Pura Belpré, Hidden Hero of History

A tale of storytelling magic and handmade puppets from the Bronx to the Lower East Side! Pura Belpré was the very first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library. She was an advocate for Spanish-speaking communities and was responsible for introducing bilingual story hours, authoring children’s stories in Spanish, and releasing the first book of translated Puerto Rican folktales in the U.S. Ms. Belpré was a visionary whose literary programs kept new generations connected to their Hispanic culture and showed all children that their stories matter!

¡Una historia de magia narrativa y marionetas hechas a mano desde el Bronx hasta el Lower East Side! Pura Belpré fue la primera bibliotecaria puertorriqueña contratada por la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York. Fue una defensora de las comunidades de habla hispana y fue responsable de introducir horas de cuentos bilingües, escribir cuentos infantiles en español y publicar el primer libro de cuentos populares puertorriqueños traducido en los EE. UU. La Sra. Belpré fue una visionaria cuyos programas literarios mantuvieron conectadas a las nuevas generaciones con su cultura hispana y mostró a todos los niños que sus historias importan!

Get transcripts in Spanish: https://bit.ly/ep42transcript_es

Episode webpage:
https://jonincharacter.com/pura-belpre

Dorktales Storytime Podcast website:
https://jonincharacter.com/dorktales-storytime-podcast/

SPECIAL THANKS: Erika Ludwig voiced the character, Isabella the bear. She is a Spanish-American voice actor from San Francisco. Visit her website: https://www.erikaludwig.com/

CREDITS: This has been a Jonincharacter production. The Hidden Heroes of History episode was written by Molly Murphy. Jonathan and Mr. Redge were performed by Jonath

Our podcast has partnered with the Red Comet Press to celebrate the launch of their new children’s book, "We Sing From the Heart" by Mia Wenjen. It tells the powerful story of Simon Tam’s fight for free speech that went all the way up to America’s Supreme Court. It’s a story that speaks to the impact that one person can make in this world.

Chapters

• 2:16 Jonathan and Redge try to solve a mystery
• 5:59 Isabella begins Pura Belpré's story
• 13:10 Jonathan and Redge thank Isabella
• 15:02 Credits and how to contact the podcast

Transcript

Download the transcripts in Spanish: https://bit.ly/ep42transcript_es 

Jonathan Cormur (00:00)

Hello, Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur, and you're listening to Dorktales Story Time. Jonincharacters presents "Hidden Heroes of History". Stories that make you wonder. Hey, how did I not know that? Featuring your historian-in-chief, Jonathan Cormur, and his trusty hedgehog sidekick, Reginald T. Hedgehog. This is a good one. All right and... Oh, I love this series. This biography looks so interesting. Well, anyway, all right, I've got to keep going and finding

Reginald T. Hedgehog (00:47)
Why, hello there, Jonathan. Out for a stroll, I see?

Jonathan Cormur (00:51) Oh, Hi, Redge. I was just on my way to your humble abode to drop off some fresh-cut flowers. I found some gorgeous blooms while out foraging and thought I'd share the wealth.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (01:05)
Oh, well, that's so nice of you. Shall we go back to your place then? I'd like to arrange these in your most stunning vase. Give you a real prizewinning display.

Jonathan Cormur (01:16)
That sounds amazing, but give me just one second. I'm following a trail.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (01:23)
Are you? Does this have something to do with the five or so books in your arms?

Jonathan Cormur (01:29)
It does. I was just volunteering over at the library and found a few books on the floor. So I picked them up to reshelve them but before I knew it, I was following a trail of books right out the door.

 Reginald T. Hedgehog (01:44)
A mystery. I just love a good mystery like Sherlock, which is one of the books I found, ironically. My friend Sherlock wrote a book...

Jonathan Cormur (01:57)
You know, Redge, I have a feeling that you're talking about someone else.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (02:02)
You mean my squirrel friend, Sherlock Nettlesbee, right?

