General Rafael E. Melgar Collection, 1913-1959 | The Latin American Library at Tulane

By Christine Hernández, April 2013

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Collection Overview

Title: General Rafael E. Melgar Collection, 1913-1959

ID: Manuscripts/Collection 151

Primary Creator: General Rafael E. Melgar (1913-1959)

Extent: 42.0 Linear Feet

Arrangement:

53 Hollinger boxes and 3 Oversize folders

The collection is arranged as follows:

A. Military Papers Box 1: Military Career in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 (Folders 1 – 10)

B. Early Political Career (1924 – 1933) Unbound materials (Boxes 2 - 5) and 28 bound volumes.

C. Mid-Political Career (1935 – 1949) Unbound materials (Boxes 6 - 16) and 28 bound volumes.

D. Late Political Career (1950 – 1959) Unbound materials (Boxes 17 - 24) and 6 bound volumes.

E. Papers of ANAR (Alianza Nacional de Agrupaciones Revolucionarias) Boxes 25-39

F. Later life Box 40: Later projects, personal correspondence, and legacy (Folders 1 – 8)

G. Scrapbooks, notebooks, and newspapers Boxes 41-44

H. Loose photographs Boxes 45-46

I. Photograph albums Boxes 47-49

J. Oversize photographic materials Boxes 50-52; Rolls 1 - 3

K. Oversize documents Box 53

L. Printed ephemera and artwork Flat file folder 1

M. Maps Flat file folder 2

Subjects: Alianza Nacional de Agrupaciones Revolucionarias (ANAR), Campaña Nacionalista, Indians of Mesoamerica -- Mexico, Labor and laboring classes -- Mexico, Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, Mexico--History--Revolution, 1910-1920, Oaxaca, Mexico, Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR), Politics and government -- Mexico, Quintana Roo, Mexico, Social life and customs -- Mexico

Scope and Contents of the Materials

1913-1959. Extensive collection of personal and political papers of General Rafael E. Melgar (1887-1959) who fought in Mexico’s Revolution (1910-1920) and then entered politics to serve in various offices including congressional representative from Oaxaca, campaign manager for Lázaro Cárdenas, governor of the Territory of Quintana Roo, Senator from Oaxaca, and as the Mexican ambassador to Holland. 42 linear feet.

A collection guide is available in pdf format.

The collection consists of the personal, military, and political correspondence and documents of General Rafael E. Melgar who was born in Oaxaca in 1887. Melgar fought in the Mexican Revolution as a young man attaining the rank of Brigade General. After leaving the military, he went on to a long and successful career as a politician serving in various legislative and administrative posts at the state and federal levels in Mexico. The vast majority of the materials in the General Rafael E. Melgar collection document his political career. Diverse print and photographic materials are available unbound or bound in 60 large format volumes and 11 bound scrapbooks. Available for research are official correspondence, government documents, press releases, accounts, ledgers, manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, newspapers, newspaper clippings, books, and various forms of printed ephemera documenting the planning, development, and realization of Melgar’s political ambitions, ideology, relationships, and numerous activities on the national, state, and municipal levels. The collection touches on every aspect of Rafael Melgar’s political life: the administration and practice on a regional and national level of the plans of the Cárdenas regime; development of the predominant political parties in twentieth century Mexico (Partido Nacional Revolucionario and Partido Revolucionario Institucional), Alianza Nacional de Agrupaciones Revolucionarias (ANAR), and others; campaign and election processes; economic and commercial development; expansion and modernization of Mexico; and the formation of modern Mexican national identity.

Collection Historical Note

Rafael E. Melgar was born in the town of Yanhuitlán, in the state of Oaxaca, in 1887. A resident of Mexico City since 1907, he held minor government posts prior to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. In 1913, he aligned himself with the carrancista forces, and in 1914 he helped lead the movement in Oaxaca to depose the Bolaños Cacho administration, which had recognized the usurper government of Victoriano de la Huerta. Melgar’s military career was now launched and, in 1916, rose to the rank of Brigadier General. In 1924, Melgar was granted permanent leave from the army and began a career in politics. Elected to five consecutive terms (1924-1934) as a diputado from Oaxaca, Melgar quickly ascended to positions of leadership and influence within the federal legislature and the nascent Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR- which would become the PRI). He headed the Oaxaca delegation to the Chamber of Deputies, presided over the Chamber’s Bloque Obregonista (1926-28), and was entrusted during the Portes Gil administration (1928-1930) with carrying out important political and military commissions. He also headed the Oaxaca delegation to the 1929 Convención de Querétaro, which formalized the founding of the PNR, on whose Executive Committee he later served. Melgar’s influence in national politics continued to grow during the administrations of Ortiz Rubio and Abelardo Rodríguez (1930-32, 1932-34). He presided over the Bloque Nacional Revolucionario, a pivotal faction in the Chamber of Deputies, was instrumental in getting the landmark 1931 Ley de Trabajo Federal written into law, proposed and then directed (1931-35) the Campaña Nacionalista, a country-wide movement, designed to combat the economic depression of the early 1930s and to “Mexicanize” the national economy, and led the Grupo Cardenista in the Chamber, which helped organize critical support for the candidacy of Lázaro Cárdenas. Melgar subsequently directed the Cárdenas presidential campaign in the Yucatán and was later appointed by Cárdenas governor of Quintana Roo (1934-40), where he helped implement elements of Cardenas’ social and economic program. Unsuccessful in his attempt to win the governorship of Oaxaca, but still active within the orbit of national politics, Melgar was appointed Mexican Minister to the Netherlands in 1946 and served in that capacity until 1949. A confidant of Adolfo Ruiz Cortínes, Melgar helped form and subsequently led (1951-52) the Alianza Nacional de Agrupaciones Revolucionarias (ANAR), which promoted Ruiz Cortínes’ candidacy to the presidency. Melgar’s career in politics was capped by his election from Oaxaca to the national senate in 1952. He held that office until 1958. Rafael E. Melgar died in Mexico City in 1959.

