela; and Reggie Young.

Series Description

This series consists of five binders of loose stories or poems that Cisneros used at readings or other appearances.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

Portraits are formal, posed photographs of Cisneros, and are arranged chronologically. Photographers include her brother, Henry (Kiki) Cisneros, Joan Frederick, Alexandro Galindo, Ruben Guzman, Armando Rascón, Al Rendon, and Diana Solís, among others. Also included are a number of portraits of Cisneros with others, notably with her mother in 1998, and Gertrude Baker, Ruben Guzman, Denise Chavez, Jasna Karaula, and Emma Tenayuca.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

The bulk of the material for Loose Woman are the poems, arranged alphabetically. Many were originally housed in a folder titled “complete book.” Additional material includes proofs from Knopf, promotional displays, and Spanish translations by Paloma Zozaya and Marilar Aleixandre.

Series Description From the Series: The extensive correspondence files span 1980-2013 and are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Every correspondent is included in the container list, and when known, organizational affiliations are listed in parenthesis. Individuals with a significant quantity of letters include: Jeffrey Abrahams; Norma Alarcón; Dorothy Allison; Julia Alvarez; Beatrix Badikian; Gertrude Baker; Ruth Behar; Ronnie Burke; Norma Cantu; Ana Castillo; Denise Chávez; Carlos Cumpián; Ted Dvoracek; Gayle...

Sub-Series Description From the Sub-Series: The subseries Causes documented Cisneros’ interest in civic and global issues. Included are letters she wrote to the editors of carious newspapers (1995-2013); materials relating to her appearance at the 1996 Democratic National Convention; peace proposals; and files relating to the San Antonio Public Library – and specifically, the need to include more Latino and Latina voices. Also included is a number of files relating to the war in Sarajevo in 1989 – a place that Cisneros visited in...

Series Description

Personal Papers includes some general items such as her 1954 birth certificate, the bible presented to her by her parents in 1966, and some material she titled “Happy File” in the 1980s that contains letters, clippings, and other ephemera. The rest of the series is divided into three subseries: education; causes; and pets.

Series Description From the Series: Reader Correspondence, 1990-2013, is arranged chronologically. Each year is separated into letters from individuals and letters from classes. The individual letters are typical fan letters and document the effect her writing has had on her readers. The class letters are often packets sent by teachers containing letters from students who have read her works in class, and sometimes thank-you letters from students whose class Cisneros visited. When known, the school name is included in the...

Sub-Series Description

The final subseries relates to Cisneros’ pets, and includes drawings, obituaries, and medical records (2003-2012).

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

Family Photographs span 1894-2013 and are divided into paternal and maternal family members, photographs of Cisneros’ mother and father, various family members, and pets. There are many other family photographs in the snapshots sub-series, particularly the early years beginning in box 171.

Scope and Contents

(14 photographs)

Correspondents Pfetsch, Helga, undated; Pfister, Bonnie, undated; Phillips, Robert (University of Houston), 1991; Picacio, John, 1999; Pilaski, Katharina, 2008; Pinch, Judith L., (Woodward Wilson National Fellowship), 1991; Pinkvoss, Joan (Aunt Lute Books), 2006; Pipkin, John G. (Writers’ League of Texas), 2006; Pisano, Marina (San Antonio Express News), 1994; Pizaña, Lourdes, 1999; Plummer, Toni Margarita, 2010-2012; Poey, Delia and Virgil Suarez, 1992; Policarpio, Jeremy, 2005;...

Subseries Description

Photo Albums comprise nine intact albums from Hydra, Greece (1984), Yugoslavia, now Croatian Republic of Herzog-Bosnia (1985), the Dobie Paisano Ranch, Texas (1985), and various travels (1990s).

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

Portraits are formal, posed photographs of Cisneros, and are arranged chronologically. Photographers include her brother, Henry (Kiki) Cisneros, Joan Frederick, Alexandro Galindo, Ruben Guzman, Armando Rascón, Al Rendon, and Diana Solís, among others. Also included are a number of portraits of Cisneros with others, notably with her mother in 1998, and Gertrude Baker, Ruben Guzman, Denise Chavez, Jasna Karaula, and Emma Tenayuca.

Contents From the Sub-subseries:

Materials between Cisneros and agent Susan Bergholz relating to Caramelo includes correspondence and shared drafts and fragments.

Scope and Contents From the Collection:

These papers are comprised of annotated drafts, typescripts, and correspondence relating to an essay by Gilb which was commissioned by Texas Monthly in 2000. The magazine declined to publish the story as Gilb envisioned it, and it was later published in Harper’s as “Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes: A Pocho Tours Mexico,” June 2001. Dates range from 2000-2001.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series: The largest subseries in Monographs is material relating to the writing and publication of Caramelo. Research, notes, chapter drafts, and book drafts document Cisneros’ writing process. Research files and notes provide evidence of the depth of research that went into the book, loosely based on her own family history. Included among the topics are immigration, Mexico, San Antonio, music, and war. Notes includes story development “road maps,” outlines, and files that Cisneros created on topics...

Series Description

The bulk of this series spans 1954-2013, however there are some earlier family images. Photographs are arranged into the following subseries: Portraits; Family Photographs; Photo Albums, and Snapshots, and they document nearly every aspect of Cisneros’ life and career.

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series:

Portraits are formal, posed photographs of Cisneros, and are arranged chronologically. Photographers include her brother, Henry (Kiki) Cisneros, Joan Frederick, Alexandro Galindo, Ruben Guzman, Armando Rascón, Al Rendon, and Diana Solís, among others. Also included are a number of portraits of Cisneros with others, notably with her mother in 1998, and Gertrude Baker, Ruben Guzman, Denise Chavez, Jasna Karaula, and Emma Tenayuca.

Sub-Series Description From the Sub-Series: The subseries Causes documented Cisneros’ interest in civic and global issues. Included are letters she wrote to the editors of carious newspapers (1995-2013); materials relating to her appearance at the 1996 Democratic National Convention; peace proposals; and files relating to the San Antonio Public Library – and specifically, the need to include more Latino and Latina voices. Also included is a number of files relating to the war in Sarajevo in 1989 – a place that Cisneros visited in...