Emanuel Martinez papers
name: label: Creator
content: Martinez, Emanuel, 1947-
topic: label: Occupation
content: Painters -- Colorado -- Denver
label: Occupation
content: Muralists -- Colorado -- Denver
label: Occupation
content: Educators -- Colorado -- Denver
label: Topic
content: Mural painting and decoration -- 20th century -- Colorado
label: Topic
content: Latino and Latin American artists
label: Topic
content: Chicano art movement
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The papers were donated by Emanuel Martinez in 2017, 2021 and 2024.
creator: label: Creator
content: Martinez, Emanuel, 1947-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Emanuel Martinez papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of painter, muralist, and educator Emanuel Martinez measure 6.9 linear feet and 1.55 Gigabytes and date from 1951 to 2019. The collection documents Martinez's life and career through biographical material, personal and professional correspondence, personal business records, commission files and documentation of other professional activities, exhibition records, writings and speeches, and printed material and photographs recording his career. Also found are records relating to Martinez's work with The Emanuel Project, an organization founded in 2009 with the mission to work with incarcerated youth on murals in detention centers.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Emanuel Martinez (1947- ) is a painter, muralist, and educator in Denver, Colorado. 

Martinez was born in Denver where he spent a troubled youth until the age of 13. He was introduced to art through his lifelong friend and mentor Bill Longley who recognized Martinez's talent and arranged for an art apprenticeship. Martinez also studied with David A. Siqueiros and Francisco Zuniga, and at Metropolitan State College of Denver. In 1968 he established his own studio.  

As an artist, Martinez is deeply affected by social and political issues. He has been a member of the Chicano activist group Crusade for Justice and was active in the civil rights movement. In 1968, Martinez completed Farm Workers' Altar, a painted wooden sculpture, for the Catholic mass that was held on the day César Chávez completed a 25-day fast in his continuous struggle for social justice. Martinez also completed Tierra O Muerte for activist Reyes Lopez Tijerina. Other works by Martinez include a mural at Alma Center in Lincoln Park and a commissioned portrait of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Federico Peña.

Martinez worked as an educator at the Student League of Denver for 12 years. He is also involved with the Emanuel Project which focuses on  improving the lives of at-risk youth. Conceived in 2009 and officially named the Emanuel Project after Martinez in 2012, the project has completed approximately fifty murals in thirteen states with Martinez working directly with students involved in the project. 

Martinez has won numerous awards including  the Latin American Educational Foundation scholarship and Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. He has works in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Museo de las Americas in Denver among others. His work was shown in the seminal exhibition  Chicano Art Resistance and Affirmation, as well as many other national and international exhibitions.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6.9 Linear Feet
label: Extent
content: 1.55 Gigabytes
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1951-2019
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.marteman
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Gigabytes
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged in ten series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1962-2018 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1962-2014 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 3: Writings and Lectures, 1966-2003 (0.1 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, 1966, 1980-2015 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)

Series 5: Commission Files, 1981-2019 (2.3 linear feet, 0.61 Gigabytes; Boxes 2-4, OV 8, ER01-ER02)

Series 6: Exhibition Files, 1989-2014 (0.4 linear feet; Box 4)

Series 7: Professional Activity Files, 1967-2018 (1.3 linear feet; Boxes 4-6, FC 10-13)

Series 8: Printed Material, 1955-2018 (0.8 linear feet; Boxes 5-7)

Series 9: Photographic Material, 1951-2015 (0.2 linear feet; Box 6)

Series 10: Emanuel Project, 2011-2016 (0.2 linear feet, 0.947 Gigabytes; Box 9, ER03-ER07)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Sarah Mundy in 2018 with Federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. The 2021 and 2024 additions were processed by Ricky Gomez and digitized in 2023 and 2025 respectively with funding provided by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and The Walton Family Foundation.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of painter, muralist, and educator Emanuel Martinez measure 6.7 linear feet and 1.55 Gigabytes and date from 1951 to 2019. The collection documents Martinez's life and career through biographical material, personal and professional correspondence, personal business records, commission files and documentation of other professional activities, exhibition records, writings and speeches, and printed material and photographs recording his career. Also found are records relating to Martinez's work with The Emanuel Project, an organization founded in 2009 with the mission to work with incarcerated youth on murals in detention centers.