Jonathan Cormur (02:08)
How is it that you always have a friend that has the precise name of something I'm trying to tell you about which ultimately sends us off into a series of wild misunderstandings?

Reginald T. Hedgehog (02:22)
Because I'm very popular.

Jonathan Cormur (02:25)
Well, anyways, it is a mystery.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (02:29)
Let's use the power of deduction just like Sherlock when he was trying to find the nuts he hid away for winter.

Jonathan Cormur (02:37)
Right.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (02:40)
Let's see, if you look closely here, one might observe that this log has been pushed ever so slightly to the left, meaning our culprit is likely headed in this direction.

Jonathan Cormur (02:56)
How could you possibly notice that?

Reginald T. Hedgehog (02:58)
I walk to your house every day, Jonathan? I have to stay alert, and as Sherlock says, "It's all about the details."

Jonathan Cormur (03:08)
That's what makes him a good detective.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (03:11)
Sherlock Nettlesbee is no detective, but maybe he should consider it.

Jonathan Cormur (03:18)
Anyways, if we just walk this way a little further, we should find our book borrower.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (03:27)
Jonathan, the trail leads to that tree.

Jonathan Cormur (03:31)
Hey, you're right. Okay, on the count of 3...One

Reginald T. Hedgehog (03:34)
two

Jonathan and Redge (03:34)
Three!

Isabella the Bear (03:34)
Ahhhhh!

Jonathan and Redge (03:34)
Ahhhhh!

Isabella the Bear (03:48)
Ahhhh!

Jonathan Cormur (03:34)
Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just...er...we were just..

Reginald T. Hedgehog (03:49)
We found books!

Jonathan Cormur (03:50)
Right, right, books!

Isabella the Bear (03:54)
¡Ay caramba! Oh, dear. I didn't realize I dropped these.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (03:57)
Sorry for the scare. Let's start over. Hello, I am Reginald T. Hedgehog, and this is my human sidekick, Jonathan.

Jonathan Cormur (04:07)
Yes, I am... Hey, wait. What?

Isabella the Bear (04:13)
¡Hola! ¡Encantado de conoceros! I'm Isabella the Bear.

Jonathan Cormur (04:17)
I don't think we've seen you around the Folktale Forest.

Isabella the Bear (04:20)
Oh, no. I'm not one to go out and about. Usually, I'm just with my family. I prefer the comforts of my den and a very good book.

Jonathan Cormur (04:29)
Come to think of it, I don't think I noticed you at the library.

Isabella the Bear (04:33)
I mostly nestle into the corners. They're the perfect spots to read in peace.

Jonathan Cormur (04:39)
I understand that.

Isabella the Bear (04:40)
Gracias! Thank you for finding these books. I guess, I got carried away on this last trip and took more than I could carry.

Jonathan Cormur (04:47)
Well, no one appreciates the love of good stories more than us.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (04:52)
One time, Jonathan packed at least 20 books for our vacation and almost forgot to bring a change of clothes.

Jonathan Cormur (05:00)
Hey, that's true. Actually, that's totally true.

Isabella the Bear (05:06)
That sounds like something I would do, too.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (05:09)
Do you mind me asking which book you're reading now?

Isabella the Bear (05:12)
Oh, this? It's about one of my biggest heroes in all of history, Pura Belpré. She was a magnificent librarian, storyteller, writer, and puppeteer. And she was the very first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library.

Jonathan Cormur (05:33)
Wow, she sounds amazing!

Reginald T. Hedgehog (05:36)
Isabella, would you tell us more about her? We love to learn about hidden heroes of history.

Isabella the Bear (05:42)
Well, it would be my pleasure. Where should I start? ¿Por dónde empiezo?

Jonathan Cormur (05:47)
When was she born?

Isabella the Bear (05:49)
Ms. Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico. The date of her birth is not exactly known. People have said she was born on February 2nd, 1899, December 2nd, 1901, and February 2nd, 1903.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (06:02)
More mystery.

