Puerto Rico. Division of Community Education. Department of Education Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (32 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Screen prints
Posters
Place:
Puerto Rico -- 20th century
Date:
1955-2005, undated
Summary:
Collection consists of 378 posters documenting the social, cultural, and educational issues for Puerto Rico of Puerto Rico for nearly fifty years.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of 378 posters, the majority of which are approximately 22" x 28" documenting social, cultural, and educational issues for Puerto Rico. The posters were widely displayed throughout Puerto Rico and provide a window into the lives of the residents for fifty years. The collection is divided into three series. Series one documents events primarily for holidays. Series two provides information relating to the type of social services available to the residents. Economic and employment issues are documented in series three.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three series.
Series 1, Events, 1955-1990, undated
Series 2, Social Services, 1971-2005, undated
Series 3, Economics and Employment, 1987-1989, undated
Biographical / Historical:
The Puerto Rican Division of Community Education [DIVEDCO] provided resources primarily for the island's poor and rural residents. Created in 1949, it employed community leaders, artists, and writers to develop programs and cultural works that addressed many of the issues and concerns of the Puerto Rican community.
See: Wikipedia for more information.
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Teodoro Vidal Collection, NMAH.AC.0712
Division of Community Life Dissertation Series: Lange, Yvonne, Santos: The Household Wooden Saints of Puerto Rico, NMAH.AC.0197
Spanish Language Broadcasting Collection, NMAH.AC.1404
Goya Foods, Incorporated Collection, NMAH.AC.0694
Manuel Quiles Films, NMAH.AC.0765
Frank Espada Photographs, NMAH.AC.1395
Archives Center Business Americana Collection, NMAH.AC.0404
Graciela Papers, NMAH.AC.1425
Maidenform Collection, NMAH.AC.0585
Edward J. Orth Memorial Archives of the New York World's Fair, NMAH.AC.0560
Provenance:
The posters were donated to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History by the Archivo General de Puerto Rico through Nelly V. Cruz Rodriguez on May 19, 1997.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
In this early design, Maldonado employs dramatic cropping and a close-up of the horse's white legs in imitation of angular filming techniques. The 1955 film tells the story of a small tobacco farmer who faces operational and economic problems, but who is able to free himself from the exploitation of a loan shark by receiving assistance from a grower's cooperative. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000023.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.19 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This dramatic poster depicting a male silhouette with a chest x-ray promoted the 1964 film, "Hope," which educated communities about tuberculosis prevention and treatment. The symbol for tuberculosis placed behind the male figure, is a modified version of the cross of Lorraine, signalizing the "crusade" against tuberculosis. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000010.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.20 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This movie poster depicts a drop of blood as a stylized, vertigo-like spiral. The documentary promotes and demonstrates the processes of blood donation and even depicts a caesarean section to convince the public of the urgency to donate blood. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000040.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.22 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This silkscreen by Eduardo Vera Cortes for the film "Hurricane" depicts the "eye" of the hurricane hovering over a woman and child. It promotes the 1959 documentary based on the book "Que sabemos del huracan?" (What Do We Know About the Hurricane?). These were meant to educate the public about the origins of the hurricane, its effect, and preventive safety measures. They also included information about the resources and government agencies that provided aid during and after natural disasters. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000016.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.24 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
In another promotional poster for a film on personal health, Contreras created a highly geometric composition of an abstracted human figure reclining, as if he were on a doctor's examination table. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000002.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.30 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
A bridge under construction overpowers the composition of this promotional poster for this film, "The Bridge." This is a later version of a poster originally printed in 1954. Inspired by a true story, and filmed with local, "natural actors," it recounts the efforts of a small flood-prone community. Neighbors organize themselves and collaborate to build a bridge to resolve their chronic problem. This documentary was shown in the Venice Film Festival and the Edinburgh international Film Festival where it was awarded honorable mentions. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000020.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.28 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This silkscreen by Isabel Bernal for the film "The Awaited Man," is a historic adaptation of the life of Jose Pablo Morale. He fought against an exploitative system of payment to day laborers during the reign of the Spanish governor, General Juan de la Pezuela in mid nineteenth century Puerto Rico. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000022.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.23 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This silkscreen mimics the look of linoleum, since the artist creates the illusion of texture on the otherwise flat surface typically produced by the silk-screening process. The figure of the mother and child as well as in the man the foreground connects this poster with the tradition of carving religious figures, santos. The film, an adaptation of Rene Marques's short story Los Casos de Ignacio y Santiago (The Stories of Ignacio and Santiago), addresses the absence of community participation and the responsibilities and rights as citizens. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000015.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.25 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Divedo poster advertising the film, title translated "The Baseball Players." An offset lithograph from the original 1951 silkscreen. The film was directed by Jack Delano.
