News & Announcements – Special Collections and Archives at the University of Iowa

Beware of marginal monsters

The following is written by Museum Studies Intern Joy Curry.

Illuminated “O” with dragons around text

This 14th-century book of hours may be tiny, but it is jam-packed with beasts, ranging from fish to lions to feathered dragons. It’s a marvel that so much of the art has survived, especially since the book is missing 19 miniatures. Fortunately for us, the illustrator incorporated figures throughout the letters, lines, and margins of the book.

According to the seller’s information, the illustrator of this manuscript also worked on the Ghent Psalters (Bodleian MSS Douce 5-6). We recognize them by their decorative line-fillers, dragons in the margins, and finely-painted expressive faces. The illustrator decorated our manuscript for use in the diocese of Thérouanne. As a book of hours, the reader would have used it for religious meditations and devotions.

In that context, it may seem strange that the art decorating the book is so unsacred. The marginal creatures don’t create an orderly, contemplative scene; they attempt to bite letters and borders, they smack into one another, and they vomit vines that curl around the text block.

Illuminated “D” with monster inside, as well as in the margins

As Michael Camille has argued, these chaotic creatures don’t detract from the religious purpose of the text. By mixing up important medieval categories—man and beast, sacred and profane—the art plays with taboo and makes a visual contrast between the holy interior of the text and the wild, disorderly margins. As Elaine Treharne pointed out, art that encroached on the text block, like the decorative line-fillers, still contributed to the order by maintaining a balanced writing grid

Of course, these small illustrations also provided an opportunity for artists to show off their skill and joy in their work. Even though the book of hours is tiny, the illustrator still took care to show the scales on the fish, shading on the leaves, and feathers on the wings. Whatever its exact purpose, this art shows impressive dedication to the craft.

Come visit Portable Book of Hours, use of Thérouanne (xMMs. Bo13) today.

Further Reading:

Camille, Michael. Image on the Edge : The Margins of Medieval Art. Reaktion Books, 1992.

Treharne, Elaine. Perceptions of Medieval Manuscripts: The Phenomenal Book. 1st ed., Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192843814.001.0001.

Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 5: https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/ffa96f42-fde8-4f82-93e5-0c645f7f1b94/ Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Douce 6: https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/4a0c575c-0cad-4dd2-8fd4-a6689c0ae1e8/

Welcome Isabel Cazares

We are happy to welcome Isabel Cazares as our new instruction and outreach librarian.

In this position, Isabel will be working with both the University of Iowa Libraries and the Stanley Museum of Art to increase visibility and usability of our deep and distinctive art collections through object-based learning in the classroom.

Isabel comes to us from the hot and dry Phoenix, Arizona (we give her major points for moving in the middle of winter). She attended the University of Arizona in Tucson and received a bachelors in anthropology and East Asian studies. In 2019, she received her master’s degree in library and information science online through Simmons University in Boston.

For the last four years, Isabel has worked for the Arizona Historical Society where she developed a love of architectural drawings and a deeper appreciation of local and regional history.

As a librarian, Isabel likes the opportunity to help others connect with people and places through what others have created, and she enjoys supporting the long-term care of unique materials for future generations.

“I am excited to start exploring the wonderful UI [Libraries] collections as well as the Stanley Museum of Art collections and sharing that excitement through engaging moments with students, faculty, and staff. The chance to help others access a rich variety of resources to spark their creativity and passion is something I really look forward to in my position.”

When not working, you can find Isabel exploring local restaurants and delicacies, watching classic films, playing board games, and attending cultural festivals and performance art events.

Welcome, Isabel!

Voices from the stacks: Corita Kent

The following is written by Olson Graduate Research Assistant, Kaylee Swinford.