Isabella the Bear (06:08)
She grew up loving and telling stories. It was an important part of her life from a very young age.

Jonathan Cormur (06:14)
I can relate to that.

Isabella the Bear (06:16)
When she went to college, she originally planned to become a teacher but she decided to stay in New York City after visiting for her sister's wedding, and her path completely changed.

Jonathan Cormur (06:27)
Is this when she joined the New York Public Library?

Isabella the Bear (06:32)
¡Es verdad!! That's right. At the time, she was living in Harlem and the city had a growing Puerto Rican population. She was recruited as part of an initiative to connect the local community with the library.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (06:45)
And this library is quite the institution, is it not?

Jonathan Cormur (06:48)
That's right, Redge. It's a public library system in New York City that has 53 million items and 92 official locations. The library locations are called branches,

Reginald T. Hedgehog (07:00)
Like on a tree, with the main library as the trunk and all the branches as the different locations.

Jonathan Cormur (07:09)
Yes, that's right.

Isabella the Bear (07:11)
It's the second-largest public library in the United States and the fourth largest in the world!

Reginald T. Hedgehog (07:18)
Goodness, that's impressive.

Isabella the Bear (07:21)
Ms. Belpré began as an assistant at the 135th Street branch in Harlem. In 1925, she studied at the Library School of the New York Public Library, and then she was transferred to the 115th Street branch to continue her outreach in the growing Puerto Rican community.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (07:40)
I imagine her background helped her connect more deeply with people throughout the city.

Isabella the Bear (07:46)
¡Seguro! Ms. Belpré traveled all over the city, from the Bronx to the Lower East Side, telling stories using handmade puppets and speaking in Espanol and in English. Nobody else was doing this at the time.

Jonathan Cormur (08:00)
That's wonderful.

Isabella the Bear (08:01)
One of my favorite details I read about her story time is that she would place a lit candle next to her, and at the end of her time reading out loud, she would allow the children to make wishes on the candle before it was blown out.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (08:15)
Well, that's magical. I just love wishes. In fact, last night I went outside to watch shooting stars and wished-

Jonathan Cormur (08:25)
Oh, no, no. Don't say it, Redge, or it may not come true.

Isabella the Bear (08:30)
He's right, Redge!

Reginald T. Hedgehog (08:32)
Oh, dear. I've forgotten myself. Thank you both for saving my wish. Anyways, carry on, Isabella.

Isabella the Bear (08:41)
Beyond her time telling stories, she became an advocate for the Spanish-speaking community. She established more bilingual story hours.

Jonathan Cormur (08:50)
Which means that the storyteller spoke in both Spanish and English, just like Ms. Belpré, right?

Isabella the Bear (08:58)
¡Claro que si! That's right. She also bought Spanish language books and brought them into the library and she put together programs that allowed her community to celebrate their traditional holidays.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (09:11)
Oh, I love holidays. Can you share an example of one of these jolly festivals?

Isabella the Bear (09:19)
Oh, Three Kings' Day, also known as Epiphany “El Día de Reyes.”  It's a very important holiday in Hispanic culture.

Jonathan Cormur (09:28)
Everyone should have a space that recognizes and celebrates their important traditions.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (09:34)
I couldn't agree more.

Isabella the Bear (09:36)
Ms. Belpré's work turned the 115th Street branch into a very important cultural center for Latino, Latina, and Hispanic New Yorkers, and it was very groundbreaking. Her programs are still being offered today.

Jonathan Cormur (09:52)
So bilingual story hours might not exist without her work?

Isabella the Bear (09:56)
That's correct. ¡Eso es correcto! 

Reginald T. Hedgehog (10:00)
Now, you said she was also an author?

Isabella the Bear (10:04)
When she found there were no books for children in the Spanish language or that depicted Puerto Rican culture, she decided to write them herself.

Jonathan Cormur (10:13)
Like this one right here?

