Guide for Senior Essay Writers: Latin America 

An overview of the types of tools to find primary source material, both at Yale and beyond, is found on this Primary Sources at Yale website. All of the sources listed have their relative strengths and weaknesses. Below are the most popular:

• Orbis is the best tool for finding materials at Yale, though it's not a complete catalog for archival holdings at Yale.

• Worldcat is the most complete source for finding collections around the world.

Another excellent source of primary source material at Yale can be found in the Microfilm Reading Room in the basement of Sterling Memorial Library. This link brings you to a list of major microfilm collections available in the Microfilm Reading Room.

Manuscripts collections

This is a sampling of the collections held in the Manuscripts and Archives Dept. in Sterling Memorial Library:

The Percival Farquhar Papers reveal the expansion of United States business interests into Latin America and the economic development of Brazil in the early twentieth century. The papers provide insight to Farquhar's (1864-1953) career in Latin American railroad building from 1898 to 1941, when his massive Brazilian railroad project ended due to unyielding Brazilian nationalist opposition.

The De Forest Family Papers chronicle the movemments of David Curtis de Forest (1774-1825), a Yankee merchant and privateer. He lived in the Rio de la Plata area from 1801 to 1817, Argentina's late colonial and revolutionary periods, and then served as the new nation's first consul to the United States from 1817 to 1822. De Forest's papers depict the Rio de la Plata's commercial and political history during his years there, as well as the mechanics and diplomatic implications of United States' privateering during Latin American wars of independence.

The James Watson Webb Papers documents the intersection of the history of the United States civil war with Latin American history Webb served as the American minister to Pedro II's Court in Brazil from 1861 to 1869. His personal letters sketch life at the Brazilian court, and his correspondence with Secretary of State William H. Seward documents Webb's efforts to protect American interests in the Paraguayan War, fight aid extended to Confederate privateers, and handle incidents between Confederate and Union ships in Brazilian waters. There is also correspondence on his role securing French withdrawal from Mexico in 1865.

The Henry Hill Papers documents the efforst of a Yankee merchant to sell arms and ammunition to South American revolutionaries in 1817, and his service as the United States vice-consul to Valparaiso, Chile.

The Southern Cone Collection ia a collection of correspondence; government documents; printed material; and writings from the Southern Cone region of Latin America (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) on civil, military, economic and social topics.

Latin American pamphlet collection, 1568-1949. (Microform) Bethesda, MD: University Publications of America, 1985.
MS 1350

This is a microfiche collection of pamphlets from Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela, the West Indies, and other Latin American and South American countries. The pamphlets document the agricultural, economic, legal, military, political, religious, and social activities in these countries. Consult the Guide to Latin American Pamphlets from the Yale University Library (Z1431 +V34 1985 LC) for access.

Arranged in three series: I. Mexican Pamphlets. II. Peruvian Pamphlets. III. Miscellaneous Pamphlets. Patrons must use FICHE 89 instead of the originals.

Collections Held in Microform Reading Room:

The Microform Reading Room is located in the basement of Sterling Memorial Library, room 20.

Adolf Augustus Berle papers, 1937-1971 (inclusive)
FILM MISC 842

A diary record, 1937-1971, of Adolf Berle. Interspersed among the diary entries, are letters, memoranda of conversations, observations, speech drafts, opinions, and clippings related to American foreign policy, economic policy in the 1930s, World War II, and Latin American affairs. Also included is material on personal and family affairs, New York and national politics, the Communist threat to the United States, and his work as head of President Kennedy's Latin American task force. More than half the diary covers the years when Berle was Assistent Secretary of State, 1938-1944, and Ambassador to Brazil, 1945-1946.

Alfonsin, Raul. Mensajes presidenciales.

Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress Photoduplication Service, 1995.

4 microfilm reels.

Film B18196

A collection of speeches of the president of Argentina, Raul Alfonsin, published between the years 1983 to 1989. Contains volumes published as Discursos presidenciales and other separately titled speeches. Prepared for microfilming by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress. Guide to contents appears at the beginning of each reel. Master microform held by: DLC.

Argentine political parties [microform] : pamphlets.

Buenos Aires, Argentina : various publishers, 1984-1989. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Library, 1989. 4 microfilm reels.
Film B14557 Includes portraits, broadsides, posters, newspaper articles.

Brazil's popular groups

A collection of materials issued by socio-political, religious, labor, and minority grass-roots organizations in Brazil. From 1966-1986 with supplements.

