The Journal of San Diego History
SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
Winter 1985, Volume 31, Number 1
Thomas L. Scharf, Editor

Book Notes

Raymond Starr, Book Review Editor

Hispanics and the Humanities in the Southwest: A Directory of Resources. Edited by F. Arturo Rosales and David William Foster. Tempe, Arizona: Center for Latin American Studies, Arizona State University, 1983. Index. 327 Pages. $9.95 Paper.

Much of historical and contemporary San Diego is Hispanic. Mario T. Garcia reminded us in the Fall 1972 issue of the Journal of San Diego History of our obligation to recognize and reflect that in the history of San Diego. As an aid to doing that, a directory of Hispanic resources could be very useful. At first glance, Arizona State University’s directory of resources, Hispanics and the Humanities in the Southwest, would appear to provide that assistance. It includes a brief account of Hispanics followed by a directory of scholars, academic programs, libraries, museums, historical organizations, publications, radio stations, and community organizations for the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. If, however, all of the entries are as full of errors as those pertaining to San Diego, it may not. For example, they do not even include the Center for Regional History at San Diego State University, which includes major manuscript and artifact collections on Hispanics. Nor does it include the Department of Mexican American Studies at San Diego State University. San Diego economist Norris Clement’s name is mispelled on page 100, although it is spelled correctly on page 117. The entry on the San Diego Historical Society is exceptional: It lists the wrong zip code, wrong phone number, cites Steven Brezzo of the Art Museum as director, and says that its Balboa Park location is near the site of the first mission and the presidio. If this entry is at all typical, it would suggest that you use Hispanics and the Humanities in the Southwest with utmost care!