Researching San Luis Obispo County History
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Kennedy Library, Cal Poly
Gaps and Silences in Archives and Special Collections
While archives have been viewed as unbiased repositories of the past in its entirety, they are in fact spaces of gaps and silences. These gaps and silences are due to changing opinions of archivists have considered "of enduring value," and can reflect historical, institutional, and internalized racism, classism, sexism, and ignorance of marginalized genders and sexualities. Biases may also impact the archivist's description. Archives are not neutral.
Learn more about how to be a critical user of archives and primary sources.
Archives by communities, subjects, and themes
Sometimes, when you are just getting started with research in an archives, it can help to see collections from communities, or about topics and subjects, to get familiar. Here we've listed some of the archival collections that may be of interest as you begin your research. This is a selection to get you started. You can also browse many of our collections on the Online Archive of California.
Many of the archives relate to the experiences of communities on the Central Coast and California. Here are some of the archival collections:
- Gabriel L. Valencia Farm Labor Collection (MS0171)
- Murgia Chicano Latino Periodicals (MS0156)
- NAACP Convention Photograph Collection, July 1949 (MS0152)
- Alice M. Martin Papers (MS0122)
- Guadalupe Speaks Oral History Collection (MS0120)
- Ethnic Studies Oral History Collection (MS0105)
- Viva La Causa: A Decade of Farm Labor Organizing on the Central Coast - Traveling Exhibit (MS0102)
- Central Coast Farm Labor Organizing Collection (MS0098)
- Smith Family Papers on World War II (MS0065)
- Messinger Pacific Theater World War II Collection (MS0064)
- Painted Rock Pictograph Collection (MS0049)
- Manzanar Collection (MS0026)
- Cal Poly Multicultural Center
- With Our Own Eyes/Con Nuestros Propios Ojos Exhibit
- Louis Family Papers (MS0168)
- Re/Collecting Project Archive (MS0190)
The archives has many collections of environmentalists who were involved on the central coast, including activism around Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.
- Bongio (Enrico) Papers, 1952-1993
- Central Coast Power Plants and Environmentalism Collection
- Coastal Alliance on Plant Expansion (CAPE), Records of the
- David A. Bainbridge Collection on Water Wall Passive Solar Design
- Dark Circle Documentary Film Collection
- Goddard Jones (Kathleen) Correspondence, 1918-2002 (bulk 1926-1932)
- Goddard Jones (Kathleen) Papers, 1933-2001 (bulk 1964-1994)
- McMillan (Ian) Papers, 1925-1990 (bulk 1960-1990)
- McMillan-Wreden California Condor Collection, 1953 (bulk 1953)
- Miossi (Harold) Papers, 1942-1990 (bulk 1975-1990)
- Mothers for Peace
- Robert L. Jones Papers on Morro Bay
- Wilson (Lee) Papers, 1956-1989 (bulk 1961-1972)
More about the library's Diablo Canyon Power Plant Documents
The archives holds a variety of materials that document the history of California Travel and Boosterism history, from train schedules to city brochures. These materials are cataloged in the library's catalog OneSearch. Explore the collection.
Special Collections and Archives materials
Special Collections and Archives at Cal Poly's Kennedy Library holds many collections and resources that document the experiences of communities and organizations on the Central Coast of California.
What do we have?
Many of our collections are described at the Online Archive of California. Some search tips:
- You can search by name of individual, family, organization
- You can search by city or county
What is digitized and online?
Some of the materials from these collections above are digitized and searchable on our Online Archive.
- Browse our digitized materials by collection
- Search across all the Online Archive by keyword or date:
- search names of individuals, families, organizations
- search by location, including city and streets
- search keywords we use today to describe the place/topic AND keywords that would have been used historically to describe the place/topic/time
- use the filters to narrow your search
Additional collections are not yet searchable online. Contact Special Collections and Archives staff to discuss your research topic and learn if there are more materials that can support your research at Cal Poly.
Searching the library catalog for books, magazines, and other published materials
Any published materials in Special Collections and Archives are cataloged separately and are searchable on the library's catalog OneSearch.
Learn more about advanced searching in OneSearch.
Senior projects and masters theses can also relate to local research topics. Here is more information about searching senior projects.