Subject/Index Terms

Alianza Nacional de Agrupaciones Revolucionarias (ANAR)
Campaña Nacionalista
Indians of Mesoamerica -- Mexico
Labor and laboring classes -- Mexico
Lázaro Cárdenas
Mexico
Mexico--History--Revolution, 1910-1920
Oaxaca, Mexico
Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR)
Politics and government -- Mexico
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Social life and customs -- Mexico

Administrative Information

Repository: The Latin American Library at Tulane

Access Restrictions: Open to the public. No known restrictions.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Military Career in the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920s],
[Box 2: Political Correspondence from 1924-1935],
[Box 3: Nationalist Campaigns],
[Box 4: Telegrams and other correspondence regarding the Manifiesto Cardenista and the 1933 presidential campaign for General Lazaro Cardenas],
[Box 5: Telegrams, documents and other correspondance regarding the 1934 presidential campaign for General Lazaro Cardenas],
[Box 6: Governorship of Quintana Roo (1935-1941)],
[Box 7: Establishment of Cooperatives in the Territory of Quintana Roo by the Melgar Administration, 1935-1940],
[Box 8: Transcripts of newspaper articles, mostlz published in La Marcha, on the accomplishments and highlights of Melgar's governorship of Quintana Roo, 1935-1940],
[Box 9: Melgar's Political Correspondence from 1941-1944],
[Box 10: Correspondence and actas supporting Melgar's candidacy for Governor of Oaxaca in the upcoming election in 1944 and the Guelaguetza Festival],
[Box 11: Guelaguetza festival in Mexico D.F., 1944-1945],
[Box 12: Documents related to Melgar's appointment as Ambassador to the Netherlands in 1946],
[Box 13: Ambassadorial correspondence, 1946-1947],
[Box 14: Ambassadorial correspondence, 1947-1949],
[Box 15: Research and essays on cooperatives in the Netherlands, 1950s],
[Box 16: Melgar's essay on cooperatives in the Netherlands, Europe, and abroad and its impact on politics, economics, and foreign affairs],
[Box 17: Rafael E.Melgar's election to the Mexican Senate representing Oaxaca , 1950s],
[Box 18: Senatorial correspondence, 1953],
[Box 19: Senatorial correspondence, 1954-1956],
[Box 20: Correspondence asking Senator Melgar for political favors, support, or employment, 1954-1955],
[Box 21: Senatorial correspondence, 1955-1959],
[Box 22: Melgar's senatorial projects in the 1950s],
[Box 23: Senatorial documents and correspondence, 1950s],
[Box 24: Manuscripts written by Rafael E.Melgar during the early 1950s],
[Box 25: ANAR membership pages, 1951],
[Box 26: Bills and receipts for 1951],
[Box 27: Correspondence for 1951],
[Box 28: Correspondence for 1951, continued],
[Box 29: Press bulletins, convention documents, and correspondence, 1951],
[Box 30: ANAR Memberhsip pages, 1952],
[Box 31: ANAR Membership pages, 1952, continued],
[Box 32: ANAR Membership pages, 1952, continued],
[Box 33: ANAR Membership pages, 1952, continued],
[Box 35: Bills and receipts for 1952, continued],
[Box 36: Bills and receipts for 1952, continued],
[Box 37: Correspondence for 1952],
[Box 38: General correspondence, minutes, and ideology],
[Box 39: Frente Revolucionario de Accion Social party (FRAS)],
[Box 40: Later projects, personal correspondence, and the legacy of Rafael E.Melgar],
[Box 41: Scrapbook and notebook],
[Box 42: Quintana Roo scrapbooks],
[Box 43: ANARnotebooks],
[Box 44: El Nacional],
[Box 45: Photographs highlighting major events in the political life of Rafael E.Melgar],
[Box 46: Photographs of the Adolfo Ruiz Cortines campaign rallies],
[Box 47: Campaña Nacionalista],
[Box 48: Rafael E.Melgar's tours of the Territory of Quintana Roo, c.1930s],
[Box 49: Establishing the frontier between the Territory of Quintana Roo and British Honduras, c.1930s],
[Box 34: Bills and receipts for 1952],
[Box 50: Mounted photographs],
[Box 51: Loose photographs],
[Box 52: Loose photographs],
[Box 53: Loose documents],
[Series 1: Books],
[All]

Box 43: ANARnotebooks