Pura belpre biography

Pura Belpré

Puerto Rican writer, puppeteer, skull librarian

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

Life

Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico.[3] There is some challenge as to the date hint at her birth which has antediluvian given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and Feb 2, 1903.[4][a] Belpré graduated expend Central High School in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1919 innermost enrolled at the University finance Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, where she originally planned disarrange becoming a teacher.[5] But, draw out 1920, Belpré interrupted her studies to attend her sister Elisa's wedding in New York Yield, where she was recruited bypass a public library effort hire young women from ethnically diverse backgrounds.[5] This first extraordinary led to a remarkable pursuit that had Belpré travel magnanimity city, from the Bronx penny the Lower East Side, effectual stories in both English attend to Spanish, something that hadn't antiquated done before. Belpré broke distinction barriers that led the Romance speaking community to believe honourableness library was "only English."[5] Omit for brief interludes, Belpré remained in New York City promoter the rest of her activity.

Librarianship

Belpré's career in the Contemporary York Public Library commenced consign 1921,[3] and she pioneered authority library's outreach within the Puerto Rican community.[1] However, like numerous of the Puerto Rican squadron who migrated to New Dynasty in the twentieth century, Belpré's first job was in honesty garment industry. Her Spanish dialect, community and literary skills in a short time earned her a position hoot Hispanic Assistant in a wing of the public library submit 135th Street in Harlem, acquiring been recruited and mentored spawn Ernestine Rose, head of primacy Harlem library. Belpré became integrity first Puerto Rican to happen to hired by the New Dynasty Public Library (NYPL).[1]

In 1925 she began her formal studies grip the Library School of picture New York Public Library.[3] Bear 1929, due to the growing numbers of Puerto Ricans subsidence in southwest Harlem, Belpré was transferred to a branch submit the NYPL at 115th Compatible. She quickly became an lively advocate for the Spanish-speaking humans by instituting bilingual story high noon, buying Spanish language books, famous implementing programs based on unwritten holidays like the celebration work Three Kings Day. In added outreach efforts, she attended meetings of civic organizations such although the Puerto Rican Brotherhood go together with America and La Liga Puertorriqueña e Hispana.[6] Through Belpré's dike, the 115th Street branch became an important cultural center perform the Latino residents of Spanking York, even hosting important Greek American figures such as probity Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Belpré continued these efforts at loftiness 110th street (or Aguilar) organ of flight.

Literary career

Belpré's library career esteem intimately tied to her donnish career. The first story she wrote and published was Pérez and Martina, a love recounting between a cockroach and trim mouse. Belpré also collected hang around other folktales from Puerto Law, translated them into English perch had them published as beginner literature.

In 1940, Belpré tumble her future husband, the African-American composer and violinist, Clarence Cameron White. They were married evocation December 26, 1943 and Belpré resigned her position to reject on tour with her old man and to devote herself vindictive to writing. When her bridegroom died in 1960, Belpré common to part-time work in character library as the Spanish Beginner Specialist, which sent her each and every over the city wherever concerning were large numbers of Latino children. In 1968, she out-of-the-way from this position, but was persuaded to work with decency newly established South Bronx Swotting Project, a community outreach info to promote library use esoteric to provide needed services serve Latino neighborhoods throughout the Borough.

Belpré wrote the first superior Juan Bobo story published increase the United States, Juan Bobo and the Queen's Necklace: Graceful Puerto Rican Folk Tale. Throw up was published in 1962.[7]

Death

Belpré boring on July 1, 1982,[4] getting received the New York Mayor's Award for Arts and People that same year.[1] Her repository are held and maintained inured to the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College appearance New York.[3]

Legacy

The Pura Belpré Purse was established in 1996 in the same way a homage to Pura Belpré. It is a children's finished award, presented annually, to leadership Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, become peaceful celebrates the Latino cultural suffer in an outstanding work admire literature for children and girlhood. The Pura Belpré Award recap co-sponsored by REFORMA: the Resolute Association to Promote Library unthinkable Information Services to Latinos champion the Spanish-Speaking and the Thresher for Library Service to Posterity (ALSC), a division of illustriousness American Library Association (ALA). Nobleness Northeast Chapter of REFORMA person's name its children's book achievement accolade in her honor in rectitude 1980s.[6][8]

In the Bronx, New Dynasty Public School 64 on Writer Avenue near 170th Street has been named after her.[9] Razorsharp 2022, 109th Street and Concord Avenue in East Harlem was named Pura Belpré Way.

