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Charlene Simms Collection on Olibama Lopez Tushar

Overview

Scope and Contents

Biographical Note

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

The People of El Valle by Olibama Lopez Tushar, 2nd & 3rd Editions

Lena Archuleta Community Service Award to Olibama Lopez Tushar

Parade Marshall of 150-year Anniversary of San Luis

San Luis Valley and Olibama Lopez Tushar

The People of El Valle Editions

Olibama Lopez Tushar Induction into Colorado Latino Hall of Fame

ASC Tushar Scholarship and The People of El Valle Copyright

Olibama Lopez Tushar Biography, Dedication, Funeral Card, and Addition to the 4th Edition of The People of El Valle

Fiesta Day Parade, Olibama Lopez Tushar Parade Marshal

Olibama Lopez Tushar Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Induction

Sculpture Bust of Olibama Lopez Tushar at Denver Public Library by Artist Carlota EspinoZa



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Charlene Simms Collection on Olibama Lopez Tushar, 1976-2022 | Colorado State University-Pueblo Library

By Lorenzo Zamora

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Collection Overview

Title: Charlene Simms Collection on Olibama Lopez Tushar, 1976-2022Add to your cart.

Primary Creator: Charlene Garcia Simms

Other Creators: Olibama Lopez Tushar (1906-2004)

Extent: 11.0 Folders

Arrangement: Arrangement of the collection is by topic.

Date Acquired: 10/11/2023

Subjects: Mexican Americans -- History, Olibama Lopez Tushar, Pueblo (Colo.) -- History, San Luis Valley -- History

Forms of Material: Newspapers, Photographs, Publications

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists of various newspaper articles detailing the accolades, awards, publications, and autobiography of Olibama Lopez Tushar, as well as a funeral card, writings by and about Olibama Lopez Tushar, event booklets, and photos. Also included is the second and fourth editions of the book entitled "The People of El Valle: A History of the Spanish Settlers in the San Luis Valley" by Olibama Lopez Tushar.

Collection Historical Note

Olibama Lopez Tushar was born on January 2, 1906, in Los Rincones near Manassa, Colorado, she came from a family of Spanish settlers who migrated to the San Luis Valley in 1849 as part of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant. Dedicated to education, Tushar's family moved to Denver to provide her with a better schooling. She graduated as valedictorian from Belleview High School in 1924 and went on to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder, becoming one of the first Hispanic graduates. Olibama attended the University of Denver, where she earned a master's degree, likely being the first Hispanic woman to do so. Her thesis, "The Spanish Heritage in the San Luis Valley," later evolved into her book, "The People of El Valle," a comprehensive exploration of 300 years of Hispanic culture and traditions in the San Luis Valley.

In 1940, Tushar was recruited to teach at Walsenburg Public Schools due to her cultural knowledge and ability to connect with Hispanic students. The outbreak of World War II in 1942 led to her being drafted into government service as a deputy acting censor in El Paso, Texas. After being released from duty in 1945, she worked as a translator for export companies in Denver.

Olibama Lopez Tushar has received invaluable accolades, including induction into the International Biographical Center, a lifetime achievement award from the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America, and the establishment of the Olibama Lopez Tushar Hispanic Legacy Research Center in Denver.

Olibama Lopez Tushar was honored with The Lena L. Archuleta Community Service Award by the Denver Public Library in 2003. A bronze bust of Tushar is displayed in the Gates Western History Reading Room of the Denver Public Library, paying homage to her influential work. Olibama Lopez Tushar received the Legacy Award from The Latino Hall of Fame in 2019, and in 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame, further solidifying her place as a significant figure in the history and heritage of Colorado. Olibama Lopez Tushar passed away on January 19, 2004, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Biographical Note

Charlene Garcia Simms is a teacher-librarian from the San Luis Valley, specifically from the village of Garcia on the Colorado-New Mexico state line. She and her late husband, Ed, established El Escritorio Publishing in 1989, producing 15 books and magazines focusing on Southwest history, genealogy, Hispano culture, and Chicano art. Charlene is an author and poet, with various publications on genealogy and Southwest history. She contributed to an anthology called "Genealogy and the Librarian" and co-authored "Images of America, Pueblo." She edited and facilitated the publication of "Spanish/Mexican Legacy of Latinos in Pueblo County" and was involved in commissioning a mural, "Corazon del Pueblo," at the Rawlings Library in Pueblo.

In addition to her literary work, Charlene authored a memoir titled "The Orphan Stalk" and has written poems about her Manito Culture and identity. In 2019, Charlene was inducted as a Corn Mother, a project led by Renee Fajardo from Metro State University of Denver.

Subject/Index Terms

Mexican Americans -- History
Olibama Lopez Tushar
Pueblo (Colo.) -- History
San Luis Valley -- History

Administrative Information

Repository: Colorado State University-Pueblo Library

Access Restrictions: There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Use Restrictions: Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

Acquisition Source: Charlene Garcia Simms

Acquisition Method: The following material was acquired via donation.

Preferred Citation: Charlene Simms Collection on Olibama Lopez Tushar, Colorado State University-Pueblo Library, University Archives and Special Collections


Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Folder:

[Folder 1: The People of El Valle by Olibama Lopez Tushar, 2nd & 3rd Editions],
[Folder 2: Lena Archuleta Community Service Award to Olibama Lopez Tushar, March 29, 2003],
[Folder 3: Parade Marshall of 150-year Anniversary of San Luis, 2001],
[Folder 4: San Luis Valley and Olibama Lopez Tushar, 1993-2004],
[Folder 5: The People of El Valle Editions, 1976-1998],
[Folder 6: Olibama Lopez Tushar Induction into Colorado Latino Hall of Fame, 2019],
[Folder 7: ASC Tushar Scholarship and The People of El Valle Copyright, 2004-2005],
[Folder 8: Olibama Lopez Tushar Biography, Dedication, Funeral Card, and Addition to the 4th Edition of The People of El Valle , 1990-2004],
[Folder 9: Fiesta Day Parade, Olibama Lopez Tushar Parade Marshal, 1993],
[Folder 10: Olibama Lopez Tushar Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Induction, 2013-2022],
[Folder 11: Sculpture Bust of Olibama Lopez Tushar at Denver Public Library by Artist Carlota EspinoZa, November 2000],
[All]

Folder 6: Olibama Lopez Tushar Induction into Colorado Latino Hall of Fame, 2019Add to your cart.
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