Collage of Corita Kent from the Josephine Pletscher Papers (IWA0913)

Corita Kent was an American artist, educator, activist, and former religious sister. With a rebellious spirit, Corita was a pioneering designer, who produced a body of work for over three decades combining themes of spirituality, hope, peace, and acceptance. Inspired by the popular Pop Art movement taking hold throughout the 1950s–60s in America, Corita’s serigraphs, also known as screenprints, incorporated questions about racism, war, poverty, and religion through found text, images, and vibrant colors.

Corita, born Frances Kent in Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1918, grew up in Los Angeles after her family relocated there when she was a young child. At 18, Corita decided to join the order of the nuns at the Immaculate Heart of Mary, providing her the opportunity to pursue art and higher education in a way that would not have been an option for many women in 1936. While here, she took the name Sister Mary Corita though wished to be referred to as Corita. As a member of the teaching order, she taught art education at various institutions while receiving an art education herself. In 1947, Corita was then asked to teach with the Art Department at the Immaculate Heart College where she would remain until 1968.

Corita Kent with her students at Immaculate Heart College from *Sister Corita*

The Art Department at Immaculate Heart College was a space of growth and development for Corita. Here she would develop her art style, which in early stages often incorporated religious imagery, containing medieval-influenced figures, then later evolving to integrate a wider breadth of material like song lyrics, advertisements, abstract shapes, and brighter colors. While Corita was further developing her work, she was having a significant impact on her students, urging them to discover new ways of experiencing the world. Through exercises like exploring a grocery store for inspiration or looking through an empty 35mm slide mount to frame compositions, Corita’s approach to teaching inspired her students and led to a fruitful period of creation and exploration for Immaculate Heart College which drew national recognition. This influential impact can be seen in the work of Corita’s students of this time, found within the student’s pieces, as well as the Irregular Bulletin, a zine-like newsletter created by the art department to announce the activities and accomplishments of students and faculty.

Page from the Irregular Bulletin, created by the Art Department under Corita Kent’s direction

Through rising tensions within the country from the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, Corita and her fellow sisters became more politically and civically engaged, participating in demonstrations throughout the city, and gaining a reputation as rebellious nuns. By 1968, the strain between the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters and the Archbishop of Los Angeles was high, leading to the majority of the sisters dispensing with their vows, and Corita leaving LA for the East Coast. It was there Corita would continue to create under a more introspective style until her passing in 1986.

Immaculate Heart nuns protesting at a Mary’s Day Procession in 1964 (Courtesy of Corita Art Center)

Within the University of Iowa’s collections, Corita’s work can be found through various published books, screenprints found both in the Special Collections and Archives as well as the Stanley Museum of Art, and an intimate manuscript collection from a former student, her mentee and friend, Josephine Pletscher. Pletscher, with a long-lasting connection to the Immaculate Heart College, amassed a thorough collection, not only regarding the Immaculate Heart, but also Corita and her career. Incorporating correspondence, serigraphs created both by Pletscher and Corita, as well as Corita’s personal rosary beads, the care and connection between the two women is evident.

Published books featuring Corita Kent’s art found in the Sackner Archive of Concrete & Visual Poetry at Special Collections and Archives

With impactful messages that continue to resonate today, Corita’s work reminds viewers to reflect upon and explore the world around them. Just as she imparted to her students, great strength comes from opening oneself to new possibilities.

To learn more, visit us in person to view the published Corita Kent printed materials within the collection, or visit the finding aid for the Josephine Pletscher Papers (IWA0913) which can be viewed in person at the Iowa Women’s Archive. Additional information about Corita and her work can be found at Corita.org.

Remembering Frank Paluka

We are saddened to announce the Feb. 15, 2025, passing of Frank Paluka, former director of Special Collections at the University of Iowa Libraries. Frank joined Special Collections in 1961, becoming the head of the department in 1962. He remained in this position until March of 1986.

Under Frank’s direction, Special Collections’ holdings of rare books grew into a noteworthy collection. Among his many contributions as director, Frank developed the Iowa Authors Collection, worked with author Mildred Wirt Benson to receive her manuscripts, and grew the Leigh Hunt letter collection.

