Pura Teresa Belpré (1899 - 1982)

Born 2 Feb 1899 in Cidra, Puerto Rico

Died 1 Jul 1982 at age 83 in New York, United States

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Biography

Pura Belpré is Notable.

Pura Belpré was born in Puerto Rico.

Pura Belpré was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City, doing Spanish-speaking outreach in the Bronx and Lower East Side to show that libraries were for everyone. The Pura Belpré Award was established in her honor in 1996 to recognize Latina and Latino children's authors and illustrators.

Pura Teresa Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico on 1 July 1899 to Felipe Belpré and Carlota Nogueros. After graduating from high school in 1919, she enrolled in University of Puerto Rico. The following year, she visited New York to attend her sister's wedding, arriving at Ellis Island.^[1] She ended up staying in New York for most of her life.

An Afro-Latina, Pura was recruited to work at The New York Public Library's 135th Street Harlem branch; she was the first Puerto Rican to be hired by the library. She fell in love with librarianship and began library school in 1926.^[2] With more Puerto Ricans arriving in Harlem, she was transferred to the 115th Street branch, where she revolutionized library services by embracing a bilingual approach and offering Spanish programming.^[3] Under her direction, that branch became an important Latino cultural center. Pura was also a puppeteer and children's book author. She was particularly interested in Puerto Rican folklore, many stories of which made their way into her books. ^[4]

She first met her future husband, famed violinist and composer Clarence Cameron White, in 1940 while presenting a paper at the American Library Association conference in Cincinnati.^[2] They reconnected in 1943 after his first wife's death and remained together until Clarence died in 1960.

She died in 1982. In 1996, the Pura Belpré Award was created to celebrate Latino and Latina authors and illustrators whose work elevates and celebrates Latino culture.

Research Notes

There is a discrepancy in her date of birth. It has been cited as 2 February 1899, 2 December 1901, and 2 February 1903.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J669-X49 : 2 March 2021), Pura Belpre, 1920.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Reforma: Pura Belpré Biographical Notes. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
3. ↑ NPR: How NYC's First Puerto Rican Librarian Brought Spanish To The Shelves. Accessed on 25 August 2023.
4. ↑ Wikipedia: Pura_Belpré

See Also:

• Wikidata: Item Q7260778
• "New York State Census, 1925", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9YC-75X : Thu Oct 05 06:13:59 UTC 2023), Entry for Pura Belpra, 1925.
• "United States Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X42B-FX5 : Fri Oct 06 03:31:16 UTC 2023), Entry for Louisa Belpri and Pura Belpri, 1930.