MS 584 - Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity records
MLA Citation
“MS 584 - Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity records.” Finding Aids. BGSU University Libraries, 29 Mar. 2018, lib.bgsu.edu/finding_aids/items/show/2777. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
| Title | MS 584 - Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity records |
|---|---|
| Introduction | The Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity (OHIO) Collection consists of records that were transferred to the Center for Archival Collections in the late 1980s following the dissolution of the non-profit corporation. The 24 linear ft. collection dates from 1966 – 1987 and includes proceedings, correspondence, subject files, reports, literary productions, legal documents, financial documents printed material, scrapbook materials, and photographic material. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The initial register was completed by graduate student Matthew Kilmer in July 2014. The collection was completed and arranged by Archives Assistant Rebecca Denes in April 2016. |
| Agency History | The Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity arose from the efforts of the Spanish-speaking members of the Ohio Council of Churches. The initial mission of the organization was to assist underrepresented Spanish-speaking populations in the state of Ohio. La Raza Unida de Ohio, the first iteration of the agency was founded and incorporated as a non-profit in 1970. At the time of its founding, La Raza Unida was comprised of fourteen chapters and separated into eight divisions, all devoted to various aspects of service for local Latino/a communities throughout Ohio. Throughout the 1970s, the focal point of the organization narrowed. From the late 1970s through the 1980s, the agency was dedicated to assisting and supporting migrant farm workers with housing, funding, education, job training and placement, and advocacy. As the client base narrowed, so did the breadth of the organization. The number of offices throughout Ohio gradually decreased until they were centralized to Northwestern Ohio by the time the organization was dissolved in 1987 due to the loss of federal funding and subsequent budgetary concerns. |
| Scope and Content | The Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity Collections spans 1966 – 1987, with the majority of materials dating from 1979 – 1987. The earlier years of the organization are not as well documented and gaps do exist throughout the entire span. Regardless, the collection is a valuable resource for researchers, particularly those in areas affiliated with Cultural, Ethnic, Latino/a, and Chicano/a Studies. As a whole, the collection displays the everyday realities of a relief and training organization. The minutes, correspondence, legal documents, and much of the subject files demonstrate the routine fight for federal funding and for migrant workers’ rights. Throughout its existence, The Ohio Hispanic Institute of Opportunity struggled to maintain proper funding levels, supplementing state and federal grants with private grants and funding drives. The subject files also reveal the connections between local, regional, state, and national/federal organizations and offices. They include paperwork related to various government grants, other Hispanic organizations, farm worker relief organizations, advocacy groups, charities, state and federal government offices, religious organizations, and support organizations. Organizations represented include but are not limited to the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, the Midwest Association of Farmworker Organizations, the National Association of Farmworker Organizations, the National Council of La Raza, the Ohio Council of Churches, and the Perrysburg Heights Project. Federal grant funding programs and affiliated state and federal departments under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, the Community Services Block Grant, and the Job Training Partnership Act make up large portions of the subject files. Of particular interest to local researchers, the collection includes the files of the offshoot “Viva Toledo Project,” an initiative created to develop a “Hispanic town” small business, shopping, and arts district on St. Clair Street in Toledo. While the project ultimately did not come to fruition, they made great strides in highlighting and celebrating Hispanic culture in Toledo. The remaining legal documents, financial documents, printed materials, and photographic material add additional context to the collection, the organization, and the plight of migrant farm workers through the 1980s. |
| Series Description | PROCEEDINGS |
| Inventory | Box 1 Folder
Folder
Folder
Folder
Box 5 Folder
Box 6 Folder
Box 7 Folder
Box 8 Folder
Box 9 Folder
Box 10 Folder
Folder
Box 12 Folder
Box 13 Folder
Box 14 Folder
Box 15 Folder
Box 16 Folder
Box 17 Folder
Box 18 Folder
Box 19 Folder
Box 20 Folder
Box 21 Folder
Box 22 Folder
Box 23 Folder
Box 24 Folder
Box 25 Folder
Box 26 Folder
Box 27 Folder
Box 28 Folder
Box 29 Folder
Box 30 Folder
Box 31 Folder
Box 32 Folder
Box 33 Folder
Box 34 Folder
Box 35 Folder
Box 36 Folder
Box 37 Folder
Box 38 Folder
Box 39 Folder
Box 40 Folder
Box 41 Folder
Box 42
Box 43 Folder
Box 44 Folder
Box 45 Oversize
Box 46 Oversize
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