A Life’s Work Washed Away
Much of Marina Espina’s research on Filipinos in Louisiana was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and many scholars fear that history may be gone for good.
By Lydia Lum
When Hurricane Katrina barreled toward land just over a year ago, University of New Orleans librarian emeritus Marina Espina was among the thousands who evacuated the city. As she navigated the congested freeways, she worried about what damage the storm could wreak on the hundreds of papers and photos she had collected, documenting the lengthy history of Filipinos on the Gulf Coast.
Espina’s worst fears were realized when New Orleans’ levee system failed, submerging 80 percent of the city. Water rose to 11 feet in her house, which sits a few blocks from Lake Pontchartrain and the UNO campus. Most of her research was ruined.
The loss not only devastated Espina, but promises to be a serious setback for scholars and historians across the country. Many college faculty cite Espina’s 1988 book, Filipinos in Louisiana, in their Asian American studies and history courses. Without Espina’s research, far less would be known about the Filipinos who settled in the Louisiana marshlands in the 1760s. The “Manilamen,” as they were known, are believed to be among the earliest Asian immigrants in this country. Conscripts on Spanish galleons, the Manilamen escaped by jumping ship in New Orleans and in Acapulco, Mexico.
Dr. Kimberly Alidio, a University of Texas assistant professor of history, wonders why their story has drawn so little attention.
