Dr. Carlos E. Castañeda
Background
Carlos Eduardo Castañeda was born in the border town of Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on November 11, 1896, the seventh child of Timoteo and Elisa Andrea Castaneda. Both of his parents died within months of one another in 1909, and at just 12 years old, he began selling groceries and clothes to care for his three sisters. Despite his circumstances, he graduated from Brownville (Texas) High school in 1916 as valedictorian and received a scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin. Castaneda could not attend class in the fall of 1916 due to financial difficulties and worked as a teacher to pay off debts and save up for tuition. He entered UT Austin as an engineering major the following fall, but his education was interrupted in the spring when he enlisted in the US Army for World War 1. Upon the end of the war, Castaneda once again was unable to pay for his tuition. He sent a letter to Dr. Barker, a history professor at the University of Texas at the time, with plans to return to the University of Texas.
Castaneda finally returned to the University in the fall of 1920, his financial troubles temporarily managed thanks to seasonal jobs, scholarships, and donations. He eventually switched his major to history, enlivened by the prospect of archival discovery. Castaneda described his love for archival research later in his career, saying: “I came to love old books, to caress the crumbling paper of manuscripts yellowed with age, to feel a sort of reverence for unpublished records.” In 1921, Castaneda began teaching at Beaumont High School while working extra jobs and studying for a Master’s degree in History. Dr. Barker and a colleague, Dr. Hackett, sent Castaneda textbooks to teach himself, and Dr. Barker later housed Castaneda and his wife, Elisa Rios, at no cost during a summer session so that Castaneda could continue his studies. Despite his continued financial strain, Castaneda finished his Master's thesis and graduated in 1923 with the support of professors in UT’s History Department.
After working as an associate professor at William and Mary College for four years, Castaneda returned to UT Austin to help found the Genaro Garcia Latin American Collection. He received his doctorate at the University in 1932, was promoted in 1936 to an associate professorship in History, and remained in this position until receiving tenure in 1946. From then until his death, he was a professor of Latin American history and researched the history of Mexico, colonial and republican. He passed away as a decorated scholar on April 3rd, 1958 at the age of 62, but his legacy lives on at the LILAS Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas, inside which lives the Carlos Castaneda Papers, a collection of the prolific professor’s correspondence, library and student records, and other mementos of his life.
Passing on the Torch
Castaneda had several graduate students working under him at the Latin American Library, one of which was William Burrell. Castaneda wrote regularly to Burrell both about the general functioning of the Garcia collection but also about personal circumstances. In one such correspondence (see Item #236) Burrell confided in Castaneda of many of his life difficulties, saying:
“I don’t want to borrow any more money to stay in school. It’s a shame that at a time when my sisters need my help I have to borrow money to borrow money, not to help them, but just to stay in school. I am thoroughly disgusted with the situation. I have been at rock bottom before; and after I got out of it, I thought things would never get as bad again; but I am just about to relive that torturing experience over again. Things have gone too far already, and I guess that like you, I’ll have to stick it out to the bitter end, i.e. to the end of this school year. I intend to get my M.A. this year and apply all over the state for a teacher position. I am sure that the lowest salary they pay would be about three times what I will be getting this year.”
There are stunning parallels between Castaneda’s life and Burrell’s. Castaneda, like Burrell, was a young, poor Latin American student who, despite his intelligence and motivation, relied on those around him to achieve his goals. Burrell and Castaneda both suffered from financial difficulties, working multiple jobs to feed their families and pay off debt. Castaneda became to Burrell what Dr. Barker was to Castaneda during his time as a student - a mentor in every sense of the word, academically and personally. He took it upon himself to provide support to Burrell just as Dr. Barker provided a constant stream of support to him; in a response, Castaneda offers words of encouragement and even financial support to Burrell:
“I am sorry that things are looking darker and darker for you. I hope that as in my case everything will turn out for the best. … If you find out that no arrangements can be made to get some money in October, let me know and I will try to send you $15.00 or 20.00 on the first to help you out that month until you get your money in November. … best wishes for success in your strenuous efforts to make both ends meet.”
Castaneda likely saw Burrell in himself and participated in the legacy of support that Dr. Barker provided for him. Burrell knew from personal experience that gaps in support existed for Latinx students at the University, and he was likely aware that without the support of his mentors, he would not have gotten to where he was. Castaneda’s support of the Latinx community did not just stop at Burrell, however. He was largely responsible for the development of the Garcia Latin American archival collection on the University of Texas campus (a legacy that continues through the LILAS Benson collection to this day) as well as the formation of an Institute of Latin American History dedicated to educating young generations of Texans about Latin American, and particularly Mexican and Mexican American, history. Castaneda was an advocate, serving on the FEPC to ensure fair wages for Latinx laborers. Dr. Castaneda was truly a part of a legacy of support that changed the world.