Frank Paluka, director of Special Collections from 1962-1986

Professionally, Frank was an outstanding scholar and bibliophile. He was the editor of Books at Iowa for over 20 years and author of the book The Three Voyages of Captain Cook. Frank was also a passionate book collector in his free time, and his personal book collection showed a man with a keen eye for fine books who also demonstrated a curiosity about the world around him. His home contained a large collection of Henry James first editions and biographies of Captain Cook. Yet his collection stretched beyond traditional titles and topics, spanning from genre fiction to alternative science and the occult.

Frank donated hundreds of his personal books to Special Collections, including several rare works and items by Clark Ashton Smith, H.P. Lovecraft, and Sax Rohmer. Along with his books, the Libraries also holds his papers in the archives. His professional papers provide a view of his impact on our own collections here at the UI, while personal letters and photographs from his youth offer a look at the man behind the books.

His legacy is still felt here in Special Collections and Archives, especially when we use the material he procured or donated to us in our classes. We will continue to carry on his memory by working to spark even half as much love of books as he had in the students of the university.

Read former University Librarian Dale Bentz’s 1986 tribute to Frank upon his retirement in Books at Iowa.

Language of flowers speaks volumes

The following is written by museum intern student Joy Curry.

Illustrated plate from *Poetry of Flowers*

Valentine’s Day is, among other things, a common time to give and receive flowers. If you visited a florist this last holiday, you might have seen some explanations on what flowers mean. You may have heard of the symbolism attached to different colors of roses for example, a red rose means love, and a yellow rose means friendship—but you can send even more specific messages with your bouquet if you know where to look. During the Victorian period, floral enthusiasts published full-blown dictionaries explaining a symbolic “language of flowers.” This language of flowers gained popularity from a misinterpretation of the Turkish harem game of Sélam, which involved rhyming items, as a language of symbolic objects that lovers used to communicate with one another in secret.

Here in Special Collections and Archives, we have two poetry compilations that contain floral dictionaries: Poetry of Flowers selected by Mrs. C. M. Kirtland, and Frances S. Osgood’s 1860 book The poetry of flowers and flowers of poetry; to which are added, a simple treatise on botany, with familiar examples, and a copious floral dictionary.

These books show that Victorian “flower language” was far from standardized. For example, Kirtland and Osgood give very different meanings to the Bachelor’s Button flower. Osgood describes it as meaning “I with the Morning’s Love have oft made Sport,” while Kirtland claims that it means “Celibacy.” So, if you want to use floral language to communicate with someone, make sure you’re both referencing the same dictionary!

We hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day—but even if you didn’t, here are some floral ways to express your feelings, courtesy of the Mabbott Poe Collection!

· A bouquet of Cherry Blossom or Foxglove, Scarlet Auricula, and Turk’s Cap means “Your insincerity and avarice make me hate you.”

· A bouquet of Nasturtium, Oak Leaves, Heliotrope, and Everlasting or Immortelles means “Your patriotism, courage, and fidelity merit everlasting remembrance.”

· A bouquet of red roses, Carolina Syringa, and Sycamore means “I love to disappoint your curiosity.”

· A bouquet of Lemon Geranium and Withered White Rose means “Our unexpected meeting left but transient impressions.” If you receive this bouquet, the book recommends responding with a bouquet of African Marigold and Moonwort, meaning “Vulgar minds soon forget.”

Further reading:

Seaton, Beverly. The Language of Flowers : A History / Beverly Seaton. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1995.

Nossett, Lauren, and Luca Pixner. “The Language of Flowers and the (Re)Productive Female Body in Hedwig Dohm’s Werde, Die Du Bist.” Feminist German Studies 36, no. 1 (2020): 144–65. doi:10.1353/fgs.2020.0011.

Voices from the Stacks: Phillip G. Hubbard

The following is written by Olson Graduate Research Assistant Anne Moore.

