Globe-native Christine Marin was honored recently with the prestigious Sharlot Hall Award, recognizing her lifetime achievements and outstanding contributions to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history

The award was presented Aug. 3 at the Western History Symposium in Prescott and recognizes Marin for her extensive research and education work in 20th century Mexican-American and Southwest history.

“Dream big!” was her call-to-action in acknowledging her parents, both Hispanic immigrants to America who settled in the copper-mining area of Globe and Miami.  “They taught me to never accept the status quo and to set lofty goals... to Dream Big!” she said. “I was a lucky kid growing upon on Euclid Avenue in Globe,” added Marin in describing her hometown of post-World War II, “...a ‘United Nations’ kind of street... true multi-cultural working class neighborhood where copper miners and their families struggled to make ends meet.”

It was there she became devoted to Americanism, patriotism, volunteerism, education, and such family values as hard work, determination and community activism. After graduating from the local high school, she went on to attend Arizona State University, where she ultimately received her Ph.D. in history.

As a researcher, historian and educator, Dr. Marin has received numerous awards and currently serves on the boards of several organizations. Her published works include four books and numerous articles. 

Her research and writing on the history of racial and ethnic groups in Arizona she views as a personal responsibility to her heritage and her community – one that preserves and continues to tell their stories for future generations.

Founder of the Chicano Research Collection and Archives at the Hayden Library and professor emeritus at Arizona State University, Marin joins a who’s who of 35 distinguished, living women recognized for their lifetime achievements.

Previous recipients of the Sharlot Hall Award include: Catherine Ellis (2017) for her four decades of documenting the Mormon influence on Arizona; Nancy Kirkpatrick Wright (2016) for her lifetime of research work as an historian and author; Winifred “Winn” Bundy (2015) of the Singing Wind Bookshop near Benson for her literary preservation; and Sylvia Neely (2014) for her research and preservation.

The Sharlot Hall Award is named in honor of the museum founder Sharlot Mabridth Hall (1870-1943), who achieved fame as a poet, author, activist, and territorial historian – the first woman to hold public office in the Arizona Territory.

The Award has become a pre-eminent recognition presented annually to a living Arizona Woman in recognizing her valuable contributions to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history.