Mendez v Westminster: Getting Started

•Look up your keywords in the indexes to subject encyclopedias.

•Read articles in these encyclopedias to set the context for your research.

•Note relevant items in the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopedia articles.

•Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings.

Reference Sources  

Reference books such as the encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and the current issue titles are a good starting point for your research because they help you become better acquainted with your topic.

See the lists below for some selected reference sources available online and in print.

• Here's a PDF version of this guide.

In TalonNet:

• One article from the Los Angeles Times from 1946 talking about the original court decision in favor of the Mendez family.
• A second article from the Los Angeles Sentinel from 1947 talking about the appeals court case that also went in favor of the Mendez family

The Cases:

• Here is a link the the original 1946 district court opinion Mendez v. Westminster:  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2167350549206813053&q=mendez+v.+westminster&hl=en&as_sdt=2006&as_vis=1
• Here is a link to the full 1947 appellate court decision Westminster v. Mendez:  https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/161/774/1566460/

Here are some of the library's online reference resources which can help you get some background information on your topic.  These resources are available on and off campus.

Here are some reference books that are located in the library's Reference area. Although they cannot be checked out, students are able to photocopy pages.