Hubbard in 1966, after being appointed dean of academic affairs (From University Archives Faculty Files, RG01.0015.003)

Phillip G. Hubbard was an engineering professor, administrator, civil rights champion, and distinguished member of the University of Iowa community. He was the first Black professor at the university and spent more than 40 years advocating for students and providing counsel to six presidents. In 1971, he became the first Black vice president at any Big 10 university.

Hubbard was born in Missouri in 1921, but his mother moved the family to Des Moines, Iowa—where the schools were desegrated—so her children could have a better education. Hubbard attended North High School and shined shoes to save up money for college. He first came to the UI as an undergraduate student in 1940, when the university was still largely, if informally, segregated. Black men were excluded from university housing, and all students of color were discouraged from using the cafeteria and attending social events. Like many Black male students, Hubbard lived with a local Black family during his undergraduate years because of housing discrimination in Iowa City. Years later, Hubbard and his wife, Wynonna, would welcome Black students into their own home.

In 1943, Hubbard enlisted in the Army reserves but eventually returned to the UI to finish his BS in electrical engineering, graduating with honors in 1947. That same year, he was hired by the university as a research engineer, making him the first Black faculty member at the UI. He went on to earn an MA in hydraulics and mechanics, a PhD in engineering, and became an assistant professor in 1954.

As the civil rights movement reached its peak throughout the United States, Hubbard helped to found the Committee on Human Rights to combat housing and employment discrimination at the UI and in Iowa City. They investigated complaints and lobbied for Fair Housing ordinances, which were adopted by the city in 1964.

1968 University of Iowa Hawkeye Yearbook

Hubbard was appointed dean of academic affairs at the UI in 1966, becoming the first Black administrator at a university in the state of Iowa. In 1971, he was named vice president of student services. During his leadership tenure, he was a staunch advocate for students of all walks of life. He fought for better undergraduate support and engagement and was admired on campus for his willingness to listen to student concerns. His steady relationship with students helped see the university through the turbulence of the Vietnam War and protests that rocked the campus.

In 1967 Hubbard spearheaded the Rust, Iowa, and Le Moyne for Expanding Educational Horizons (RILEEH) program, which created partnership between the UI and predominantly Black colleges in the rural south. RILEEH facilitated student exchanges, teacher training, and graduate research to help support under-resourced academic institutions in Mississippi and Tennessee. Later, Hubbard would recruit faculty from these same institutions to help build the emerging Afro-American studies program.

As part of his work to promote cultural studies at UI, Hubbard chaired a newly created committee on Afro-American studies in 1968. He encouraged students of all backgrounds to take classes in this emerging field. He saw inclusivity and cultural competency as vital in higher education, believing the university should produce well rounded students who are prepared to live and work in a diverse world. He advocated for the Afro-American Cultural House and the Chicano Indian American Cultural Center (now called the Latino Native American Cultural Center), understanding the importance of creating a welcoming and supportive environment for minority students.

Hubbard with Students in 1983 (Frederick W. Kent Collection of Photographs).

To that end, Hubbard created Opportunity at Iowa in 1987, a program aimed at increasing diversity at the university through the recruitment and retention of minority students and faculty. This included scholarships, outreach to underserved public schools in Iowa, and summer workshops for highschoolers.

After more than 40 years of service, Hubbard retired from the UI in 1990, though he continued to advise Opportunity at Iowa. A year later, Union field (located south of the Iowa Memorial Union) was renamed Hubbard Park in his honor. In 2001, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission.

Dedication of Hubbard Park in August 1991 (Daily Iowan Archives)

Hubbard passed away in 2002 at the age of 80. Today numerous scholarships, medals, and awards bare the Hubbard name, including the Philip G. Hubbard Human Rights Award and the Wynonna G. Hubbard Scholarship. As we reflect on his life and legacy, we should strive to honor Hubbard’s commitment to human rights and his dedication to uplifting students of all backgrounds.