* U.S. consul despatches, listed below, are arranged in chronological order. The records include reports to the Department of State from diplomatic representatives of the United States stationed abroad and may consist of notes, correspondence, clippings and other materials exchanged with foreign officials. Originals at National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.

Chile, actividades de movimientos politicos, sociales y culturales, 1985-1986. [microform] Chile : various publishers, 1980-1986. ca. 415 items ; ill., maps. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Library, 1986. 2 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
FILM B13711

Includes newspaper articles, broadsides, posters. Also listed under: Valdés Gabriel, 1919-: Partido para el futuro. Jara Paz, Hector: Discurso del Secretario General de la Juventud a la Militancia Radical. Gonzales, Eugenio, 1902-: Fundamentacion teorica del programa del Partido Socialista (1947). Federacion Democratica (Chile). Izquierda Cristiana de Chile: Estrategia de conquista democratica. Movimiento Democrático Popular (Chile). Partido Comunista de Chile. Partido Demócrata-Cristiano (Chile). Partido Humanista (Chile). Partido Nacional (Chile). Partido Radical (Chile). Juventud Radical Revolucionaria (Chile). Partido Socialista (Chile). Ampuero Diaz, Raul. Socialismo, entre ayer y manana. Acuerdo Nacional para la Transicion a la Democracia Plena (Organization : Chile). Bases de sustentacion del regimen democratico. Frente Patriotico Manuel Rodriguez (Chile). MAPU (Organization : Chile). Comité de Derechos Humanos Cardenal Caro. Asociacion Capitulos Medicos (Chile). Consejo Regional Santiago. Tendencia Proletaria Insurreccional (Chile) Estrategia militar y tesis sobre la insurreccion obrera y popular en hile. Comando Nacional de Trabajadores (Chile). Coordinadora Caro Ochagavia movimiento de Autodefensa Vecinal (Santiago, Chile). Union Demócrata Independiente (Chile). Variant and related titles: EL Estado de Sitio y las tareas del Movimiento Popular. El MDP y la Asamblea de la civilidad. Principios (Santiago, Chile) no. 34, 40. Por Chile (Santiago, Chile) no. 18. Agitacion y lucha de masa. Basta (Santiago, Chile). no. 63-64, 68-69, extra. Rebelion en la Armada de Chile. Lircay (Santiago, Chile) no. 42. El Humanista (Santiago, Chile) Marzo-Abril, 1986. Dialogos para el Socialismo Democratico. La no violencia evangelica, fuerza de liberacion. Zona Sur. no. 40, no. 6 separata. Alamoneda. no. 4, 7, 9-10, 12-13. Chile se une "Por la vida y la democracia". Chile vencer a (Cambridge, Ma.) junio 1986. El Sindical (Santiago, Chile) no. 9-10. El pueblo rebelde vencer a. no. 14-15. De frente al pueblo (Santiago, Chile) no. 3-4.

Chile, movimiento de oposición y actividades de protesta, 1984-1986. Chile : various publishers, 1984-1986. ca. 1000 items ; ill. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Library, 1986. 2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
FILM B13713

Includes pamphlets, broadsides, posters, protest advertisements.

Chilean political party and opposition literature, 1985-1987. Chile : various publishers, 1985-1987. ca 450 items ; ill., maps. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Library, 1987. 2 microfilm reels ; 35 mm.
FILM B13709

Includes newspaper articles, broadsides, posters. Also listed under: Izquierda Cristiana de Chile. Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Santiago (Chile). Vicaría de la Solidaridad. Informe preliminar sobre la Ley Orgánica Constitucional de Estados de Excepción. MAPU (Organization : Chile). Movimiento Democrático Popular (Chile). Comité Ejecutivo. Informe del Comité Ejecutivo al Encuentro Nacional del Movimiento Juvenil Democrático Popular. Movimiento Juvenil Lautaro. Partido Demócrata-Cristiano (Chile). Agrupación Nacional de Familiares de Detenidos-Desaparecidos (Chile). Comité Pro-Retorno de Exiliados Chilenos. Partido Socialista Histórico (Chile) Frente Nacional del Trabajo (Chile). Unión Demócrata Independiente (Chile). Partido Humanista (Chile). Partido Radical (Chile). Partido Comunista de Chile. Partido Liberal (Chile). Unión Nacional (Chile). Renovación Nacional (Political party : Chile). Movimiento Poblacional Solidaridad (Chile). Grupo de Estudios Constitucionales (Chile). Organización del poder político local. Grupo de Estudios Constitucionales (Chile). Estatuto de la ciudadanía, inscripciones y sistema electoral. Colegio de Profesores de Chile.

