Research Journey
Duncan Wanless' research journey went very differently than planned. Forced to change plans due to COVID, Duncan describes how he pivoted his thesis strategy in his narrative essay.
"The first primary source I found, a memoir written in 1963 by a lifetime resident of Yanga, came to me through Interlibrary Loan. To my knowledge, the memoir has been cited by exactly one other scholar, and its vivid description of a unique community’s transformation led me deeper into a story about the role of Blackness in Mexico’s racial imaginary. I developed a research plan in which I would spend months in Yanga, interviewing residents and reading in local archives. The pandemic made this plan impossible. Unpredictably, I found myself shut out not only from Mexico but from the Bancroft Library’s physical collection. Gently, my advisor suggested I should look at changing my topic to something more accessible from my home. Desperate not to lose sight of the story of Yanga in which I had become so interested, I turned to the University’s resources for help navigating the enormous digital archive. Experienced faculty pointed me—unexpectedly—to the LDS-run Familysearch.org, in which I found census records from Veracruz. Jennifer Dorner walked me through the HathiTrust emergency access service, through which I accessed secondary materials and many primary sources. When the Bancroft Library reopened, I quickly made plans to drive to Berkeley to see key sources that I had not found digitized."
– Duncan Wanless' reflection essay
Bibliography: Selected Primary Sources
“AfroCensoMX,” n.d. https://afrocenso.mx/campana.
Cid, Socima Virgen, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Roberta Virgen Cid. “Una Entrevista Con Roberta and Socima Virgen Cid.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 218–24.
Ferrandón, Leonardo. Apuntes históricos de mi pueblo, recordando al Yanga: ayer y hoy. México, D.F.: Imprenta Unión, 1963.
———. “Yanga. Libertad Por Un Pueblo.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Herrera Moreno, Enrique. El Cantón de Cordoba: Apuntes de Geografía, Estadística, Historia, Etc.,. Córdoba: Tip. de R. Valdecilla y comp., 1892. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433081702452.
Laurencio, Juan. Campaña contra Yanga en 1608. Edited by Leonardo Pasquel. Colección Suma Veracruzana. Serie Historiografía. México: Citlaltepetl, 1974.
“Lenten Days in Mexico: Curious Customs to Be Seen This Week in the Land of Montezuma.” The New York Times. February 9, 1902.
Magdaleno, Vicente. Paisaje y celaje de México. México: Editorial de Mexico Stylo, 1952.
Martinez, Andres Maceda, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Florentino Flores Castro. “Una Entrevista Con Andres Maceda Martinez.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 193–99.
Martínez Maldonado, José Luis. Escultura En Honor a Yanga. 2017. https://tecolotl.ciesas.edu.mx/7-foto-1/. FamilySearch. “México Censo Nacional, 1930,” n.d. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7FX-YRK. Paz, Ismael. “Yanga: Algo Más Por Descubrir.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Querol Ortiz, Erik. “Libertad. 400 Años Después.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Riva Palacio, Vicente. El Libro Rojo, 1520-1867. Vol. 1. 2 vols. México: A. Pola, 1905. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015030319829.
———. México á Través de Los Siglos.Historia General y Completa Del Desenvolvimiento Social, Politico, Religioso, Militar, Artístico, Científico y Literario de México Desde La Antigüedad Más Remota Hasta La Época Actual ... Vol. 2. 5 vols. Barcelona :, 1888. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t7np1xc8v.
Romero, Miguel, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Ana Martinez. “Una Entrevista Con Miguel Romero.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 258–64.
Slave Voyages. “Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade – Estimates, Slave Voyages.” Accessed March 30, 2021. https://slavevoyages.org/estimates/9OJxRBSn.
Turismo Yanga. “Les Compartimos El Cartel Oficial Que Contiene El Programa de Las Jornadas Académicas y Artística.” Facebook, August 14, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/Turismo-Yanga- 361400650674364/photos/864893906991700.
“AfroCensoMX,” n.d. https://afrocenso.mx/campana.
Cid, Socima Virgen, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Roberta Virgen Cid. “Una Entrevista Con Roberta and Socima Virgen Cid.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 218–24.
Ferrandón, Leonardo. Apuntes históricos de mi pueblo, recordando al Yanga: ayer y hoy. México, D.F.: Imprenta Unión, 1963.
———. “Yanga. Libertad Por Un Pueblo.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Herrera Moreno, Enrique. El Cantón de Cordoba: Apuntes de Geografía, Estadística, Historia, Etc.,. Córdoba: Tip. de R. Valdecilla y comp., 1892. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433081702452.
Laurencio, Juan. Campaña contra Yanga en 1608. Edited by Leonardo Pasquel. Colección Suma Veracruzana. Serie Historiografía. México: Citlaltepetl, 1974.
“Lenten Days in Mexico: Curious Customs to Be Seen This Week in the Land of Montezuma.” The New York Times. February 9, 1902.
Magdaleno, Vicente. Paisaje y celaje de México. México: Editorial de Mexico Stylo, 1952.
Martinez, Andres Maceda, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Florentino Flores Castro. “Una Entrevista Con Andres Maceda Martinez.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 193–99.
Martínez Maldonado, José Luis. Escultura En Honor a Yanga. 2017. https://tecolotl.ciesas.edu.mx/7-foto-1/. FamilySearch. “México Censo Nacional, 1930,” n.d. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7FX-YRK. Paz, Ismael. “Yanga: Algo Más Por Descubrir.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Querol Ortiz, Erik. “Libertad. 400 Años Después.” Voces Libres, September 2004.
Riva Palacio, Vicente. El Libro Rojo, 1520-1867. Vol. 1. 2 vols. México: A. Pola, 1905. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015030319829.
———. México á Través de Los Siglos.Historia General y Completa Del Desenvolvimiento Social, Politico, Religioso, Militar, Artístico, Científico y Literario de México Desde La Antigüedad Más Remota Hasta La Época Actual ... Vol. 2. 5 vols. Barcelona :, 1888. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t7np1xc8v.
Romero, Miguel, Charles H. Rowell, Marcus Jones, and Ana Martinez. “Una Entrevista Con Miguel Romero.” Callaloo 31, no. 1 (2008): 258–64.
Slave Voyages. “Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade – Estimates, Slave Voyages.” Accessed March 30, 2021. https://slavevoyages.org/estimates/9OJxRBSn.
Turismo Yanga. “Les Compartimos El Cartel Oficial Que Contiene El Programa de Las Jornadas Académicas y Artística.” Facebook, August 14, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/Turismo-Yanga- 361400650674364/photos/864893906991700.