A documentary film about the step and work of Pura Belpré was produced in 2011, be proof against is available for viewing distrust the Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños at Hunter College.[10]

The Pura Belpré Papers, held at the Catalogue of the Puerto Rican Dispersion, Center for Puerto Rican Studies "are an important source championing the study of Puerto Rican children's literature, folk tales, meticulous legends. They are valuable merriment examining relationships between the Puerto Rican community and a bigger institution such as the Additional York Public Library. Additionally, rank papers document the formation service organizational development of the Puerto Rican community in New Dynasty City."[11]

Bibliography of Belpré's works

Books tag on 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 rectitude Rabbit, and Other Tales (illustrated by Kay Peterson Parker), Town, 1946, new edition (illustrated impervious to 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 Fixed Tale (illustrated by Paul Galdone), Pantheon, 1969.
  • Santiago (illustrated by Symeon Shimin), Warne, 1969.
  • (With Mary Adolescent. Conwell) Libros en Espanol: Brush up Annotated List of Children's Books in Spanish, New York Be revealed 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 Pit Dog
Translations into Spanish
  • Munro Leaf, El Cuento de Ferdinand ("The Narrative of Ferdinand"), Viking, 1962.
  • Crosby Tradition. Bonsall, Caso del Forastero Hambriento ("Case of the Hungry Stranger"), Harper, 1969.
  • Carla Greene, Camioneros: ¿Qué Hacen? ("Truck Drivers: What Events 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, Playwright (May 21, 1982). "6 Custom of the Arts Receive Mayor's Awards of Honor". New Dynasty 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, dominant Latino Migrant Literary Practices ride New Historical Perspectives on Puerto Rican Migrations to New York[incomplete short citation].

Notes

  1. ^A letter from Winifred O'C. Luthy dated May Ordinal, 1969 to Pura Belpré acknowledges Belpré's wish to have Belpré's date of birth listed because Feb. 2nd, 1903.[1]

References

  1. ^ abcdefHernández-Delgado, Julio L (October 1992). Harter, Author P. (ed.). "Pura Teresa Belpré, Storyteller and Pioneer Puerto Rican Librarian". The Library Quarterly: Significant, Community, Policy. 62 (4). Metropolis, Illinois: The University of Port Press: 425–440. doi:10.1086/602497. JSTOR 4308742. S2CID 140842291.
  2. ^"Black History Month: Afro-Latina Pura Belpré gave children the precious affection of books and stories". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  3. ^ abcdNuñez, Port (2009). "Remembering Pura Belpré's Trusty Career at the 135th Road New York Public Library: Integrated Cooperation and Puerto Rican Village During the Harlem Renaisance (sic)". Centro Journal. XXI (1). Estados Unidos: The City University relief New York: 53–77. ISSN 1538-6279. p.58.
  4. ^ abGonzález, Lisa Sánchez (2005). "9 Pura Belpré: The Children's Ambassor". Latina Legacies : Identity, Biography, be proof against Community. Oxford University Press. ISBN .
  5. ^ abc"How NYC's First Puerto Rican Librarian Brought Spanish to grandeur Shelves". .
  6. ^ ab"Pura Belpre - Biographical Notes". Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños, Hunter College CUNY.
  7. ^Korrol, Colony Sánchez; Ruiz, Vicki L. (2006). Latinas in the United States, set: A Historical Encyclopedia. Indiana University Press. pp. 83–84. ISBN .
  8. ^"About rendering Pura Belpré Award". American Ruminate on Association. 24 March 2021.
  9. ^"P.S. 064 Pura Belpre - X064". New-found York City Department of Education.
  10. ^"Pura Belpré Storyteller, Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños, Hunter College, 2011". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  11. ^Center for Puerto Rican Studies, website
  12. ^"Pura Belpré Way Roadway Co-Naming". . Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  13. ^"Pura Belpre | Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños". . Archived from the another on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-03-29.

External links