Description: Papers of Oscar Lewis, professor of anthropology (1948-70) and Ruth Maslow Lewis, his wife and research associate (1918-2008), includes correspondence, publications, manuscripts, reviews, interviews, drafts, and tapes relating to research in anthropology, and American Indians, North Indian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and New York villages and culture, and in particular, the sub-culture of poverty. His papers also include correspondence, reviews, typescript, galley proofs, continuity notes on edited tapes and copies of edited tape recordings of personal interviews used as source material for The Children of Sanchez (Random House, 1961); reviews and tape recorded interviews used as source material for Pedro Martinez, A Mexican Peasant and his Family (Random House, 1964) and the manuscript and galley proofs for La Vida: A Puerto Rican Family in the Culture of Poverty - San Juan and New York (Random House, 1966). The series includes also French, Danish, Swedish, Portuguese and Japanese editions of La Vida, The Children of Sanchez, Five Families and Tepoztlan. Village in Mexico. Also included are rolodexes of Oscar and Ruth Lewis's contacts, magnetic tapes that include music lessons, Rorschach responses from the 1960s, a speech of Lopez Mateo, release of Jesus Sanchez and Bertha for movie, part of Luis' day at the market used in "A Thursday with Manuel," Luis Hernandez impressions, and Lewis singing Hebrew melodies. Unknown to most, Oscar Lewis was an accomplished singer performing for friends and family and routinely sang Yiddish songs harking back to his ancestry. In 1951 he did a private recording of some of the old Yiddish songs (Ashkenazi and Sephardic), a few of which may be difficult to find elsewhere. A CD of these songs donated by Diane Gottheil is included; it is unknown whether the songs on the CD are the same as on the magnetic tape. Included is also a rubber stamp with Oscar Lewis's name and position at the University of Illinois.
An accession was added in spring 2023.
THIS SERIES HAS ACCESS RESTRICTIONS; PLEASE CONTACT AN ARCHIVIST.
Access Restriction: Access to the materials requires agreement to a conditions of use form; please contact the
Archives to request a copy of the form. Note that boxes 98 is restricted from access until 2030.