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000009.tif (AC Scan)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The dramatic image in the poster illustrates the dilemma of Ignacio, a sugarcane worker who has a child out of wedlock without his wife's knowledge. Catalina, Ignacio's wife, discovers his secret but takes in the child and raises her as their own. In the books, films and posters of DIVEDCO, emotions like love, fear, and jealousy were readily acknowledged as real forces that determine the relationships between individuals, their families, and communities. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Echoing this title, the film "Fragmento," directed by Luis Maisonet, features dramatically fractured letters and the figure of a fragmented child. This film is another cautionary tale about an emotionally isolated child from a middle-class, urban family fragmented by modern living. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000017.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.21 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This poster advertising the film "Juan Sin Seso" ("Brainless John"), has a minimalist design, relying on text to form the illustration. The image presents a profile of a man's head with a hollow space instead of a brain, crammed with the words "propaganda" and "si" ("yes"). Ironically, the film utilizes elements of propaganda to argue against it. This film was shown in 1960 in Melbourne, Venice, and Edinburgh Film Festivals. (Based on exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000013.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.26 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This commemorative poster depicts the Rey Momo, or king of Puerto Rican carnival, a celebration which started on the island in the mid nineteenth century. Connected to Spanish carnival traditions, it takes place the week before the beginning of Lent, which is a traditional period of fasting and general abstinence in the Christian calendar. The carnival in San Juan was for many years a very important and picturesque event. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000032.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.42 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This poster advertises an exhibition of woodcarvings of "The Three Kings," or the Magi, by Jose Torres Santiago. It is dedicated to the King Melchior, who in Puerto Rico is identified as the Black Magi, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000014.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.03 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
DIVEDCO posters were also printed to promote exhibitions of Puerto Rican artists. This poster advertises the exhibition of renowned artists Rafael Tufino's portfolio of silkscreens depicting scenes from the famous Afro-Puerto Rican town of Loiza. Tufino was one of several DIVEDCO artists who, like Carlos Osorio, also lived and worked in New York City, where he co-founded the Taller Boricura. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
Ac0615-0000003.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.34 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This commemorative poster by early DIVEDCO member Carlos Osorio, printed in honor of firemen, has the look and dramatic sensibility of posters designed in New Deal-era government print shops like the New York City Poster Division of the Federal Arts Project. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000038.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.05 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This thirtieth anniversary poster of DIVEDCO shows its creative team filming, editing, performing, and at work in the print shop. Their target audiences, a farmer planting in the countryside and a child reading a DIVEDCO book, appear on the edges of the action. The building featured in the background is the old DIVEDCO headquarters, currently the Museo de Arte e Historia de San Juan. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000037.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.36 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
This self-referential poster shows iconic DIVEDCO images: a projection and film poster of "Dona Julia" and the democratic circles that were organized with local leaders throughout the island's rural communities to discuss the social messages and solutions offered in DIVEDCO's films and illustrated books. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000036.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.35 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Red, white, and blue--the colors of the Puerto Rican and U.S. flags--are the backdrop for this scene of a parranda, the Puerto Rican tradition of caroling. The Carlos in the title alludes to Carlos Romero Barcelo, a pro-statehood governor of Puerto Rico during the early 1080s. (From exhibition text by Marvette Perez.)
Local Numbers:
AC0615-0000029.tif (AC Scan)
1997.3100.31 (Museum Cat. No.)
Exhibitions Note:
In the exhibition "Posters from the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) of Puerto Rico, 1948-1989," Sept. 17, 2008-Jan. 18, 2009, at the Smithsonian's S. Dillon Ripley Center.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
![View Puerto Rico Division of Community Education [DIVEDCO] Poster Collection digital asset: Finding aid](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=120&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/findingaid.gif "Finding aid")
