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Collection Summary | |
Creator: | Robles, Robert Benitez |
Collection Name: | Robert Benitez Robles papers, |
Inclusive Dates: | 1907-1988 |
Bulk Dates: | (bulk 1956-1982) |
Physical Description: | 4.25 Linear Feet |
Abstract: | This collection is primarily comprised of Robert Robles' letters, manuscripts, personal documents, photos, and documentation of his service to the Mexican American community. Documents and correspondence also relate to Robles' work for the Republican party in Arizona. |
Collection Number: | MS 563 |
Language: | Materials are in English and some are written in Spanish. |
Repository: |
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections University of Arizona PO Box 210055 Tucson, AZ 85721-0055 Phone: 520-621-6423 Fax: 520-621-9733 URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/ E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu |
Robert Benitez Robles was born in 1908 in Clifton, Arizona to Mariano Robles and Aurelia Benitez, both first-generation Mexican immigrants from Zacatecas. During much of his life, Robles was treated as a second class citizen due to his Mexican heritage, but, as he wrote in his autobiography, was "never discouraged" and he set attending college as a goal. After a short time working in a mine in Clifton, he enrolled at Arizona State Teachers College (later Northern Arizona University) in Flagstaff, Arizona.
For a while, Robles taught, specializing in teaching bilingual students. In 1944, though he was over the draft age and a father and husband, Robles volunteered to join the war effort as a transport airman for the Navy until he sustained a back injury and was honorably discharged in 1945. After the war, Robles became an insurance agent for New York Life until his retirement in 1973.
Starting in the early 1960s, after switching his voter registration from Democrat to Republican, Robles became very active in Arizona politics, with the intention of reaching the Hispanic community that he saw as neglected by both the Democratic and Republican parties. As Chairman of the Yuma County Republican committee, Robles was charged with garnering support for the Republican candidates in elections. In 1961, he campaigned for Mac Matheson, who was running against Democrat Morris K. Udall for a seat in Congress, by visiting small towns and cold calling voters. Robles translated pamphlets, speeches, and other materials to Spanish to reach Hispanic voters. Despite being overwhelmingly Democrat, Yuma voted Republican due to Robles' work. Incumbent Republican Governor Fannin rewarded Robles with a seat on the state employment security commission, though he had to decline the offer because of a conflict with his position at New York Life. Robles further used his expertise and connections to help a prominent Mexican American attorney, Larry Huerta, in his race for a seat on the State Industrial Commission in 1961. However, Larry Huerta still lost to Colonel Hugh Belden. His tireless efforts were also recognized by Barry Goldwater, who solicited Robles's help to reach Hispanic voters in the Southwest and appointed him Field Representative, Western states for his 1964 presidential campaign.
Robles was active in community service beyond politics, as well. He was a member of American Legion for over 40 years, the Optimist club for 20 years, and was also a charter member of the Vesta club, a group of Hispanic professionals who were able to attend college through the GI Bill. Robles volunteered as a speech coach for several young men, many of whom became very successful later in their careers. From 1967-1969, while a member of the Yuma Chamber of Commerce, Robert Robles also worked to extend the hours at the Andrade/Algodones border crossing from ten to 18 hours daily, which helped boost the economies of both towns. Robles was also a scoutmaster and a 4-H leader.
Robles also put much of his time into writing, and he published several poems and a book, called Goodbye Garcia, Adios, about the life of a little-known Mexican hero, Jesus Garcia, who sacrificed his life by steering a wayward train out of the way of his town. Robles also wrote an essay titled, The Great Fraud, about the highly contested 1893 agreement between the Yuma (Quechan) Tribe and the United States government, which transferred ownership of much of the Quechan land to the government. Robles interviewed several Quechan tribal members, including Henry Montague, head of the Quechan Tribal Council at Ft. Yuma at the time, to expose the conditions of the agreement and to show the Quechan side of the story.
The collection (1907-1988) is arranged chronologically and contains materials including correspondence and letters, short stories, poems, a bilingual autobiography, pamphlets and speeches from Mr. Robles's involvement in Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign, personal documents, photos, materials demonstrating his involvement with the Mexican American community in Yuma, research files, reviews and features of his published work, and newspaper clippings related to his interests and work with different local organizations and initiatives.
There are no restrictions on this collection.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Robert Benitez Robles papers (563). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.
Processed by Zazil Davis-Vazquez, 2017. Additions to collection processed in 2021 by Michelle Nicole Boyer-Kelly.
