Authors

Scope and Contents

(34 photographs)

Series Description From the Series: This series includes 23 diaries spanning forty years (1967-2007). Arranged chronologically, they provide an insight into Cisneros’ daily activities and thoughts. Many of the diaries include drafts of poems or story ideas, including the 1982 diary from France and Italy with “Martita Te Recuerdo,” and the 1989-1990 diary from San Antonio with notes for “Eyes of Zapata” and “Lorenzo, Center of the Universe.” Many of the early diaries have laid-in items that include letters, notes, postcards,...

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...

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 From the Series: Monographs represent a significant portion of the archive and include material relating to each of Cisneros’ published books, as well as her children’s storybooks. The series is arranged chronologically according to publication date: The House on Mango Street (1984); My Wicked Wicked Ways (1987); Woman Hollering Creek (1991); Loose Woman (1994); Caramelo (2002); A House of My Own (2015). Storybook materials follow: Hairs/Pelitos (1994); Bravo Bruno (2011); Have You Seen Marie? (2012);...

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series: The House on Mango Street does not include any of the manuscript material from the 1984 Arte Público Press edition, but there is the original artwork for that book. And the series does include Cisneros’ original drafts from The University of Iowa. The bulk of the series relates to the 1990 Random House edition with proofs, and new introduction and “about the author” materials. Translations are also well represented, with a Spanish translation by Elena Poniatowska and Juan Ascencio, and a...

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.

Subseries Description From the Series: Short Stories span 1982-2012 and are arranged alphabetically. A number of stories were originally housed in a folder title “Antojitos collection,” dating from 1982-1987. These stories were kept together in box 45, folders 1-15. The rest of the short stories follow, and are also arranged alphabetically. Many include multiple drafts, with stories such as “Machu Pichu,” “Martita te Requerdo,” and “The Snow Queen,” a poem inspired by former San Antonio mayor, Henry Cisneros, comprising several...

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:

Europe Poems were originally housed together in one folder and date from Cisneros’ time abroad in Greece, 1982-1983. Some were later published in My Wicked Wicked Ways and Loose Woman. The poems are arranged alphabetically, with untitled poems and fragments at the end.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 From the Sub-Series: Professional Appointments represent a bulk of the series and documents numerous teaching positions Cisneros held from 1978-1993. Positions include those at Latino Youth Alternative High School, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Texas Lutheran University, California State University-Chico, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Irvine, University of Michigan, and University of New Mexico. Of note are various syllabi and readings Cisneros used for teaching. For example, at...

Series Description From the Series:

The Screenplays are arranged chronologically according to when they were written. The order does not reflect the order in which the films were released. The date following the title in parentheses is the release date. Photographs, film, and videotape may not be duplicated without permission from the Wittliff estate.

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...

Subseries Description From the Sub-Series: Early poems span 1971-1986 and are arranged alphabetically. Many were originally housed in two black binders. The first binder contents are in folders 1-51 and were from Cisneros’ time at The University of Iowa. The second binder is in folder 53 and contains early poems, many later published in My Wicked Wicked Ways. Additional early poems not originally housed in one of the two binders are listed alphabetically and include high school poems. Also included are titles with numerous...

Scope and Contents

Subjects include Gertrude Baker, Terry Ybañez (14 photographs)