Biographical material consists of encounters with the law from his youth, such as citations for minor crimes, school records, Colorado Governor executive orders recognizing Martinez, and other awards and recognitions received by Martinez.

Correspondence is comprised of letters with Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzalez of the activist group Crusade for Justice, letters from family members such as his mother, Jennie Martinez, and nephew, Edward Martinez, and letters from a group of school children who visited his studio. Also included are letters with the City of Denver, Hispanic Culture Foundation, National Council of La Raza, Museo de las Americas, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Also included are letters of recommendation written on behalf of Martinez by friends and colleagues.

Writings and lectures consist of writing by Martinez and others, lectures and presentations given by Martinez, and high school graduation commencement speeches by Martinez. Some of the material includes journal entries by Martinez, a collection of poems, lectures for the First National Chicano Youth Conference and "Pioneering of Community Murals" lecture. Also included are "America, America" by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales and "Emanuel Martinez: A Biographical Report" by Linda Sanchez.

Personal business records consist of donations made by Martinez in the 90s and 00s, consignments, invoices, and receipts. Among the materials are consignments for the Museo de las Americas; invoices for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wiconsin, Madd Castings Inc., and the Helen Jordan Bust. Also included are more general files of correspondence, receipts, invoices for organizations and companies such as Beyond Bronze Inc., La Napoule Art Foundation, and Salazar Capitol Management Inc.

Commission files consist of files of correspondence, proposals, agreements, and some receipts for works Martinez did for various individuals and organizations around the country. Also included in some of the files are sketches and blueprints of the proposed works and photographs of the completed works. There are also files of rejected proposals. Some of the commissions include: the Denver Housing Authority, "La Alma" Mural, Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center, Peoria Pioneer Memorial, Colorado Fallen Firefighter Memorial, West High School Center for International Studies Awards, and "Raza on the Rocks" poster design. A few files also contain digital records

Exhibitions files consist of correspondence, loan agreements, and printed material such as announcements and clippings in relation to exhibitions that Martinez participated in. Some of the exhibitions include: "Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation," "Emanuel Martinez: A Retrospective," "Arte Latino: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum," and "Sangre Nueva-New Blood." Also included are files of 1-day exhibitions arranged by year.

Professional activity consists of material such as artist statements, residencies and fellowships, and work with various committees and organizations. There are also files related to teaching at summer camps and workshops hosted by Martinez. Some of the material includes: the Denver Opportunity Arts and Crafts Training Program, Denver Public Schools School of Arts Art Advisory Committee, Art Students League of Denver, Latino Research and Policy Center, Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta Curriculum Project, Foster Elementary School Summer Arts Camp. Also included are some Anti-Violence sketches and designs for the Poder logo. 2024 addition consists of four film reels on Martinez's work at Lookout Mountain Youth Detention Center in Denver and projects from the 1960s through 1980s.

Printed Material consists of clippings, exhibition announcements, exhibitions catalogs, and auction catalogs. Among the materials are catalogs for the Colorado Business Alliance for Youth, catalogs for the Artists for Colorado's Youth Art Auction, a calendar featuring Martinez's artwork,  "The Mestizo Head: Alchemical Images of the Chicano Coniunctio" by Marcos Sanchez-Traquilino, and "Selected Reading Material on the Mexican and Spanish American."

Photographic material consists primarily of photographs and slides of paintings and sculptures. Also included is a file on Martinez with photographs of him as a child, at work in his studio, posed with sculptures, and at receptions.

Emanuel Project material consists of background information and mission statements for the organization, articles on the organization's work, and files on mural projects in Muscogee, GA, Macon, GA, and Denver, CO. These files contain descriptions of the murals, dedication ceremony pamphlets, and digital documents and photographs.