Special Collections Guide: Environmental History in Latin America & the Caribbean

"Early Images of Latin America" currently contains 640 digital images from the Latin American Library’s Image Archive documenting people, places, landscapes, urban and rural scenes in various countries of the region from the mid-19th century to c. 1910. Images come from an array of sources, such as promotional albums compiled as travel souvenirs for tourists, studio portraits, personal photographic albums, glass lantern slides and stereoscopic images, as well as images captured by professional and amateur photographers. The current geographic scope of the collection includes Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, and Uruguay, with particular focus on the cities of Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro.

Collection 18. 1920s. Photographs (and negatives) of seals and other wildlife along the Baja California coast; Guatemala and its Indians, and Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Includes papers, passport, and obituary of Anthony, a noted naturalist. Approximately 300 pieces.

Circa 1946. Seven albums of photographs taken in Panama and Guatemala, with a few views of Haiti and Cuba, showing scenes or urban and rural life, U.S. naval officers' life in the Panama Canal Zone and also Indians of Guatemala. 7 pieces.

c. 1870-1900. Stereograph views of city, country, agricultural and volcanic scenes in Mexico, South America, Central America and the West Indies; includes scenes of the Panama Canal, Spanish missions in California, the Southwest U.S., and individual photographs of Chihuahua cathedral by F. Parker and Santa Barbara mission by Taber. Stereograph viewer included. 61 pieces.

Various postcard collections: Guatemala 39(6); Latin America 39(13); Mexico 39(5); Honduras 39(12); Earl Symes 39(8)

1952-1956. Picture postcards from throughout Latin America sent to Hilton and radio station KGEI of San Francisco, California, sponsor of a short-wave program, "La Universidad del Aire." Includes small photographs and personal cards sent to Hilton. Approximately 4000 pieces.

1930. Snapshots taken by a United States Marine on duty in Ocotal, Nicaragua, with views of marines patrolling, tropical scenes of flora and fauna, various people and places, and the Panama Canal Railway; some photos are identified. 129 pieces.

The Latin American Library holds rare printed newspapers from 22 countries. The inventory below includes printed newspaper holdings from each country housed ine the Libray's Rare and Closed Stacks locations. This inventory will be updated periodically when new titles are added. This list does not include print newspapers stored in the Offsite location, holdings on microfilm, or in digital collections

Collection 94. 1957-1958. Blueprints, letters, specifications, and newsletters relating to the facilities being built by the Moa Bay Mining Company (a subsidiary of the Cuban American Nickel Company) at Moa Bay, Cuba, for the mining and concentration of nickel and cobalt. 48 pieces.

1920s-2010. Papers of this art historian, archaeologist, artist, teacher, and writer. Includes material related to the study of the ancient Maya gathered and produced over a lifetime of activity in the field. The material includes correspondence, publications, photographic material, rubbings, line drawings, art work, and information on exhibits and conferences.

1913 November 22-December 16. This diary chronicles the experiences and reactions of Charles G. Davis, a noted expert on ship construction, during a three week cruise from New York to Jamaica and Panama on the S.S. Carrilo. The diary contains many hand drawn color and black & white illustrations. 1 piece; 100 leaves.

1904-1913? Travel journals and albums of commercial photographs of Edith Bayne Denegre, a native of New Orleans. She describes in some detail her trips to Cuba in 1909 and Panama in 1911, where she visited Col. William Crawford Gorgas and viewed construction of the Canal. Also includes her short history of Mexico written about 1913. 11 pieces; 190 photographs.

1925. Loose leaves compiled or collected by Haskell on the Tulane Botanical Expedition of 1925, recording the haciendas of Tabasco, their municipalities, size by hectares, and owners' names in alphabetical order. 1 piece.