Juanita Arocho Papers
Scope and Contents
The Juanita Arocho Papers provide insight into community organizing efforts in the Puerto Rican community of East (Spanish) Harlem, Puerto Rican independence movements, and the participation of Puerto Ricans in the Masonic Order.
The materials in the collection span the years from 1944 to 1994. They consist of a small array of personal documents, correspondence, publications, clippings, Masons related materials, and organizational ephemera. In addition, the Papers contain a strong collection of photographs, particularly of Masonic activities. The folders are arranged alphabetically and the documents are arranged chronologically. The bulk of the documents are in Spanish.
Dates
- 1940 - 1994
- Majority of material found within 1960 - 1994
Creator
- Arocho, Juanita, 1910-1998 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers.
Biographical / Historical
A pioneering presence in the Puerto Rican community of East (Spanish) Harlem, Juanita Arocho was a dedicated organizer and independentista who worked for the rights and freedoms of Puerto Ricans both on the island and in her adopted home of New York. An active political figure, she was in addition an integral member of the Orden de la Estrella de Oriente, a local Puerto Rican Masonic Order, which figured prominently in both her personal and political activities.
Born in Lares, Puerto Rico in 1910, Arocho migrated to the United States in 1933 on the U.S.S. San Jacinto, joining the many other Puerto Ricans who took advantage of increased steamship travel between New York and the island to seek better opportunities abroad. Settling with her mother on 112th Street and 7th Avenue, Arocho quickly became active in community and independence politics. Taking impetus from her work on the women’s right to vote campaign in Puerto Rico and the inspirational political work of Pedro Albizu Campos, Arocho was involved in the founding of Casa Borinquen, La Asociación Cívica Lareña, and the Comité de Manhattan del Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, of which she was President. She also worked as a political assistant to Congressman Vito Marcantonio, who represented East Harlem, during three of his campaigns, starting in 1936. In addition, Arocho was an active journalist and wrote weekly columns for a number of Spanish language newspapers. These columns included commentaries on the state of women in the Puerto Rican community, editorials, and discussions of community events.
In the course of her political and community work, Arocho became acquainted with such figures as the poet Julia de Burgos, political leaders Pedro Albizu Campos and Gilberto Concepción de Gracia, political prisoner and nationalist Lolita Lebrón, and political activists Erasmo and Emily Vando. Of particular note was her relationship with Albizu Campos, who looked to her to heighten the awareness of women’s issues in the independence movement.
In 1948, Arocho married Homero Rosado. Himself active in independence and nationalist circles, the couple supported each other’s efforts towards the empowerment of Puerto Ricans in New York and on the island. In 1959 they moved to Brooklyn where they would reside for the rest of their lives. Arocho would remain with her husband until his death in 1994.
Juanita Arocho died on August 22, 1998 in Brooklyn, New York. A seminal presence in the pionero community of East Harlem and the general Puerto Rican community of New York, she leaves behind a legacy exemplified by her extensive community work and support for the independence of Puerto Rico. This collection provides but a hint of the extent of Arocho’s activities and is supplemented by interviews that are part of the Centro Oral History Project. Researchers interested in the participation of Puerto Ricans and Latinos in the Masons and early organizational efforts within the Puerto Rican community of New York would do well to investigate both the Papers and the interviews.
Extent
1.25 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Spanish; Castilian
Abstract
Community activist and journalist. Collection contains correspondence, articles, photographs, and printed matter pertaining to the participation of Juanita Arocho in the Masons and the movement for the independence of Puerto Rico.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into the following series:
I. Biographical and Personal Information
II. Correspondence
III. Masons
IV. Subject Files
V. Writings
VI. Organizations
VII. Photographs
VIII. Publications
IX. Clippings
X. Artifacts
Processing Information
Processed with a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding was also provided by a congressional directed initiative sponsored by Congressman José Serrano and administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
- Albizu Campos, Pedro -- 1891-1965 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Albizu Campos, Pedro, 1891-1965
- Arocho, Juanita -- 1910-1998 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Asociación Cívica Lareña, Inc. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Casa Borínquen Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Comité de Manhattan del Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Concepción de Gracia, Gilberto, 1909-1968
- Concepción de Gracia, Gilberto -- 1909-1968 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dávila Semprit, José Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- East (Spanish) Harlem -- United States -- New York Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Freemasons -- New York (State) -- New York Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Freemasons -- United States -- New York Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Marcantonio, Vito -- 1902-1954 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Marcantonio, Vito, 1902-1954
- Matos Paoli, Francisco
- Matos Paoli, Francisco -- 1915-2000 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- O'Neill, Gonzalo
- Orden de la Estrella de Oriente Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Organizations and Leaders Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- O’Neill, Gonzalo -- 1870-1942 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño
- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Politics, Government, and Law Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Publications Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puerto Ricans -- New York (State) -- New York Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puerto Rico -- History -- Autonomy and independence movements Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puerto Rico Independence Party Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Rosado, Homero
- Rosado, Homero -- 1913-1994 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vando Rodríguez, Erasmo
- Vando, Erasmo -- 1917-1988 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women -- New York (State) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women -- Status, gender roles, etc. -- New York (State) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Juanita Arocho Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Mario H. Ramírez
- Date
- March 2003
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Processed with a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding was also provided by a congressional directed initiative sponsored by Congressman José Serrano and administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of the Puerto Rican Diaspora Repository
Silberman Building, Hunter College
2180 Third Ave. Rm. 122
New York New York 10065
centro.library@hunter.cuny.edu