Comintern Archives [microform] : files of the Communist Party of Mexico. Leiden, Netherlands: IDC Publishers, 2006. 29 microfilm reels

LSF- click "Place Requests" for delivery to any Yale library - Film B20633

The files ..."cover the period 1919-1940 and  include extensive documentation on the relations between the Comintern and its counterparts in  Latin and North America."--Online guide, p. 2. Mostly in Spanish, with some German, Russian, French, or English.  "The collection is held by the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History (RGASPI) , Moscow."—Reel  1.

Documenting the Peruvian insurrection [microform]. Woodbridge, CT : Primary Source Microfilm ; Scholarly Resources, Inc., an imprint of Thomson Gale, 2005. 19 microfilm reels

LSF- click "Place Requests" for delivery to any Yale Library - Film B20632

Guide:  SML, Microtext Desk (In-Room Use, Non-Circulating) F3448.2 .D628 2005 (LC)+ Oversize

Latin American history and culture [microform]: an archival record. Series 5. Civil war, society and political transition in Guatemala: the Guatemala News and Information Bureau Archive, 1963-2000

.  [Woodbrige, CT : Primary Source Microfilm, 2003]. 112 microfilm reels.

SML, Microform (Non-Circulating) Film B20675

Guide : SML, Microtext Desk (In-Room Use, Non-Circulating) F1466.5 L37 2003 (LC) Oversize

Peron era political pamphlets and monographs.

Bethesda, Maryland : Congressional Information Service, 1988.

1545 microfiches : positive ; 11 x 15.
Fiche B2325

Guide has call no.: Microtext Reference F2849 P376 1988 (LC).

"This collection is primarily drawn from ... the Boston Public Library." -- p. 1 of guide. Accompanied by a guide, edited by Joseph Criscenty.

Subjects: Peron, Juan Domingo, 1895-1974. Peronism. Argentina--Politics and government--20th century.

Newspaper comments on the A.B.C. mediation conference held at Niagara Falls, 1914. Microfilm. Buenos Aires, Argentina, Microcop. 2 reels, 35mm.
FILM MISC 124

A scrapbook of newspaper clippings on the A.B.C. (Argentina, Brazil, Chile) Mediation Conference held at Niagara Falls. The scrapbook covers the period from April 26 through August l, 1914. Naon, Romulo Sebastian, 1875-, collector. South America. Argentina. Chile. Brazil. A.B.C. (Argentina, Brazil, Chile) Mediation Conference.

United States. Dept. of State. Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Argentina: Internal & Foreign affairs, 1955-1959. Frederick, MD : University Publications, of America, 1987.

Film B16414

"The documents are from Record Group 59, General Records of the Department of State." Accompanied by a printed reel guide, compiled by Blair D. Hydrick.

United States. Dept. of State. Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Argentina: Foreign affairs, 1945-1949. Microfilm; 5 reels. Frederick, MD: University Publications of America, 1987.
Film B16411

Accompanying guide, compiled by Blair D. Hydrick, includes subject index. "The documents are from Record Group 59, General Records of the Department of State."

United States. Dept. of State. Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Argentina: internal affairs, 1945-1949. (inclusive) microfilm. Frederick, MD: University Publications of America, 1987.
Film B16412

"The documents are from Record Group 59, General Records of the Department of State." Accompanied by a printed reel guide, compiled by Blair D. Hydrick. pt. 1. Political, governmental, and national defense affairs, (28 reels) -- pt. 2. Social, economic, industrial, communications, transportation, and science, (19 reels).

United States. Dept. of State. Despatches from United States consuls in Maranham, Brazil, 1817-1876. Microfilm. Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Service. 3 reels, 35mm.

United States. Dept. of State. Despatches from United States consuls in Para, Brazil, 1831-1906. Microfilm. Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Service. 9 reels, 35mm.

United States. Dept. of State. Despatches from United States consuls in Pernambucco, Brazil, 1817-1906. Microfilm. Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Service. 17 reels, 35mm.
FILM RG 59 T-344

United States. Dept. of State. Despatches from United States consuls in Arica, Chile, 1849-1906. Microfilm. Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Service. 2 reels, 35mm.