Series I: Correspondence, 1960-1983 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
Contains several letters arranged chronologically between Robert Robles and others mainly focusing on Arizona politics, the 1964 Goldwater presidential campaign, his various publications, etc.Contains several letters arranged chronologically between Robert Robles and others mainly focusing on Arizona politics, the 1964 Goldwater presidential campaign, his various publications, etc. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 1 | Correspondence, 1960-1963, undated | |||||||||
1 | 2 | Correspondence, 1964-1983 |
Series II: Manuscripts, undated | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
This series, with no arrangement, contains all of Mr. Robles's manuscripts, including his autobiography, several translations of different texts, short stories, poems, and essays. Many revised versions of each manuscript are included in this series. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 3 | From Barrio to Mainstream (Autobiography, Spanish), undated | |||||||||
1 | 4 | Del Barrio al Corriente Mayor (Autobiography, English), undated | |||||||||
1 | 5 | Spanish Speaking Heroes, undated | |||||||||
1 | 6 | Pepito, A Series of Short Bilingual Stories, undated | |||||||||
1 | 7 | Poems, undated | |||||||||
1 | 8 | Poems and Short Prose, undated |
Series III: Goldwater Campaign, 1964 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
Contains speeches, pamphlets, and ephemera from Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential election campaign. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 9 | Goldwater Campaign Ephemera, 1964 |
Series IV: Personal Documents, 1908-1988 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
Contains various documents such as birth certificate, honorable discharge, resume, etc. arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 10 | Personal Documents, 1908-1988, undated | |||||||||
box | |||||||||||
2 | Aztec eagle drawing, undated |
Series V: Photos, 1907-1976 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
This series, arranged chronologically, contains all the photos from the collection, most of which are black and white family photos and pictures of Robert Robles at events and with friends. Some photos depict the subjects of Robles' research. For additional photographs, see "additions" series. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 11 | Photos, 1907-1963 | |||||||||
1 | 12 | Photos, 1964-1976, undated | |||||||||
1 | Photo album and scrapbook, 1907-1988 |
Series VI: Community Service, 1957-1981 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
Contains documents arranged chronologically from Robert Robles's time in the American Legion, the Phoenix Lions, the Yuma Optimist Club, as a speech coach, as a 4H leader, and from his work to increase hours at the Andrade/Algodones border point of entry. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 13 | Community Service, 1957-1981, undated |
Series VII: Research and Reviews, 1908-1983 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
This series is arranged chronologically and contains research documents relating to Robles' manuscripts and reviews of his work that appeared in magazines or newspapers. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 14 | Research pertaining to manuscripts, 1908-1983, undated | |||||||||
1 | 15 | Written reviews of Robles' published work, 1976-1977, undated |
Series VIII: Newspaper Clippings, 1956-1982 | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
Contains all newspaper clippings from the collection. | |||||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
1 | 16 | Newspaper Clippings, 1956-1964 | |||||||||
1 | 17 | Newspaper Clippings, 1967-1982 |
Series IX: Reel to reel, undated | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
This series contains two reels of quarter-inch open reel audio tape on seven-inch reels. | |||||||||||
box | reel | ||||||||||
2 | 1 | Reel 1: "2 Great Men of Our Time" (3:45), "Manolete" (10:25) Aug 27, 1947, "Nana" (3:30), undated | |||||||||
2 | 2 | Reel 2: "2 Great Men of Our Time" (3:45), "Manolete" (10:25) "Nana" (3:30), undated |
Series X: 2021 Additions to collection, undated | |||||||||||
Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
This series includes additions made to the collection in 2021. Additions have been ordered by item type. | |||||||||||
box | item | ||||||||||
3 | 1 | Danilo Medigovich Air Force drawing, undated | |||||||||
3 | 2 | Danilo Medigovich Air Force signed photo (copy), undated | |||||||||
3 | 3 | Danilo Medigovich Air Force photograph print, undated | |||||||||
3 | 4 | Department of Air Force framed letter to Danilo Medigovich from Donald L. Wilkinson, Col., Sterling R. Cruger, Col., and Richard P. Tillstrom, Lt. Col., 1983 | |||||||||
3 | 5 | National Defense University plaque with list of graduates, including Danilo Medigovich, 1977 | |||||||||
box | folder | ||||||||||
4 | 1 | Medigovich, Danilo. "Thinking of Danny" bio, undated | |||||||||
4 | 2 | Noticias articles (printed copies) by Rosalie Crowe, ca. 1997-2006 | |||||||||
4 | 3 | Miscellaneous pamphlets, newspaper clippings, etc., undated | |||||||||
4 | 4 | Photos. Children, undated | |||||||||
4 | 5 | Photos. "Mama" Herrick, undated | |||||||||
4 | 6 | Photos. Military, undated | |||||||||
4 | 7 | Photos. Miscellaneous, undated | |||||||||
4 | 8 | Photos. Miscellaneous family shots, undated | |||||||||
4 | 9 | Photos. Professor George F. Herrick, undated | |||||||||
4 | 10 | Photos. Robert Benitez Robles, undated | |||||||||
4 | 11 | Photos. School and sports, undated | |||||||||
4 | 12 | Photos. Wedding, undated |