Swonke, Sarah "Sarita Urías" Papers, 1948-1949
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10605/363347
Creator: Swonke, Sarah Lucia, 1930-2023
Collection #:S1898.1
Language: English
Biographical Sketch
Sarah “Doña Sarita Urías” Lucia Swonke was born in Fort Stockton, Texas, on September 24, 1930, to Carlos and Lucia Urías. She graduated from Ft. Stockton High School. She attended nursing school in San Marcos, Texas, and Galveston, Texas, and she worked as a nurse for over 40 years. She played the piano and sung for various Catholic Churches for her entire life. Mrs. Swonke was a resident of Tomball, Texas, since 1958. She was active in the community and known for her readiness to help those in need. Mrs. Swonke passed away on May 19, 2023.
Sarah Swonke was a co-organizer of Ft. Stockton community celebrations in the late 1940s that honored Mexican Independence Day. These festivals celebrated Mexican-American culture with mariachi performances, the dancing of Las Marchas and La Raspa, as well as the singing of songs like “la Paloma” and “Soy Puro Mexicano.” Mrs. Swonke was also a performer during these celebrations, playing the piano and singing.
Scope and Contents
The Sarah “Doña Sarita Urías” Swonke Papers consist of two posters. The posters advertised the Fiestas Patrias that took place in Ft. Stockton, Texas, during the late 1940s. The posters contain detailed programs for the festivals, names of organizers, and rationales for the festivals.
Mrs. Swonke donated the posters during the 2022 Barrio Fest in Ft. Stockton, Texas. The Barrio Fest organizers viewed the 2022 festival as a continuation of the festivals that took place in Ft. Stockton during the 1940s.
Restrictions
Open for Research
Related Material
For related materials in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, see the following collections:
++Sarah Swonke "Sarita Urías" oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 16, 2022.
++Orlando Terrazas oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 15, 2022.
++Irene Casas oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 16, 2022.
++Aurora Villalba Ruiz oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 16, 2022.
++Juan Peña oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 17, 2022.
++Andres Villalba oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 16, 2022.
++Yolanda Carrillo Payne oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 17, 2022.
++M. R. Gonzalez oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 16, 2022.
++Istalia Esparza oral history interview [transcript, sound recording], September 15, 2022.
Preferred Citation
Sarah "Sarita Urías" Swonke Papers, 1948-1949, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Accession Information
Gift, 2022
Processing Information
Zachary. R. Hernández
Collection Inventory
Box 1
Posters