To learn more, view the finding aid for the Phillip G. Hubbard Papers (RG99.0248), or visit us in person or online at the Iowa Digital Library. You can also search the Daily Iowan archives for articles on Phillip Hubbard’s work, or check out his autobiography My Iowa Journey: The Life Story of the University of Iowa’s First African American Professor on InfoHawk+.

New acquisition, Neue Jugend, imparts Dada history

Cover of June 1917 edition of Neue Jugend, taken by Ursula Romero

The following is written by curator Timothy Shipe

Among the International Dada Archive’s latest acquisitions are several issues of the Berlin journal Neue Jugend, founded in early 1914 by two student poets, Heinz Barger and Friedrich Hollaender.

Neue Jugend is a telling example of how the Berlin dadaists managed to elude wartime government censorship. The journal published five issues before its editors were drafted to fight when Germany went to war in August 1914. A sixth issue, distinctly pro-war in tenor, was published in December, after which the journal went silent. Meanwhile, the young writer Wieland Herzfelde served in the German medical corps in Belgium, returning to Berlin in early 1915, expelled from the military for insubordination and deeply disillusioned by the massive slaughter he had witnessed. In Berlin he joined a circle of young writers and artists who, like Herzfelde, were seeking an outlet for their growing pacifist sentiments. Their ingenious solution was to purchase publishing rights to the dormant Neue Jugend.

Because the last issue had been staunchly pro-war, the authorities paid little attention to the journal as it resumed publication in July 1916 with a staunchly anti-war and internationalist orientation. Herzfelde and his associates managed to produce numbers 7 through 12 before the authorities took notice and banned the journal in early 1917. But the editors had one more trick up their sleeves. Taking advantage of a legal loophole, they were able to recast Neue Jugend as a “weekly” in newspaper format. Two issues of this “Wochenausgabe” appeared before it, too, was banned. But it is these two issues, with their radical page layout and avant-garde content, that mark the beginning of a Dada sensibility in Berlin.

By this time, Richard Huelsenbeck had returned from Zurich, where he had helped found the Dada movement. Herzfelde and his colleagues eagerly adopted this new movement, giving it a more overtly political flavor. The final, June 1917 issue of Neue Jugend is considered one of the masterpieces of dadaist page design. Now, with the recent acquisition of nos. 1 and 2 of the first series and no. 1 of the “Wochenausgabe,” we are just one issue short of holding a complete run of this major Berlin Dada publication.

You can find out more about visiting Special Collections to view this and other items in the International Dada Archive by visiting our website.

Hiring for Maps Collection Graduate Assistant

Calling graduate students looking to chart their next year!

Applications are open for two graduate assistantships for hands on work in the University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives. In addition to the Olson Graduate Research Assistant search, we are seeking a graduate student to help navigate the Map Collection. Find the full postings on Handshake and a closer look below.

About the Maps Collection at University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections and Archives

The University of Iowa Map Collection merged with Special Collections and Archives in 2013 as a result of the changing uses and users of paper maps. The collection is local, regional, and international in scope and subject coverage is broad, from topographic maps and atlases to aerial photos, historical maps, celestial charts, and more. It is the largest collection of its kind in the state and is accessible to patrons and researchers on campus and off. Through a Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust Grant in 2024, a dedicated project is underway to revitalize discovery and access to the Map Collection. As a part Special Collections and Archives, it is part of an extensive teaching collection and supports researchers on and off campus.

Position Description

The University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections and Archives invites current or incoming graduate students to apply for the Maps Collection Graduate Assistantship for 2025–2026 (August 2025–July 2026), with the possibility of an extension to summer 2027.

The Maps Collection Graduate Assistant will assist the maps collection librarian and Special Collections and Archives staff with on-site projects pertaining to the collection and Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust grant project. Their work will support the project through activities such as identifying materials for digitization, generating metadata, expanding catalog records, providing collections care, and shifting materials. They will also support Map Collection operations by assisting patrons and researchers, contributing to research projects, assisting map-based instruction, or supporting outreach efforts. Prior knowledge of special collections and archives, maps, GIS, or cartography are welcomed but not required.

