Smile.Amazon.com

Time to help out the organization by going to Smile.amazon.con and select GSHA-SC as the designated non profit organization and purchase your items.To celebrate, they're launching their biggest bonus donation to date — 5% for 5 days. From Oct 29 - Nov 2, they're donating 5%, ten times their usual rate, on all eligible smile.amazon.com purchases. Click here for details.

Día de Muertos

Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States. It is acknowledged internationally in many other cultures. The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.

The holiday is sometimes called Día de los Muertos in Anglophone countries, a back-translation of its original name, Día de Muertos. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico where the day is a public holiday. Prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century, the celebration took place at the beginning of summer. Gradually, it was associated with October 31, November 1 and November 2 to coincide with the Western Christian triduum of Allhallowtide: All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas, honoring the deceased using calaveras, aztec marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Visitors also leave possessions of the deceased at the graves. Credit by Wikipedia

Viva La Fiesta wrap up

Saturday, October 13, 2018, Professor Bernardo Gallegos was the guest speaker for GSHA Southern California Chapter at the Chicano Resource Center, East Los Angeles, California. Professor Gallegos discussed his recent book "Post Indigenous Performances, Coyote Musings on Genizaros, Hybridity, Education, and Slavery" concluded the session with questions and answers and a book signing.

Wrap up on Hispanic Research San Diego

 The San Diego Hispanic Saturday group met at the San Diego Central Library in the Neil Morgan Auditorium. The meeting had 31 in attendance, which included students from University of San Diego, Southwestern College and local high school. The speaker for the day was Richard Griswold del Castillo. Mr. Griswold del Castillo is a retired professor from San Diego State University and the author of the book The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

He discussed the Mexican-American war and the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Richard presented the causes and reasons for the war. From the U.S. side, Manifest Destiny was one of the drive forces for the U.S. involvement. He also presented details on the consequence of the war; reform movement in Mexico, U.S. economic growth, the U.S. Civil war, Mexico remained underdeveloped and the creation of the new minority group (Mexican-American).

Richard also showed detailed maps of land grants in the California. He talked about the hardships of the Californios had in retaining their land. Dominga Dominguez (San Fernando Valley) and Maria Amparo Ruiz de Barton (Jamul) were examples of land owners who had to go court to retain their land grant of which they ultimately lost.

His insight on the American-Mexican war of 1848 was both informative and exceptional.

Upcoming Presentations from John Schmal

Hispanic Research Resources: What is available! by Mona Hernandez, GSHA-SC member at Alhambra Public Library; Oct 20, 2018

Please join our member, Mona Hernandez, where she'll give her presentation at Alhambra Public Library located 101 S 1st St, Alhambra, CA 91801 at 2pm to 3pm in Reese Hall.

The title of her presentation is: Hispanic Research Resources, where she will be giving an introduction on how she got stated in genealogy research.

Mona will be discussing why we do genealogy and why it is important and she will be covering the types of resources that are available to Hispanic researchers, such as the internet and other sources, including:

• Print Book (can include family genealogies)

• Microfilm

• Print Journal (genealogy)

• Internet (web pages)

– Family Search (Free)

– Ancestry (Subscription)

– Facebook

– Blogs

• Vital Statistics (Birth/death certificates)

• DNA Testing

Other topics, such as types of records to research:

• Birth Records

• Baptismal Records – parish records

• Marriage Records – parish and civil records

• Prenuptial Investigations (diligencias matrimoniales)*

• Death Records – parish records

• Census Records (Internet)

• Military Records (SAR and DAR)

• Wills, Inventory of Estate

• Land Grants, Land Transfers, Deeds

• Tax Records

• Social Security Records

• Passenger Lists

What to keep in mind when doing genealogy research, why it’s important to cite your sources, and how to keep a record of source citations.

She will also provide two handouts.