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Portuguese-American Digital Archive (PADA)

Photographs from the Camara Collection (Click on thumbnails to go to full-size image)

Two women in a mill standing next to the machines, looking out the window.  Small child wearing a large crown and a white dress.  Man in a newsboy cap sitting in front of an American flag.  Man standing in front of building with a bicycle.  Two men posing next to each other in a mill.

Camara Photographic Collection
In 1989, the Camara Family donated a collection of glass plate negatives to the Center for Lowell History. Having been brought back to life digitally, these photos depict members of the Portuguese community who came to the U.S. from the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, and continental Portugal during the early part of the century to find work and attain a foothold in America. An integral part of our Mission will be to identify and preserve other photographic collections from all time periods to achieve a more comprehensive historical record of the Portuguese Community.

Preserving the Music (Click on thumbnail to listen to the full Melodies of Portugal album)

Melodies of Portugal December 1954

"Melodies of Portugal" was a weekly radio show broadcast every Sunday at 2 pm for the Portuguese community of the greater Lowell, MA area. This selection of recordings from their December 1954 show includes traditional Portuguese songs, American classics, introductions, and advertisements. Vocalist: George Mello, Elaine Ferraira, Guitar: Frank Ayres 
Mandolin: George Silva, Bass: Gerry Rousseau
 

Immigration Records (Click on thumbnail to view more immigration documents)

Immigration document for a woman immigrating from Portugal. Includes an image of her, not smiling.

Portuguese Immigration Records
In a joint effort of the City of Lowell and the Center for Lowell History, a portion of historic City Hall immigration records have been digitized. They include letters of introduction, baptismal certificates, and passports and offer detailed information such as names, places of birth, relations, and dates of entry. While these records document the early days of the Portuguese community, much yet needs to be done to examine their content in relation to contemporaneous events and to bring the existing presentation in line with archival best practices.