Theodore S. Gonzalves

Dr. Theodore S. Gonzalves is a curator of Asian Pacific American history in the division of Culture and the Arts at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. His areas of responsibility include the research, collection, and exhibition of Asian Pacific American histories and the performing arts. He previously served as director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. A Fulbright Scholar with extensive teaching experience in the United States, Spain, and the Philippines, Dr. Gonzalves has also been awarded senior fellowships at the Smithsonian Institution, UNC Chapel Hill, and the Library of Congress. He was appointed to the Organization of American Historians' Distinguished Lectureship Program and is currently a member of the board of directors of the American Council of Learned Societies. https://www.theogonzalves.com

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects

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Asian Americans are the fastest growing group in the United States and include approximately 50 distinct ethnic groups, but their stories and experiences have often been sidelined or stereotyped. Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects offers a vital window into the triumphs and tragedies, strength and ingenuity, and traditions and cultural identities of these communities.

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Kulintang Kultura: Danongan Kalanduyan and Gong Music of the Philippine Diaspora

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Co-produced by Theodore S. Gonzalves and Mary Talusan Lacanlale, Kulintang Kultura, from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, pays homage to the late Danongan “Danny” Kalanduyan, a talented musician and generous teacher who championed traditional Filipino kulintang gong music in the United States, helping to keep the memory and practice alive.

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The History of Paredon Records

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Dr. Theodore S. Gonzalves will discuss his next book project focusing on the history of a record label, Paredon Records, which released 50 albums of what is essentially (but all too often poorly categorized as) protest music, between 1970 and 1985. The label’s founders were U.S. activists and artists who initially were inspired by the Cuban revolution’s commitment to supporting the work of politically committed singer-songwriters from Latin America. Barbara Dane and Irwin Silber expanded that initial geographic focus to include LPs from Asia (the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Thailand), Africa (Angola), the middle east, and even radical songs and music from Europe (the UK, Ireland, and Greece) and the United States.

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