This collection contains material on the lives of James and Margarita Mendez. It consists of photographs, printed matter, memorabilia, correspondence, and realia. There is a great deal of material on their secondary school years at both Garfield High School and Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles. Both schools had large populations of Japanese American students whose educations were interrupted by forced relocation and incarceration. Margarita had many Japanese American friends throughout her life and perhaps because of this fact she retained material from the Gila River and Poston camps. During the Second World War, James served in the 127th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division alongside Margarita's brother Eloy. Both men retained a significant amount of material from their service in the Pacific War and, in Eloy's case, the American Occupation of Japan. While there is only a small amount of material related to James's career as an insurance salesman, there is a great deal on Margarita's career in social work. There is material on her education, including a draft of her thesis, material on various positions she held, publications, and information about Trabajadores de la Raza, an association of student and professional social workers founded in 1969. There are also a number of plaques and certificates bestowed on Margarita throughout her career.