Richard T. and Virginia M. Castro papers, 1955-2019.

Castro, Richard Thomas, 1946-1991, creator.

C MSS WH2440

Finding aid available online and in repository.

1955-2019.

24.5 linear ft. (25 boxes), 8 oversize boxes, 1 oversize file folder, 1 audio-visual box

Organized into 7 series: 1. Colorado House of Representatives, 1977-1983, 1997 (Box1, 16, 17). 2. Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations, 1976-1991 (Box1-6, 17, 21,22). 3. Auraria Higher Education Center Board of Directors, 1969-1991, n.d. (Box7, 17). 4. Denver Public Schools Board of Education, 1982-1991 (Box7-8). 5. Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), 1982-1991, n.d. (Box8-9). 6. National Association of Social Workers, 1985-1991 (Box10). 7. Personal and Family Materials, Writings and Scrapbooks, 1955-2019 (Box10-18, 25). 8. Westside Coalition, 1869-1979 (Box18-19, 23-24). 9. Virginia Castro, 1965-2015 (Box4,19-20). 10. Audio-Visual, circa 1980s (AVBox1). 11. Oversize, 196101998 (OVFF1, OVBox1-8).

Richard Thomas Castro was a Colorado State Representative (1975-1983), Executive Director of the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations under Mayor Federico Peña (1983-1991), and a life-long Chicano rights activist. In contrast to some of his earlier contemporaries in the Chicano rights movement who supported more radical action, Castro focused on enacting change from within the political system. He sought and created opportunities to improve educational and economic advancement for the Hispanic community statewide. Born on September 29, 1946 to Archie Castro and Josephine McGrath Castro, Richard Castro attended Annunciation School in Denver. This was followed by a year at St. Thomas Seminary and an associate's degree in Education from Trinidad State Junior College. He later completed a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Sciences at Metropolitan State College, and a master's in Community Organization and Community Development from the University of Denver. He married Virginia Montaño Lucero in 1972. Together they raised five children: Chris, Phil, Ron, and Brenda, and Richard Jr. Richard Castro died on April 13, 1991.

Virginia Montan̋o was born in Silt, Colo. in 1941. She met her first husband, Richard Lucero in high school. They married in 1958 and moved to Denver where they had four children. After the marriage ended, Virginia Lucero pursued her GED at Emily Griffith Opportunity School where she was chosen for a competitive nursing program at Denver General Hospital. This led her to pursue a bachelor's degree at Metropolitan State College of Denver where she met Richard Castro in 1967. The two attended the University of Denver graduate school for social work. Virginia Castro graduated in 1973 and became a social worker for Denver Public Schools. As the Manager of DPS Social Work Services (1991-2001), she founded a successful citywide truancy-reduction program. She was also busy with community involvement as an organizer for Trabajadores Estudiantiles de la Raza (1972), and a community representative for Mi Casa Resource Center for Women (1980).

The materials in the collection span Castro's high school years to professional files in use at the time of his death. Including professional papers related to with the Colorado House of Representatives (1974-1983) and the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations (1983-1991). Also included are materials from his service on the board of directors of a variety of different organizations, and research files he compiled for an intended book on influential Hispanic legislators in Colorado History.

Materials from Virginia Castro (1965-2015) document her career as a social worker, and community activist as well as her efforts to honor Richard T. Castro's legacy after his death.

Castro, Richard Thomas, 1946-1991 -- Archives.

Castro, Virginia M. (Virginia Montan̋o), 1941- -- Archives.

Denver (Colo.). Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations -- Archival resources.

Auraria Higher Education Center (Denver, Colo.). Board of Directors -- Archival resources.

Denver Public Schools. Board of Education -- Archival resources.

Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund -- Archival resources.

National Association of Social Workers -- Archival resources.

Hispanic American legislators -- Colorado -- Denver.

Mexican American leadership -- Colorado.

Office files.

Personal papers.

Catalog record based on collection finding aid.

Contact Special Collections and Archives Dept., Denver Public Library, Denver, Colo.

Repository also has: Denver Commission on Community Relations records (WH903), Federico Peña papers (WH2024).

Gift; Virginia Castro; 2019, 2022, 2023.