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Audio Recording Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2

Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2

About this Item

Title

  • Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2

Names

  • George, Philip B., 1946- (Collector)
  • Sernas, Esperanza (Interviewee)

Created / Published

  • Chicago, Illinois, June 24, 1977

Headings

  • -  Hispanic Americans
  • -  Ethnography
  • -  Interviews
  • -  Illinois -- Chicago

Genre

  • Ethnography
  • Interviews

Notes

  • -  Mrs. Esperanza Sernas
  • -  Part 2 of a 2-part interview in Spanish with Mrs. Esperanza Sernas, recorded in her apartment at 1611 S. Racine, Chicago; topics include the song she sang to Porfirio Diaz, "Pasado y el presente" ("Past and present”); Diaz gave her a doll; about her role in the market in Mexico City and the trips to rural areas and fairs that it entailed; about travel on burro for her son when sick; Mrs. Sernas did not marry again because she feared a new husband would hurt her son; how her son cares for her, will see to it that she buried where she wished, including home in Oaxaca; about her grandchildren and their jobs; Mrss Sernas has lived in this location for two years; her life today includes cleaning, shopping, some group activity; yesterday took wrong bus to Social Security Office, but finally found the office; all of life is a struggle for "centavitos"; there are few activities at the senior citizens center she goes to, classes in English but old folks can't learn; staff trying to learn Spanish but they can't learn either; about aging, restaurant work, snow and difficult winters; about the girls who came to the door help her, she gives them little gifts or tips; about Mexican American community in Chicago when she came and now; about Spanish-speakers at center for the elderly; Mayor Daley sent them food, clothing, and fans; about Maria Gonzales and Senora Guerrero; about La Llorona (the Weeping Woman) as boogey-person to scare wayward children; Mrs. Sernas asks the fieldworker about his job and background (“she interviews me”); Philip George explains about the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project, takes photo of Mrs. Sernas; mentions a fiesta last night in which she recited poetry, recites several poem fragments.

Medium

  • audiocassette, C-60

Call Number/Physical Location

  • MBRS Shelflist: RYA 0766
  • Field Project Identifier: CH77-T224-C
  • AFC 1981/004: AFS 20748b

Source Collection

  • Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004)

Repository

  • American Folklife Center

Digital Id

Online Format

  • audio

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that some of the materials in this collection are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions, and are therefore free to use or reuse. For example, the fieldwork in this collection is in the public domain in the United States.

However, the Library has obtained permission for the use of other materials, and presents additional materials for educational and research purposes in accordance with fair use under United States copyright law. For example, some of the recordings contain copyrighted music, and not all of the performers and other individuals who were recorded signed releases for public use of their work.

In addition, the American Folklife Center and the professional fieldworkers who carry out these projects feel a strong ethical responsibility to the people they have visited and who have consented to have their lives documented for the historical record. The Center asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here. Researchers are also reminded that privacy and publicity rights may pertain to certain uses of this material.

Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these collection materials should contact the Folklife Reading Room for assistance. Rights assessment is your responsibility. The written permission of the copyright owners in materials not in the public domain is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Permissions may additionally be required from holders of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights). Whenever possible, we provide information that we have about copyright owners and related matters in the catalog records, finding aids and other texts that accompany collections. However, the information we have may not be accurate or complete.

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Credit line: Chicago Ethnic Arts Project collection (AFC 1981/004), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

George, Philip B, and Esperanza Sernas. Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2. Chicago, Illinois, 1977. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20748_02/.

APA citation style:

George, P. B. & Sernas, E. (1977) Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2. Chicago, Illinois. [Audio] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20748_02/.

MLA citation style:

George, Philip B, and Esperanza Sernas. Interview with Esperanza Sernas, Chicago, Illinois, part 2. Chicago, Illinois, 1977. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc1981004_afs20748_02/>.