Qualifications

The Maps Collection Graduate Assistantship is open to incoming students who have been accepted into a graduate degree program at the University of Iowa for the upcoming fall semester, as well as students who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program. Students in the School of Library and Information Science, new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, and the University of Iowa Center for the Book, or the English, history, American studies, and art and art history programs may have particular interest, but applications from students in any graduate program will be carefully considered. Please note that students currently enrolled in the U2G students (undergraduate-to-graduate) program are not eligible for the Maps Collection Research Assistant position due to funding structure requirements.

Successful candidates must also possess the following requirements:

· Expected graduation date of May 2027 or later

· Demonstrated interest in special collections, archives or a related field

· Interest in learning about maps

· Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills

· Demonstrated skill at making progress towards goals in an environment with many competing priorities and projects

· Demonstrated ability to work in a team-based setting where consultation, flexibility, and collaboration are essential

· Demonstrated commitment to a welcoming and respectful environment, in a workplace setting, and/or in the community

· Ability to carefully physically handle and maneuver oversized materials

Application Details

Students wishing to apply should submit all required materials to Laura Michelson at laura-michelson@uiowa.edu. The deadline is midnight on Feb. 28, 2025.

· Current resume or CV

· Statement outlining the skills or talents the candidate would bring to the Special Collections and Archives department and Map Collection, as well as outlining their academic and career aspirations in special collections or a related field and describing how the Maps Collection Graduate Assistantship aligns with those aspirations. The statement should not exceed two (2) typed pages (under 1000 words).

· Contact information for two professional references who can speak to the candidate’s work experience should also be submitted.

For more, see the full posting for the Maps Collection Graduate Assistant on Handshake here.

Eligible graduate students are welcome to submit applications for both Special Collections and Archives Graduate Assistant positions. Learn more about the Olson Graduate Assistantship on Special Collections and Archives website.

10 Weird Tales Covers to Haunt Your Halloween

The following is written by graduate student worker Theo Prineas

Sometimes, when I’m hunched over a desk in the back of the Hevelin pulps’ windowless archive room, the lights – which are set to a motion-sensing timer – go out. As I jump up and wave my arms to reactivate them, I expect a chalky-dry hand with long fingernails to snake out of the Hevelin pulp and pull me into the dark. Below are the covers that I have come across while I’m working on processing the Hevelin pulps that really set me on edge. As the spirits and demons come out to cavort on All Hallow’s Eve, I invite you to join me in fear and fascination with Weird Tales’ spookiest covers.

July 1945. Cover art by Lee Brown Coye.

Now is the time to plan ahead for your thermostat wars with family, roommates, and friends. Personally, I will be channeling these two as I pull a blanket around myself and huddle in my apartment for the next few months. ‘Tis the season to be cold and spooky.

March 1946. Cover art by Lee Brown Coye.

I love the way the billowing heroism of the red cloak and fine suit of armor sag into the desiccated body of the ghoul. The decayed glory of this character is reflected by the sour sun, the hunching vulture, and the barren sprawl of the tree. Big mood.

Jan. 1947. Cover art by A.R. Tilburne.

In landlocked Iowa, we occasionally need a reminder that the ocean is filled with primal horrors. I need convince myself that my life is complete without going to a beach. You’ve seen The Meg—now read this Weird Tales to meet the creatures that lurk below the depths!

Nov. 1949. Cover art by Matt Fox.

He’s just a hungry little guy!

Nov. 1950. Cover art by Frank Kelly Freas.

I find this cover compellingly mysterious. What strange creatures dance in the darkest part of Halloween night? The shadow over the satyr’s face hides its true intentions. You’ll have to read the pulp and enter the weird to uncover the truth.

July 1951. Cover art by Charles A. Kennedy.

