Content Abstract: The Francisco A. Chapa family included Francisco A. Chapa, founder of Chapa Drug Company and La Botica de Leon (the Lion Drugstore); Adelaida Rivas Chapa, of the Rivas family, wife of Francisco A. Chapa; Frank L. Chapa, son of Francisco and Adelaida Chapa; Blanche Laborde, of the Laborde family, wife of Frank L. Chapa; Isabel and Beatrice Chapa, daughters of Francisco and Adelaida Chapa. The papers consist of correspondence, drug store records, legal documents, military records, clippings, photographs, and assorted materials.

Content Abstract: The Cortez family lived in San Diego, Texas and later San Antonio, Texas. The collection predominantly consists of 30 photographs documenting landmarks in San Diego, Texas and San Antonio, Texas as well as Eugenio Cortez's family members.

Content Abstract: The four generations of Gresham and Negley family members represented in this collection include William B. Negley, Susan Maria Jones Negley, William B. Negley, Richard Van Wyck Negley, Sr., William Walter Negley, Rose Gertrude Negley Gresham, Rupert Neely Gresham, Sr., Rupert Neely Gresham, Jr., and Susan Maria Jones Gresham Crudgington Davidge. Most family members lived and worked in San Antonio, Texas during the bulk of the 20th century. The collection spans the years 1845 through 2003 (with the bulk of materials dating 1885-1917 and includes correspondence between four generations of family members, photographs, business papers, household receipts, postcard albums, and scrapbooks. Collectively these papers show the family ties that the family maintained over more than 100 years, as well as social and business relationships that the family maintained in San Antonio.

Content Abstract: Arcadia Hernandez Lopez was born December 21, 1909, and came to the West Side of San Antonio with her family as refugees from the Mexican Revolution. She overcame a language barrier and poverty to earn her Doctorate and become one of the first bilingual educators in Texas. She was the author of her own biography, and was married but had no children. She died at the age of 97, donating funds in her will to establish the UTSA Arcadia Lopez Endowed Scholarship fund for bilingual education. Boxes contain albums of photographs, clippings, and cards; a datebook; Margil yearbook from 1920 from Our Lady of the Lake University; scrapbooks documenting her life, travels and career, consist of photographs, clippings, certificates, and various cards; a distinguished service award; and Santitos.

Content Abstract: Naomi Shihab Nye has published several books of poetry, writings for children, novels and columns. Nye has also worked as a visiting writer in schools at all grade levels and universities and has won several national awards. The collection includes the typescripts, manuscripts, drafts, proofs, and other pre-publication forms of the writings of poet and writer Naomi Shihab Nye. Writings include early and revised drafts of poems, essays, and other writings. Published work is supplemented by hundreds of unpublished poems. These working papers are accompanied by notebooks dating back to Nye's school years, an extensive correspondence file with authors, editors, publishers, family members and fans, copies of her publications in book form, and her contributions to books and journals. Also present is extensive material about Nye, including audiovisual materials, work relating to her teaching in public schools, and photographs.

Content Abstract: Garland A. Perry is an author and historian from Kendall county, Texas. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs, research files, correspondence, calenders, scrapbooks and family papers.

Content Abstract: The Redford family moved from Canada to the Texas Hill Country in 1877. These diaries contain a regular entries regarding weather conditions and community matters.

Content Abstract: Special Collections was a department of University of Texas at San Antonio Library until the department merged with the UTSA Archives in the late 1990s to become the Special Collections and Archives Department (later the Archives and Special Collections Department). In 2011 the department was renamed and again became Special Collections. UTSA Libraries Special Collections collects books and archival material relating to the history of San Antonio and the Southwestern United States. The collection spans the years 1818 through 1974 and is comprised of letters, various legal and genealogical documents, other manuscripts, and printed material pertaining to the history of South Central Texas.

Content Abstract: Collection includes the records pertaining to the Student Intern Research Project that began at the Institute of Texan Cultures in 1983. The records are comprised of 11 linear feet and include memoranda, personal and administrative correspondence, interview recordings and transcripts, research files, research reports and photographic materials pertaining to independent student research conducted for the Institute of Texan Cultures from 1983-1992.

Content Abstract: The Institute of Texan Cultures Oral History Collection originated from a regional meeting of the Texas Historical Commission held in Bandera, TX in 1973 calling for the creation of an oral history program to document the history of San Antonio and Bexar County. The collection consists of 900+ interviews conducted since 1967 and document a broad range of activities related to life in Texas.

Content Abstract: The Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC), a museum and campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio, was established in 1965 by the 59th Texas Legislature. Originally housing the Texas Pavilion at HemisFair '68, it was designed to study the ethnic groups that settled in Texas. The ITC Library was established in 1965 as a repository for books and images of artifacts being collected by researchers preparing exhibits for the Texas Pavilion. The vertical files were started in 1967 by the original Institute of Texan Cultures research staff, and was used for planning the exhibits for the Texas Pavilion at HemisFair. Staff members and student helpers toured the state making copies of items in libraries and private collections. After the fair, the research staff -- and later library staff-- continued to add to these files for exhibit updates and for use in publications, audiovisuals, and other ITC products. The general file was started for items that didn’t fit into the ethnic category.