Alberto “Al” Torres Pereira (March 21, 1929 - December 2, 2017) was born in Providence, RI to Antonio Pereira and Maria da Luz Pereira. He was inspired by the courage of his parents, who immigrated from Cape Verde to the U.S. in search of a better life for themselves and their children, and utilized his love of music, poetry and art as a life-long advocate for the Cape Verdean community of Rhode Island. He was a veteran of the armed forces of the United States and served over 25 years as a librarian and consultant with the Rhode Island Department of State Library Services (now known as the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS)), where he focused on community outreach and the development of cultural and literacy programs. He created the Cape Verdean Oral History Project and produced multimedia programming about Cape Verdeans in Rhode Island that combined images, music, and spoken word narration.
This collection consists of recorded interviews and slides of individuals who emigrated from Cape Verde to Rhode Island, materials related to meetings and programs on Cape Verde and Cape Verdeans which Pereira created, was interested in or involved with, and articles that he wrote. Materials are largely textual, consisting of correspondence, minutes, agendas, clippings, drawings and flyers. Other formats that can be found in the collection are photographs, photographic slides, audiocassette tapes, audio recording tapes, and a VHS tape.
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The collection is open for research.
Alberto Torres Pereira papers, MSS-0067, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College
This collection has been arranged into the following series:
In 1989, Pereira donated the Cape Verdean oral histories to Rhode Island College Special Collections. Additions to the collection were made in 1991, 1992, and 1995. Books and journals were disseminated into the Cape Verdean Book Collection and the Cape Verdean periodical collection at the time of the subsequent donations.
When the collection was originally donated to Special Collections at Rhode Island College, it was partially arranged and the oral histories were digitized by Special Collections staff. The original notes can be found in the processing file. In 2024, the collection was arranged and described by Special Collections Intern, Ginn McAleer, under the supervision of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica Denison. The original folder titles were retained in most cases and the original order was preserved.
The Cape Verde Oral History Project records, select slides and photographs, and some books were originally stored at the Rhode Island Department of State Library Services (now known as the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS)). In 1988, when OLIS was slated to move, Pereira was instructed to remove the items and find a place to donate them.
Works used in preparation of biographical note: “Alberto T. Pereira Obituary.” Tribute Archive. https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/2752955/Alberto-T-Pereira
One box contained materials from multiple collections, Richard Lobban papers, Oling Jackson papers, and Virginia Gonsalves papers. These items were relocated into their respective collections. Duplicates and some newspaper clippings were removed from the collection and destroyed. Books and other publications were added to the Cape Verdean Book Collection and the Cape Verdean periodical collection in the Rhode Island College Special Collections prior to 2019.
A majority of the oral histories from the Cape Verdean Oral History Project have been digitized and are available on Rhode Island College Digital Commons.
Between 1972-1976, Alberto Torres Pereira conducted oral history interviews of Cape Verdean Americans who immigrated to Rhode Island. This series contains correspondence, planning information, questionnaire for interviews, interviews on 35 audiocassette tapes, and an article written about the project by Alberto Torres Pereira and published in TCHUBA. A majority of the audiocassettes in this series have been digitized and are available in the Rhode Island College Special Collections digital archives. Interviewees: Sonyia Andrade, Frank Baptista, Rosendo Brito, Minnie Carvalho, George Castro, Johnetta Cole , Bernardino Delgardo, John Delgado, Charles Fortes, Julio Gomes, Virginia Gonsalves, Joaquina Lima, Mr. Lisbon, Anthony Lopes, Juanita Maniche, Phillip John Martin, Salahudine Matteos, Larry Novick , Ludovinia Paris, Maria Pereira, Anthony Ramos, Tony Santos, Adrien Silva and Yvonne Smart.
Alberto Torres Pereira organized a multimedia event at Rhode Island Department of State Library Services on October 26, 1977 on Cape Verde and Cape Verdean Americans who lived in Rhode Island, entitled “Reflections: Cape Verdeans in Rhode Island.” This series contains correspondence, planning information, grant proposals, scripts in English and Kriolu (Crioulo) and photographic slides.
Alberto Torres Pereira organized and participated in many projects, programs and committees about Cape Verdean Americans between 1967-1992. This series contains audiocassette tapes, correspondence, planning materials, grant proposals, meeting announcements, photographs, photographic slides, and a VHS tape.