A hidden history of our discipline: Latin American archival thinking in the mid-20th century

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is based on ongoing research which seeks to explore the development of Latin American archival thinking from the late 1950s onwards. The aim of this study is to broaden, diversify and enrich archival history both internationally and regionally, by incorporating ideas and perspectives which have, until now, received less attention than those from other parts of the world. In the 1960s and 70s, Latin American archivists and National Archives’ directors attended a series of meetings that encouraged the formation of a regional, collective diagnosis of the current condition of archives and the promotion of a set of political and historical reflections to explain that situation and to devise solutions to change it. This article provides a comparative account of these meetings, and of the existing scholarship around them. It also highlights three individuals whose contribution to the archival discourse of the time is worthy of more detailed consideration: José Honório Rodrigues (Brazil), Gunnar Mendoza (Bolivia) and José Pedro Esposel (Brazil). Some initial conclusions are offered and avenues for further research are set out. The main professional and academic motivation for this research is to promote current archival demands by recovering inspiring past experiences that still resonate today in Latin America.