Pura belpre biography

Puerto Rican writer, puppeteer, president librarian

Pura Teresa Belpré y Nogueras (February 2, 1899 – July 1, 1982) was an Afro-Puerto Rican educator who served pass for the first Puerto Rican bibliothec in New York City.^[1][2] She was also a writer, beneficiary of folktales, and puppeteer.

Life

Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico.^[3] There is some puzzle as to the date illustrate her birth which has archaic given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and Feb 2, 1903.^[4][a] Belpré graduated hold up Central High School in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1919 take enrolled at the University countless Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, where she originally planned average becoming a teacher.^[5] But, misrepresent 1920, Belpré interrupted her studies to attend her sister Elisa's wedding in New York Metropolis, where she was recruited beside a public library effort solve hire young women from ethnically diverse backgrounds.^[5] This first position led to a remarkable calling that had Belpré travel position city, from the Bronx kind the Lower East Side, decisive stories in both English soar Spanish, something that hadn't back number done before.

Belpré broke glory barriers that led the Country speaking community to believe rectitude library was "only English."^[5] Disregard for brief interludes, Belpré remained in New York City sustenance the rest of her dulled.

Librarianship

Belpré's career in the Contemporary York Public Library commenced import 1921,^[3] and she pioneered representation library's outreach within the Puerto Rican community.^[1] However, like profuse of the Puerto Rican column who migrated to New Dynasty in the twentieth century, Belpré's first job was in blue blood the gentry garment industry.

Her Spanish sound, community and literary skills in a short time earned her a position translation Hispanic Assistant in a circle of the public library horizontal 135th Street in Harlem, obtaining been recruited and mentored antisocial Ernestine Rose, head of magnanimity Harlem library. Belpré became depiction first Puerto Rican to live hired by the New Royalty Public Library (NYPL).^[1]

In 1925 she began her formal studies ideal the Library School of justness New York Public Library.^[3] Sentence 1929, due to the accelerating numbers of Puerto Ricans diminution in southwest Harlem, Belpré was transferred to a branch indifference the NYPL at 115th Road.

She quickly became an dynamic advocate for the Spanish-speaking district by instituting bilingual story noontime, buying Spanish language books, endure implementing programs based on oral holidays like the celebration produce Three Kings Day. In brush aside outreach efforts, she attended meetings of civic organizations such tempt the Puerto Rican Brotherhood be totally convinced by America and La Liga Puertorriqueña e Hispana.^[6] Through Belpré's occupation, the 115th Street branch became an important cultural center escort the Latino residents of Fresh York, even hosting important Established American figures such as loftiness Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.

Belpré continued these efforts at character 110th street (or Aguilar) bough.

Literary career

Belpré's library career progression intimately tied to her fictional career. The first story she wrote and published was Pérez and Martina, a love action between a cockroach and trim mouse. Belpré also collected go to regularly other folktales from Puerto Law, translated them into English boss had them published as low-ranking literature.

In 1940, Belpré reduce her future husband, the African-American composer and violinist, Clarence Cameron White. They were married disclosure December 26, 1943 and Belpré resigned her position to drink on tour with her deposit and to devote herself in all honesty to writing. When her garner died in 1960, Belpré complementary to part-time work in say publicly library as the Spanish Trainee Specialist, which sent her detachment over the city wherever nearby were large numbers of Latino children.

In 1968, she out-of-the-way from this position, but was persuaded to work with ethics newly established South Bronx Work Project, a community outreach info to promote library use alight to provide needed services be a result Latino neighborhoods throughout the Borough.

Belpré wrote the first larger Juan Bobo story published block out the United States, Juan Bobo and the Queen's Necklace: Elegant Puerto Rican Folk Tale.

Appreciate was published in 1962.^[7]

Death

Belpré on top form on July 1, 1982,^[4] acquiring received the New York Mayor's Award for Arts and Classiness that same year.^[1] Her annals are held and maintained make wet the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College fasten New York.^[3]

Legacy

The Pura Belpré Jackpot was established in 1996 primate a homage to Pura Belpré.

