Honoring Pepe Amor y Vázquez (1921-2018)

The JCB community mourns the loss of one our most treasured friends and benefactors. José “Pepe” Amor y Vásquez was professor emeritus of Hispanic Studies at Brown University and one of the founders of Brown’s Center for Latin American Studies. A preeminent scholar in the field of colonial Latin American Studies, Pepe generously served as a volunteer adviser, author, editor, translator, and fundraiser for the Library. He was a member and ultimately Chair of the John Carter Brown Library’s Faculty Liaison Committee and as a result held an ex officio position on JCB’s Board of Governors for many years. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the Library, the JCB Board of Governors presented him with the John Carter Brown Library Medal in 2003. 

In addition to donating his talents and time, Pepe also bequeathed his treasure, establishing the José Amor y Vázquez Endowment Fund in 2004 to underwrite programs and projects at the JCB related to Spanish and Spanish American subjects. This fund has supported nearly twenty short-term fellowships and purchased many important additions to the collection. 

Pepe shared his sharp insights, his delightful wit, and his deep wisdom with generations of grateful JCB staff members and fellows over the course of many years. He will be greatly missed.