A hidden history of our discipline: Latin American archival thinking in the mid-20^th century

ABSTRACT

This article is based on ongoing research which seeks to explore the development of Latin American archival thinking from the late 1950s onwards. The aim of this study is to broaden, diversify and enrich archival history both internationally and regionally, by incorporating ideas and perspectives which have, until now, received less attention than those from other parts of the world. In the 1960s and 70s, Latin American archivists and National Archives’ directors attended a series of meetings that encouraged the formation of a regional, collective diagnosis of the current condition of archives and the promotion of a set of political and historical reflections to explain that situation and to devise solutions to change it. This article provides a comparative account of these meetings, and of the existing scholarship around them. It also highlights three individuals whose contribution to the archival discourse of the time is worthy of more detailed consideration: José Honório Rodrigues (Brazil), Gunnar Mendoza (Bolivia) and José Pedro Esposel (Brazil). Some initial conclusions are offered and avenues for further research are set out. The main professional and academic motivation for this research is to promote current archival demands by recovering inspiring past experiences that still resonate today in Latin America.

KEYWORDS:

• archival thinking
• archival history
• Latin American archivists
• archival meetings
• State development

Acknowledgments

This article was supported by the Chilean National Research and Development Agency (Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, ANID) and is part of my ongoing PhD research entitled “The National Archive of Chile and The State, 1962-1975.” I wish to gratefully acknowledge the generous help and suggestions received for this article from Alex Buchanan and Marieke Riethof, my supervisory team at the University of Liverpool, as well as from the reviewers and the editors. All translations from Spanish, Portuguese and Italian are mine.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Tanodi, Manual de Archivología, 37.

2. Mendoza, “Archival Underdevelopment,” 508.

3. Ramírez, ”Presentación,” 3.

4. Villanueva and Núñez, Tejiendo la memoria archivística.

5. Alves da Cunha et al., História da Arquivologia.

6. See note 4 above.

7. Oporto, Gunnar Mendoza and Oporto, Historia de la archivística.

8. Rubio Mañé, ”Primera Reunión Interamericana;” Carrera Stampa, ”México en la Primera;” Cortés Alonso, ”Balance de veinte años;” and Cortés Alonso, Diez años de cooperación archivística.

9. Oporto and Molina, ”Primera Reunión Interamericana” and De la Cruz, ”El cincuenta aniversario.”

10. Nazar, La Archivística and Betancourt, ”Archival Traditions.”

11. Bottino, O legado dos Congressos.

12. Alencar, A Primeira Reunião Interamericana.

13. Alves da Cunha, A arquivologia brasileira.

14. Tanodi, “Antecedentes y estructura,” 9.

15. Cook, “What is Past,” 20.

16. Ibid., 17–18.

17. Maymí-Sugrañes, ”Latin American.”

18. Tanodi, Manual de Archivología, 37.

19. Etchepareborda, “Cooperación interamericana,” 308–309.

20. Duchein, “The History of European,” 14.

21. Cook, “What is Past.”

22. Lowry and MacNeil, “Archival Thinking,” 1.

23. Oporto and Molina, ”Primera Reunión Interamericana,” 38.

24. See Smith, ”Theodore Schellenberg” and Pardo, ”Archival classics”.

25. Mendoza, “Situación actual,” 451.

26. ”Primera Reunión Interamericana,” 87.

27. Ibid.

28. Cortés Alonso, “Balance de veinte años.”

29. Oporto and Molina, “Primera Reunión Interamericana.”

30. Gutiérrez, “Propuestas Archivísticas,” 81.

31. See note 28 above.

32. Oporto and Molina, “Primera Reunión Interamericana,” 39.

33. Nazar, La Archivística, 44.

34. ”Primera Reunión Interamericana” 86.