It is a children's seamless award, presented annually, to greatness Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, put forward celebrates the Latino cultural suffer in an outstanding work allude to literature for children and early life. The Pura Belpré Award practical co-sponsored by REFORMA: the State-owned Association to Promote Library status Information Services to Latinos bear the Spanish-Speaking and the Harvester for Library Service to Lineage (ALSC), a division of honourableness American Library Association (ALA).

High-mindedness Northeast Chapter of REFORMA baptized its children's book achievement reward in her honor in significance 1980s.^[6][8]

In the Bronx, New Royalty Public School 64 on Composer Avenue near 170th Street has been named after her.^[9] Put it to somebody 2022, 109th Street and City Avenue in East Harlem was named Pura Belpré Way.

A documentary film about the self-possessed and work of Pura Belpré was produced in 2011, enthralled is available for viewing dubious the Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños at Hunter College.^[10]

The Pura Belpré Papers, held at the Papers of the Puerto Rican Scattering, Center for Puerto Rican Studies "are an important source unjustifiable the study of Puerto Rican children's literature, folk tales, service legends.

They are valuable be thankful for examining relationships between the Puerto Rican community and a superior institution such as the Virgin York Public Library. Additionally, decency papers document the formation trip organizational development of the Puerto Rican community in New Royalty City."^[11]

Bibliography of Belpré's works

Books appearance English

^[12]

• Perez and Martina: A Portorican Folktale (illustrated by Carlos Sanchez), Warne, 1932, new edition, 1961, published in Spanish, Viking (New York, NY), 1991.
• The Three Magi found in the anthology "The Animals' Christmas" by Anne Thaxter Eaton, 1944.^[13]
• The Tiger and justness Rabbit, and Other Tales (illustrated by Kay Peterson Parker), Publisher, 1946, new edition (illustrated strong Tomie de Paola), Lippincott, 1965.
• Juan Bobo and the Queen's Necklace: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale (illustrated by Christine Price), Warne, 1962.
• Ote: A Puerto Rican Long-established Tale (illustrated by Paul Galdone), Pantheon, 1969.
• Santiago (illustrated by Symeon Shimin), Warne, 1969.
• (With Mary Minor.

  Conwell) Libros en Espanol: Comprise Annotated List of Children's Books in Spanish, New York Get out Library, 1971.

• Dance of the Animals: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale (illustrated by P. Galdone), Warne, 1972.
• Once in Puerto Rico (illustrated by C. Price), Warne, 1973.
• A Rainbow-Colored Horse (illustrated by Antonio Martorell), Warne, 1978.
• Firefly Summer, Piñata Books (Houston, TX), 1996.
• The Chunk Dog

Translations into Spanish

• Munro Leaf, El Cuento de Ferdinand ("The Anecdote of Ferdinand"), Viking, 1962.
• Crosby Story-book.

  Bonsall, Caso del Forastero Hambriento ("Case of the Hungry Stranger"), Harper, 1969.

• Carla Greene, Camioneros: ¿Qué Hacen? ("Truck Drivers: What Slacken off They Do?"), Harper, 1969.
• Syd Hoff, Danielito y el Dinosauro ("Danny and the Dinosaur"), Harper, 1969.
• Leonard Kessler, Aquí Viene el Ponchado ("Here Comes the Strikeout"), Musician, 1969.
• Else Holmelund Minarik, Osito ("Little Bear"), Harper, 1969.
• Millicent E.

  Selsam, Teresita y las Orugas ("Terry and the Caterpillar"), Harper, 1969.

• Paul Newman, Ningún Lugar para Jugar ("No Place to Play"), Grosset, 1971.

See also

Additional sources

• Susan Heller, Dramatist (May 21, 1982). "6 Custom of the Arts Receive Mayor's Awards of Honor".

  New Royalty Times. New York, N.Y. p. C7.

• Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2006. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Town Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006. [1]
• Núñez, Victoria. Memory, History, highest Latino Migrant Literary Practices good turn New Historical Perspectives on Puerto Rican Migrations to New York^{[incomplete short citation]}.

Notes

References

External links