Who amongst us hasn’t danced in a moonlit fire ritual? To me, this is a quintessential graduate school rite of passage. How else am I supposed to get an A on finals? Study? No thanks. I shall instead entreat the Flame Birds that emerge with all the demons on All Hallow’s Eve for magical aid.

Sept. 1952. Cover art by Virgil Finlay.

I entered this copy of Weird Tales into the collection guide a few hours before leaving work to meet up with friends at the Iowa City Jazz Fest to watch the fireworks. The impression of this chaotic scene lingered in my mind as I departed from the quiet library into Iowa City’s bacchanalian street celebrations.

Nov. 1952. Cover art by Anthony Di Giannurio.

Reader, it is fall. The skeletons rising from the mud evoke students dragging themselves to 8 a.m. classes as the mornings get darker and colder. Over our heads lurks the specter of a hungry vulture, a manifestation of the menace awaiting us at the end of the semester. Prepare yourselves for the grim scourge: finals.

Jan. 1953. Cover art by Frank Kelly Freas.

The alien at the heart of the spiral is oddly hypnotic. As I write this, I’m getting very sleepy…Why do I have the inexplicable urge to go to the Reading Room and read this pulp? If I catch any library staff building a UFO in their office, I’ll know that they spent too long looking at this issue of Weird Tales.

Winter 1973. Cover art By Bill Edwards.

The expressions on this cover capture the duality of Halloween. The devil’s expression is the depraved wickedness I feel after I buy myself cake even though I haven’t earned it. The terror of the man on the slab is my stomach’s horror at just how much sugar I’ve consumed. This is your invitation to join me in my depravity: Have some cake. Torment your gut biome. It’s the season of tricks and treats!

Want to continue your scary journey through the Hevelin pulp magazines? Come visit us at Special Collections and Archives!

Voices from the Stacks: Los Bailadores Zapatistas and the Latino Native American Cultural Center

The following is written by Olson Graduate Research Assistant Anne Moore.

Last week, the Latino-Native American Alumni Alliance (LANA3) gathered on campus to celebrate more than 50 years of the Latino Native American Cultural Center (LNACC) at the University of Iowa.

In 1971, three students—Rusty Barceló, Ruth Pushetonequa, and Tony Zavala—founded the the Chicano Indian American Cultural Center, later renamed the Latino Native American Cultural Center (LNACC). In it’s five-decade history LNACC has hosted events like cookouts, powwows, and dances; published literary magazines and newsletters; held rallies, boycotts, and protests; and sponsored a variety of other educational and social programs.

The Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives recently acquired new materials from LNACC, including four beautiful dresses handmade by students in Los Bailadores Zapatistas, a baile folklórico troupe on campus. Baile folklórico encompasses many different types of traditional folk dance stemming from various regions of Mexico and cultural traditions, often with Indigenous and Spanish influences.

Los Bailadores Zapatista’s was formed at University of Iowa in the mid-1970s and aimed to “increase the education level and understanding of mestizo dancing and music, and to share our mestizo culture with the university and community population.” Los Bailadores performed on campus and throughout Iowa and the Midwest, often accompanied by the singing group El Conjunto Chicano. They visited other campuses and performed at community events and festivals. In 1978 they attended the National Ballet Folklórico festival in Kansas, and six students traveled to Mexico that summer to learn traditional dances.

Celina Espinoza, the groups instructor, taught the other members how to sew costumes, which are representative of traditional dance attire worn in different regions of Mexico. The group performed dances from the states of Jalisco and Veracruz, as well as from northern regions of Mexico and what is now the Southwestern United States.

Los Bailadores Zapatistas was just one of several groups affiliated with LNACC that brought Chicano art, music, and culture to audiences on the University of Iowa campus and beyond. To learn more about Los Bailadores and the Latino Native American Cultural Center, visit us in person or online at the Iowa Digital Library, and check out our past blog posts on LNACC. You can also find the full finding aid to this collection online.