Author Roberta H. Martínez is a well-known community advocate, historian, host, lecturer, television producer, city commissioner, trustee of the Armory Center for the Arts, and advisor for the Pasadena Historical Museum and Pasadena Unified School District. She gathered these vintage images from local families and the archives of the Huntington, Bancroft, Braun, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and University of Southern California libraries.
Title: Gathering Honors Roberta Martínez for New Book
Author: James MacPherson
Publisher: Pasadena Now
Date: 4/19/09 About 60 well-wishers gathered at the Pasadena Museum
of History Sunday afternoon to honor local community activist
Roberta Martínez, whose book "Latinos in Pasadena" is scheduled to
released by Arcadia Publishing on April 27. Martínez's book looks
beyond the storied mansions along South Orange Boulevard's
Millionaires Row and focuses on the legacies of Mexican Americans
and other Latino men and women who often worked for Pasadena's rich
and famous. "These are the stories of Pasadena and the San Gabriel
Valley," Martínez told the gathering on Sunday. "These are the
stories that have made our lives what they are today. These are
some of the stories that haven't been known." In fact, the records
handed down about the Latino community are only been sparsely
preserved through the generations--even though these citizens often
made remarkable community contributions and lived in close
proximity to their employers. Among the stories told is that of
Antonio F. Coronel, a one-time Mexican Army officer who served as
California state treasurer from 1866 to 1870 and whose image graced
the 1904 Tournament of Roses program. Martínez, who is a former
School Board candidate, arts commissioner, and board member for
several nonprofit groups, became active in Latino community after
retiring from teaching at St. Mark's Episcopal Day School. She was
a founder of the annual Latino Heritage Parade and Jamaica. "It has
been a privilege to try and bring together stories to share,"
Martínez said. "Do keep in mind that there are so many stories to
be told that this book is not enough. We need to find other ways to
share the story, the fullness, the breadth as much as possible."
Martínez was joined at the event by her husband, James Grimes, and
her son, Matthew. The book will be available for sale at the
Pasadena Museum of History bookstore.
Title: Larry Wilson: These success stories make for a good read
Author: Larry Wilson Publisher: Pasadena Star News Date:
4/18/09
Among the hundreds of reasons - including hundreds of photographs -
to pick up Roberta Martinez's new "Latinos in Pasadena" is a photo
on Page 102 that should be mandatory viewing for the good officers
of the Sierra Madre P.D.
It depicts Marilyn Diaz in 1974 as she became the first woman
Pasadena officer assigned directly to patrol. Riot-helmeted,
billy-sticked, gun-belted, hair tucked up and away - and yet unable
to disguise the fact she is as beautiful as she is today - Diaz
stands at full attention smiling at the camera. The only difference
from three male rookie comrades being the turtleneck she sports
instead of a tie.
Diaz went through the ranks to commander and now is a chief. She's
just one of many success stories - along with tough stories of a
"minority" that was here first in the Mexican and Californio days,
yet has struggled for equality for centuies - chronicled in
Martinez's book, part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America
series.
The book also answers an Old Pasadena question I've had for 30
years. Back then South Pas musician Brad Thiel and I wrote a song
called "Club Danzon" based on my staring out my Parsons office
window and seeing that fading name painted on the side of a Union
Street building. Turns out the club was started in what looks to be
the late '40s by entrepreneur Danny Castro during the danzon dance
craze out of Cuba and featuring an elegant interior, a white grand
piano and huge neon street sign.
Abel Franco, Ramon Cortines, Canto Robledo, Oscar Palmer, Roberta
Menchu Tom, Abel Ramirez, Lalo Guerrero, Jesucita Hernandez, Ed
Roybal, Nick Rodriguez, Leonora Barron, Ed Maya, Elias Galvan - all
these prominent Pasadenans and Pasadena visitors are here. And so
in its early sections of Southern California history is a story
still not nearly well enough known to those who have followed.
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