Sevilla, Arnoldo.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS:  The collection may not be used without the express written consent of Arnoldo W. Sevilla until May 13, 2008. As of 1990, his address was:

No release forms were obtained, so even with Mr. Sevilla's consent to listen to the interviews, users who wish to quote from an interview should obtain written permission from the interviewee.

SCOPE AND CONTENT:  The Antonio Roca interview is the most extensive, composed of several communications over a three-year period. Sevilla's original purpose was to secure Roca's reminiscences as one of Milwaukee's pioneer Spanish-speaking Latino business owners but he expanded the scope of ten interviews to provide an autobiographical treatment of Roca's life. In the interviews, Roca discusses his life in World War I Germany; early years in the United States in various occupations; moves back and forth between the US, Germany, and Spain during the 1920s and 1930s; his conversion to the Bahai Faith and subsequent missionary work in Spain, Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala; and his operation of a fruit and nut store on Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Frank Gross interview focuses on the Milwaukee Mexican community beginning in the 1920s. He talks about the geographic distribution of Hispanics; the role of the Catholic Church; his professional life as Deputy State Banking Commissioner, an employee with First Federal Savings and Loan Association, and president and general manager of the Church Mart; his church work; and work as founder of the Spanish-Speaking Section of the International Convention in 1957.

Copies of papers of Frederico Herrera are also part of the collection. These include correspondence relating to his work as World War II Chairman for the Mexican Division, Foreign-Born American Groups of the Milwaukee County War Savings staff, and copies of his National Guard enlistment and discharge papers.

Other interviews are primarily in Spanish and content information is not currently available.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Sevilla, Arnoldo. Milwaukee Mexican-Americans interviews, 1974-1977. Milwaukee Small Collection 174, Tapes 829A, 852A-861A. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

Baez, Tony. Papers. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 8)

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

• Arenas, Juan, Interviewee.
• Gonzalez, Felix D., Interviewee.
• Gonzalez, Marguarita, Interviewee.
• Gonzalez, Porforio, Interviewee.
• Gross, Frank J., Interviewee.
• Herrera, Frederico G., Interviewee.
• Herrera, Juan, Interviewee.
• Interviews--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Mexican American business enterprises--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Mexican American Catholics--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Mexican American--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Biography.
• Milwaukee (Wis.)--History--Sources.
• Renteria, Lupe, Interviewee.
• Roca, Antonio, Interviewee.
• Sanchez, Francisco, Interviewee.
• Sanchez, Juan, Interviewee.
• Talamantes, Angel, Interviewee.

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URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/arch/findaids/sc174.htm
Last edited on Friday, December 17,  2004.
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