Goldwater's Ham Radio Exhibit

Arizona Historical Society posts: 

 🎉 Yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Barry Goldwater (1909-1998). A prominent political figure, he also began his second term in the U.S. Senate on this day in 1969, serving Arizona until 1987. Barry was also a dedicated ham radio operator with the call sign K7UGA, whose passion for the hobby extended beyond personal enjoyment. During the Vietnam War, Goldwater used his ham radio to help soldiers overseas stay connected to their families back home. Through his efforts, he facilitated thousands of messages, known as "phone patches", allowing servicemen to communicate with their loved ones in a time before widespread digital communication. This act of service highlighted the potential of amateur radio to bridge distances and provide comfort during challenging times. Goldwater's ham radio work remains a powerful example of how technology can be used to foster human connection and community. Starting January 6th, you can visit the Arizona Heritage Center to see his original ham radio setup in person! Stop by to explore this fascinating piece of history.

 Barry Goldwater was honored as an Arizona Historymaker in 1992. The Historical League noticed this ham radio on a tour of the Goldwater home, conducted by Susan Goldwater Levine. Now the ham radio can be enjoyed by visitors to the Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park.

Dr. Christine Marin January guest speaker: topic Gràcia Liliana Fernàndez

Do you remember taking Spanish in high school? As guest speaker at the January meeting, Dr. Christine Marin explained how Spanish became a major course of study thanks to Gràcia Liliana Fernàndez.

Miss Fernàndez was a bilingual teacher of English and Spanish. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Maine in 1898 and then earned the Arizona Territorial Certificate to teach in the Arizona territory. Parents in Apache County wanted their children to receive a good education so they could progress and become successful, but the white teachers didn't understand or speak Spanish. In turn, the children needed to learn English. Gràcia came to fill that gap. The demand for bilingual teachers grew throughout the territory, including in Maricopa County. In time, the president of the Tempe Normal School (now ASU), Arthur John Matthews, hired Gràcia to be the first Professor of Spanish and the first Hispanic librarian of the school. She legitimized Spanish as a major course of study. The students she taught became the new bilingual teachers throughout the Arizona Territory, helping Spanish-speaking children become successful in their schooling and in life.

Gracia was honored in 2020 as inductee in Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.

Dr. Marin, Professor Emeritus, Archivist-Historian at ASU, is the founder of the prestigious archival repository, Chicano/Chicana Research Collection and Archives at the Hayden Library in Tempe.

Dr. Christine Marin

She has won many awards for her work, and she is also the President of the Tempe History Society. She proudly hails from Globe, Arizona where she maintains close ties to the community and was inducted into the Globe High School Hall of Fame.