Manuel (Chaca) Ramírez Photographs
Scope and Contents Note
Collection consists of 875 images that document activities and environs of Mexican Americans in Texas. Photographs of Laredo, Texas, in the 1970's show people of Laredo in their surroundings, and the contrasts between poverty and luxury in the city. Slides document the Texas Farm Workers' march of 1977 for reform of labor laws in Texas and the United States, protest marches against police brutality, neighborhood activism in Austin, Texas, and a mural project by the League of United Chicano Artists (LUChA) in East Austin. 280 different slides and 41 photoprints show artist Amado Peña and his works; also included are two small reproductions of prints by Peña. 180 images document art works by Chelo González Amezcua. Accompanying materials include lists of slides giving place, date, and names of participants, or titles and dates for art works. Biographical information on Amado Peña and copies of magazine and newspaper articles are also included.
Dates
- Creation: 1964-1982
Language of Materials
English, Spanish
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted.
Use Restrictions
Standard copyright restrictions apply. Copyright is held by the Ramírez estate.
Biographical Sketch
Photographer and civil rights activist Manuel (Chaca) Ramírez (1947-) was born in Laredo where he began his photographic career in the 1960s. Ramírez studied photojournalism at the University of Texas at Austin. In the late 1970s, he documented several examples of Chicano activism; in the 1980s, he recorded the work of Mexican American artists Amado Maurilio Peña, Jr. and Consuelo (Chelo) Gonzalez Amezcua.
Full Extent
4.88 linear feet
Abstract
Photographs and slides document Mexican American barrios, civil rights activities, including the Texas Farmworkers' march of 1977 and the East Austin Boat Race controversy, and Chicano arts and artists.
Arrangement
Organized into seven series: 1. Laredo photographs, 1973-1975; 2. Texas Farm Workers' march, 1977; 3. Statewide march in memory of Jose Campos Torres, Austin, Texas, 1978; 4. East Austin boat race controversy, Austin, Texas, 1978; 5. LUChA mural project, Austin, Texas, 1977-1978; 6. Artist Amado Maurilio Peña and his works, 1966-1982; 7. Artist Consuelo (Chelo) González Amezcua's works, 1964-1975. Original order as arranged by photographer.
Acquisition Information
Information of acquisition method not available.
Alternate Form Available
Select Series 4. East Austin Boat Race Controversy slides and three photographs of Amado Maurilio Peña (Series 6) have been digitized. See the compact disc (CD) access copy.
Series 5 League of United Chicano Artists (LUChA) mural project slides have been digitized. See the compact disc (CD) access copy.
Series 7 Artist Consuelo (Chelo) González Amezcua's work slides have been digitized. See the compact disc (CD) access copy.
Processing Information
Preliminary description by previous Benson staff. Additional processing by Carla O. Alvarez, March 2022.
Genre / Form
Topical
- Demonstrations--Texas--Austin--Photographs
- Laredo (Tex.)--Social conditions--Photographs
- Mexican American agricultural laborers--Texas--Photographs
- Mexican American art--Texas--Photographs
- Mexican Americans--Texas--Austin--Photographs
- Mexican Americans--Texas--Laredo--Photographs
- Mural painting and decoration--20th century--Texas--Austin
- Title
- Manuel (Chaca) Ramírez Photographs
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
- Date
- 2006
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2021 May: Edited by Carla O. Alvarez to fix compliance check errors to prepare for the migration to new TARO website.
- 2021 November: Edited by Devon Murphy to update control access terms and formatting based on the TARO Control Access List.
- 2022 March: Finding aid updated by Carla O. Alvarez after additional processing.
- 2025 July: Revised by Ryan Sullivant to fix validation errors prior to ingestion into ArchivesSpace.
- 2026: Edited by Carla O. Alvarez.
Repository Details
Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository
2300 Red River Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4578
bensonspecialcollections@austin.utexas.edu