35. Ibid., 83.

36. Oporto and Molina, “Primera Reunión Interamericana.”

37. Alencar, A Primeira Reunião Interamericana, 39.

38. Cortés Alonso, “Planeamiento del Programa.”

39. Lodolini, “Los Archivos Nacionales.”

40. Tanodi, “Los Archivos Nacionales.”

41. Rodríguez, “Los Archivos Nacionales.”

42. See note 38 above.

43. Ibid., 19.

44. Ibid., 19.

45. Lodolini, “Los Archivos Nacionales,” 47.

46. Tanodi, “Los Archivos Nacionales,” 68.

47. Gutiérrez, “Propuestas archivísticas,” 82.

48. ”Carta de los Archivos,” 26.

49. Ibid., 17.

50. Ibid., 16.

51. Ibid., 17.

52. Ibid., 19.

53. Ibid., 24.

54. Betancourt, “Archival Traditions,” 490.

55. ”Carta de los Archivos,” 17.

56. UNESCO, ”Concepción y planificación” and Carroll, ”NATIS.”

57. ”Reunión Regional de Expertos,” 145–161.

58. Ibid., 147.

59. Ibid., 147.

60. Ibid., 148.

61. Ibid., 148–149.

62. Ibid., 151.

63. Ibid.,150.

64. Mendoza, “Archival Underdevelopment,” 503.

65. Esposel, “Arquivologia e Desenvolvimento,” 137.

66. Gutiérrez, “Propuestas Archivísticas,” 82.

67. Rodrigues, A situação do Arquivo, 7.

68. Elian and Girão, “'Para que o Arquivo,” 492.

69. Rodrigues, A situação do Arquivo, 7.

70. Ibid., 12.

71. Ibid., 13.

72. Ibid., 14.

73. Ibid., 45.

74. Ibid., 64.

75. Elian and Ana Girão, “'Para que o Arquivo,” 489.

76. Alves and Medleg, “Um intelectual no Arquivo,” 181.

77. Ibid.

78. Glezer, “O fazer.”

79. Alves and Medleg, ”Um intelectual no Arquivo.”

80. Oporto, Gunnar Mendoza, 24.

81. Ibid., 114.

82. Mendoza, “Situación actual,” 464.

83. Mendoza, “Archival Underdevelopment,” 507.

84. Mendoza, “Situación actual,” 451.

85. Ibid., 452.

86. Mendoza, “Archival Underdevelopment,” 508.

87. Esposel, “Arquivologia e Desenvolvimento,” 142.

88. Ibid., 137.

89. Ibid., 145.

90. Lodolini, “Caratteri e Problemi,” 30.

91. Evans, ”El Estado.”

92. See note 33 above.

93. Alves and Medleg, “Um intelectual no Arquivo.”

94. Schellenberg, “Problemas arquivísticos.”

95. Lofstrom, “Gunnar Mendoza,” LXXI.

96. National Archives of Chile Fund, Vol. 182, letter from Theodore R. Schellenberg to Samuel Villalobos, Washington, 14 December 1960, and letter from Samuel Villalobos to Theodore R. Schellenberg, Santiago, 27 January 1961.

97. National Archives of Chile Fund, vol. 193, letter from Juan Eyzaguirre to Theodore R. Schellenberg, Santiago, 7 March 1962.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo [Becas Chile 2019 – 72200540].

Notes on contributors

Claudio Ogass Bilbao

Claudio Ogass Bilbao is a PhD student on Archive Studies, University of Liverpool, and ANID Scholarship (Becas Chile 2019 – 72200540), Master’s in History, Universidad de Chile, and Diploma in Archival Science, Universidad Alberto Hurtado. Professor of Latin American Archival Thinking in the Diploma in Archival Science, Universidad de Chile and the Archivo Nacional (Chile). Member of the Liverpool University Centre for Archive Studies (LUCAS), the Society of Latin American Studies (SLAS), the Latin American Archival History Group (GEHAAL), and the Assembly of Archivists in Chile (ASARCH).