Virginia Neves Gonsalves was born in 1939 in Brava, Cape Verde to Manuel J. and Candida Neves Gonsalves. At the age of nine, she immigrated with her mother to the United States, joining her father and brother in Newport, Rhode Island. After graduating from Rogers High School in 1958, Gonsalves attended Salve Regina University. In 1962, she graduated with a BA and later created endowed scholarships at both schools. Already fluent in Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish, Gonsalves pursued two masters degrees, one in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and the other in Portuguese from Marquette University. Her combined skills were beneficial in her early career as a bilingual resource teacher and later as the head of the language department at Hope High School. Additionally, Gonsalves utilized her knowledge as a translator for visiting dignitaries, courts, clinics, and friends.
Gonsalves was widely recognized as a leader by the Cape Verdean American community. She was a founding member of the Cape Verdean American Federation and the first vice president and founding member of the American Association for the Development of Cape Verde. In addition to serving as a board member, she helped create the Cape Verde Museum, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where she volunteered weekly as a docent. As a community leader, Gonsalves planned and created a wide range of events, programs, and services to better her community ranging from visits from Cape Verdean dignitaries, educational conferences, and classroom language materials. Gonsalves was instrumental in creating the Cape Verdean Connection exhibition in the 1995 Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife. Recognizing her efforts, Gonsalves was awarded the honoree of the 2018 Poderosa conference, an annual conference for Cape Verdean Women. On June 29th, 2023, Gonsalves passed away in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Virginia Neves Gonsalves papers pertain to Cape Verde history and Cape Verdean American culture. The collection contains subject files relating to Cape Verde’s history and Cape Verdean Americans. Topics and items of interest include Cape Verde independence, Cape Verde foreign relations, diplomatic visits, consular and diplomatic papers, Cape Verdean American language and literacy, the Ernestina, the Cape Verdean American Federation, and the 1995 Smithsonian Festival of Folklife.
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.
Virginia Neves Gonsalves papers, MSS-0084, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
The collection has been arranged into the following series:
The collection was initially donated by Virginia Neves Gonsalves in 1989. Gonsalves made additions to the collection periodically.
The collection was arranged by Special Collections staff prior to 2019. In 2024, the collection was further arranged and described, and additions incorporated, using current archival standards by Sarah Dunn, Special Collections intern, under the direction of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica L. Denison
Works used in preparation of inventory:
Rhode Island College Special Collections holds further collections relating to Cape Verde. Please review the
Select publications were removed from the collection by Special Collections staff. These publications were added to the Cape Verdean periodical collection, the Cape Verdean Book Collection, and the Cape Verdean subject files. In 2024, additional publications were removed from the collection and added to the Cape Verdean periodical collection, and the Cape Verdean Book Collection. Please contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections for additional information.