Asian & Asian American History in the Borderlands

The materials found on this page can all be found at UA Libraries Special Collections located in Tucson, AZ. Here you can find congressional records, university materials, photographs, newspaper and journal articles, and scrapbooks that document Asian & Asian American life in the U.S./Mexico borderlands. This is not an exhaustive list of all materials related to Asian & Asian American history held at UA Libraries Special Collections and this guide will continue to grow as collections are processed and made available. 

Archival Collections | University of Arizona History Materials | Books, Theses, Dissertations, and Other Resources

Abraham Chanin Oral History audiocassettes

Includes audio cassette recordings of interviews and oral histories with prominent Arizona figures. This collection includes interviews with Hiro Nomura, William Kajikawa and Margaret Kajikawa who discuss their experiences in a Japanese-American internment camp. Digitized content can be found on Aviary. Please contact Special Collections staff for questions regarding access and use of digitized audio/visual content.

Alexander S. Henderson papers (AZ 072)

Contains records of the A.S. Henderson general merchandise store in Patagonia, Arizona. This collections also includes records related to Chinese merchants in Patagonia, including Woo Ben, Louis Kang, Sam Thomas, and Tom Wegin.

Behan family papers (AZ 011)

Contains the materials of John and Julia Behan, in addition to other Behan family members. This collection includes John Behan's records related to his time as a Chinese Inspector from 1896-1897.

Chinese Documents from Tucson, Arizona collection (AZ 376)

Contains various materials from the Tucson Chinese community, in addition to records from the Ying On Merchants and Labor Benevolent Association of Tucson, Arizona.

Dennis D. Hunt papers (MS 644)

Contains materials from several individuals about planning the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo in the 1930s. This collections includes documents expressing fears about a Japanese presence in Arizona.

Edward Sothern scrapbook and photograph portfolio (MS 020)

Contains records related to Edward Hugh Sothern, Edward Askew Sothern, and Julia Marlowe. This collection includes Chinese newspapers from California.

Henry "Hank" Oyama papers (MS 448)

Contains the materials of Henry "Hank" Oyama who was an active member in the Tucson bilingual education movement. This collection contains records documenting the Asian & Asian American community of the Southwest.

Michael Cuddihy and Ironwood Press papers (MS 358)

Contains records related to Ironwood Press, a Tucson literary magazine, and Michael Cuddihy, the creator of Ironwood Press. This collection includes materials related to a Chinese Poetry Symposium that was published in Ironwood Press.

Rudolph Troike bilingual education collection (MS 473)

Contains records collected by Rudolph C. Troike that represent the history of bilingual education in the twentieth century. This collection includes documents related to the bilingual education of both Japanese and Chinese Americans.

Small manuscripts collection (MS 751)

Contains small mansucript collections that often focus on a smaller topic or type of material. This collection includes records of 19th and 20th century Japanese theater programs.

The "Tucsonians" Oral History Project collection (MS 390)

Contains the oral histories of several of the Japanese-American resisters of conscience who served sentences at the Catalina Federal Prison (renamed Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site in 1999) during WWII.

The papers of Josè Maria Arana (MS 009)

Contains materials related to Jośe Maria Arana, a politician and leader of an anti-Chinese campaign in Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California.

Records of the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival (MS 618)

Contains the materials of Tucson Meet Yourself, an annual folklife festival held in Tucson, Arizona from 1974 to 1994. This collections contains cultural exhibits, art, and performances from people of various Asian & Asian American identities. 

Tucson Museum of Art exhibition files (MS 777)

Contains programs, news articles, flyers and other materials related to the various exhibitions held at the Tucson Museum of Art. This collections includes materials related to Asian & Asian American cultural exhibits.

United States Relocation Authority collection (MS 042)

Contains materials related to the U.S. War Relocation Authority and the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II.

United States Wartime Civil Control Administration records (MS 239)

Contains materials related to the United States Wartime Civil Control Administration and the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Americans. This collection primarily includes records from the San Francisco office.

Work and Family: Low Income And Minority Women Talk about their Lives Interviews (MS 298)

Contains transcripts of interviews conducted by Fran Leeper Buss between 1976 and 1990. This collection includes interviews with women of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, including Asian & Asian American women.

Arizona Heath Sciences Center Office of Public Affairs records (MS 703)

Contains the records of the Arizona Health Sciences Center Office of Public Affairs, including materials about recipients of the Asian American Faculty and Staff Association Scholarship Award.

Arizona Health Sciences Library records (MS 809)

Contains the records of the Arizona Health Science Library. This collections contains materials related to exhibits crafted by the library, including an exhibit that highlighted Indonesia.

Arizona, Southwestern, and Miscellaneous Vertical File (ASW VF)

Contains materials related to the land and people of Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. This collection includes printed materials about affirmative action, diversity action, and student protests at the University of Arizona. 

UA Presents records (MS 566)

Contains materials related to UA Presents, the official performing arts presenter of the University of Arizona. This collection includes records of various Asian & Asian American cultural events, such as the peformances of the Asian American Jazz Orchestra.

University of Arizona Office of the President Records (AZ 426)

Contains correspondence and financial records about the administration and management of the University of Arizona. This collection includes materials about Asian & Asian American students.

University of Arizona Photographic Collection (UA Photo)

Contains photographs of university campus, students, and activities, including photographs of Asian & Asian American students and faculty.