There Are No Hispanic Stars!

In the 1920s and 1930s a uniquely Mexican American entertainment culture flourished across the southwestern United States. Spanish-language newspapers offered theater listings, coverage of favorite performers, cultural criticism, and serialized novels that thematized entertainment culture. Gabriel Navarro was a key figure in this milieu. "There Are No Hispanic Stars!" assembles the novellas and articles that represent his extensive body of film and cultural criticism. Covering a range of topics from the lives of Hollywood's well-known Mexican actors to the plight of Mexican extras and the formation of amateur film clubs, Navarro allowed his readers to participate in the construction of a Latina/o Hollywood. At the same time, he urged Hollywood not to overlook its Latina/o audiences. Together, these writings present a lively look at the film culture that emerged in the Southwest's Mexican immigrant community. The introduction situates Navarro's writing within the context of Mexican-oriented journalism and cultural politics of the era.