Benson Latin American Collection

10/09/2026

The Benson Collection mourns the passing of our friend Joe Long, a steadfast supporter of LLILAS Benson, whose commitment and investment further solidified UT Austin as the premier destination for the study of Latin America. May he rest in peace with his beloved wife, Terry. 🕊️

10/07/2026

We're excited for this upcoming exhibition at the The Blanton Museum of Art featuring materials from the Benson's John McAndrews Photograph Collection. https://txarchives.org/utlac/finding_aids/00045.xml

10/06/2026

Join us for the closing reception of the exhibition, Texas to Chile: Dave Oliphant across the poetic bridge, celebrating six decades of literary exchange, translation, and university service.
The event features a short talk by renowned poet and translator Dave Oliphant. Attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments following the presentation.
Date: Thursday, October 29 Time: 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Location: Rare Books Reading Room, First Floor, Sid Richardson Hall, Unit 1, Benson Latin American Collection, UT Austin
https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3fKnLegVu5XaneC

09/22/2026

LLILAS Benson Welcomes you to the LLILAS Hackett Lecture: Carlos María de Bustamante and the Problem of Language on the Eve of Mexican Independence

Date: Monday October 5, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Location: Benson Latin American Collection, second floor

LLILAS Hackett Lecture: Carlos María de Bustamante and the Problem of Language on the Eve of Mexican Independence
The 2026 LLILAS Hackett Lecture presents "Carlos María de Bustamante and the Problem of Language on the Eve of Mexican Independence," a lecture by historian Pablo Piccato, Columbia University.

This lecture celebrates and extends the themes of the Benson Latin American Collection exhibition Revolutions and Constitutions: Nation-Building in the Americas after 1776, which examines how revolutionary movements across the Americas transformed political systems, inspired new constitutions, and reshaped ideas of citizenship, sovereignty, and national identity. The exhibition situates Mexican independence within a broader hemispheric story that includes the U.S., French, and Haitian Revolutions and their lasting impact on the Atlantic world.

Free and open to the public. Reception to follow.

Sponsored by:
LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections

The 2026 LLILAS Hackett Lecture presents

09/08/2026

We know coming to our side of campus can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, especially in the Texas heat! ☀️ But did you know you have two convenient options to come to LLILAS Benson?

A) UT Shuttle Route 640 (free with your UT EID)
Check out the shuttle stops and schedule. https://www.capmetro.org/ride/plan/schedmap?route=640

B) This new free transportation service that brings people from Garrison Hall to LBJ School Read below. ↓↓↓↓

Parking and Transportation Services created a new shuttle route that connects Garrison Hall to the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. The route, added in August, provides consistent east to west transportation across the main campus as a part of the PTS Connect van shuttle service.

https://thedailytexan.com/2026/09/06/new-shuttle-route-connects-lbj-library-with-garrison-hall/

08/25/2026

Calling all Caleños! Andrés Caicedo in the Wall Street Journal 💥
 
The Wall Street Journal published a book review of Andrés Caicedo’s ¡Que Viva la Música! calling it “an unforgettable ode to unruly youth, and one of the greatest novels in Latin American history.”

The Benson Latin American Collection holds the Andrés Caicedo Papers and provided an image for the article.

08/04/2026

[Español abajo] The Benson Latin American Collection and Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies were honored to show materials from our archival collections to the Honorable Roberto Lazzeri Montaño, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, and Consul General Humberto Hernández Haddad, along with other esteemed guests.

La Benson y LLILAS tuvieron el honor de mostrar materiales del nuestras colecciones especiales al nuevo Embajador de México en Estados Unidos Roberto Lazzeri Montaño, el Consul General Humberto Hernández Haddad, y otros estimados invitados.
Embajada de México en Estados Unidos Consulado General de México en Austin PCL and the UT Libraries

07/28/2026

The Benson Latin American Collection mourns the passing of Dr. Gilberto Cárdenas, sociologist, activist and former director of UT’s Center for Mexican American Studies. The Benson is proud to have the Gilberto Cárdenas Papers, a collection of over 25 boxes of research materials of his work on Mexican immigration and Chicano activism. https://txarchives.org/utlac/finding_aids/00572.xml

Image: Julian Samora and Gilberto Cárdenas, 1975, from the Julian Samora Papers, Box 143 #8, Benson Latin American Collection

07/24/2026

Explore Latin American and U.S. Latinx visual culture through the unique perspectives of the Benson staff who build, process, and care for these archives. Comics and Zines: Staff Picks from the Benson Collection will be on view from July 21, 2026, to March 12, 2027.

This display shows how creators combine the structure of comics with the independent nature of handcrafted zines. Visitors will see how artists use these accessible print formats to bypass censorship, question mainstream media, and address complex political and social issues.

By highlighting these graphic narratives, the exhibition showcases the incredible breadth of the Benson Latin American Collection, providing a direct look into the social movements that shape Latin America and Latino communities in the United States. Join us in the gallery to connect with these powerful visual histories.

06/18/2026

Our University of Texas Libraries Branch Services manager, Dulce Aguilar-Garcia is ready for the World Cup! ⚽️🇲🇽