The Mission of La Prensa: Informing a Layout of the Literature of Hispanic New York

The Hispanic literature of New York has often been classified as belonging to a handful of canonical authors or selected national groups. However, examples from the early years of the newspaper La Prensa and Felipe Alfau’s novel Chromos, as well as consideration for New York’s cultural climate during the first decades of the twentieth century, suggest that the scope of this literature is more expansive and complex. Departing from these New York texts, this article makes a case for a greater recognition of New York’s unique role within Hispanic literary expression and production, providing a basis for teaching and further research.