Isabella the Bear (10:15)
¡Sí! The first story she wrote and published was "Perez and Martina". A love story between a cockroach and a mouse.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (10:23)
A cockroach and a mouse? I don't know that I've met a cockroach and a mouse that have enough in common to fall in love.

Jonathan Cormur (10:33)
Well, it says here, Redge, that she wanted to share these stories because it showed characters who were able to come together across different cultures.

Isabella the Bear (10:42)
That was an important story for children who immigrated to the United States and rarely saw themselves reflected in stories, so they often felt like they didn't belong. Her writing also meant that children could continue to stay connected to their cultures.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (10:58)
Well, that's remarkable.

Isabella the Bear (11:01)
¡Por supuesto! Ms. Belpré translated many Puerto Rican folktales for exactly this purpose. In fact, the first book of Puerto Rican folktales published in the United States was Ms. Belpré's.

Jonathan Cormur (11:15)
She used her role in the library to show her community that their stories matter.

Isabella the Bear (11:20)
She was a visionary and made sure that the Puerto Rican language and culture would be passed down to new generations, but her reach extends even further. I'm from Spain myself, but to see library books in my first language really makes me feel seen.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (11:36)
That's amazing, Isabella. Her legacy continues on.

Isabella the Bear (11:41)
And on and on.

Jonathan Cormur (11:43)
Whoa!

Isabella the Bear (11:44)
¿Qué? What is it?

Jonathan Cormur (11:45)
Well, speaking of enduring legacies, I just read here that some of her original puppets are still in use today.

Isabella the Bear (11:54)
Oh yes. And librarians have led puppet-making workshops with library visitors.

Jonathan Cormur (11:59)
Mr. Redge, add "learn how to make puppets" to our bucket list.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (12:04)
Consider it added.

Isabella the Bear (12:06)
There is also an award named in her honor that recognizes Latino and Latina writers. The Pura Belpré award is especially important. We still have more work to do to make sure there are diverse authors and stories represented in children's literature.

Jonathan Cormur (12:23)
I'm so glad Ms. Belpré taught us just how much that matters.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (12:30)
Yes, indeed. What an incredible hero. Thank you for sharing her story with us, Isabella. It was so nice of you to take time out of your reading day.

Jonathan Cormur (12:41)
We know how crucial reading hours are...

Reginald T. Hedgehog (12:44)
Here as a token of our gratitude.

Isabella the Bear (12:50)
¡Qué sorpresa! Oh, wow. These flowers are so beautiful.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (12:55)
Oh, shucks.

Jonathan Cormur (12:57)
He picked them himself from around his hovel.

Isabella the Bear (12:59)
I really love them, and it was my pleasure to tell you my hero's story. So is this something you do often?

 Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:10)
My, oh my! You wouldn't believe the people we've learned about.

Isabella the Bear (13:14)
Well, I do love a good tale.

Jonathan Cormur (13:17)
Let us tell you some excellent ones then!

Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:20)
Do you want to hear about intergalactic space travel?

Jonathan Cormur (13:26)
Or a daring ocean rescue?

Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:30)
Or the bravest of aviators soaring to new heights?

Jonathan Cormur (13:35)
We could also talk about that one story.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:37)
Oh, the one with the inventions?

Jonathan Cormur (13:39)
Yes, and the incredible plant research.

Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:42)
Oh, right. I was thinking about the one with the beginnings of WiFi. 

Isabella the Bear (13:47)
¡Espera! Whoa, slow down. Let's take these books back to my den. I'll make some refreshments and then please tell me all of these stories.

Jonathan Cormur (13:57)
Excellent!

Reginald T. Hedgehog (13:59)
Elementary. Let's begin with the story about summiting Mount Everest.

Jonathan Cormur (14:05)
So this story is about Tenzing Norgay. You ever heard of Tenzing Norgay? Well, he was a Sherpa living in Nepal, and he and his friend...

Jonathan Cormur (14:15)
This has been a Jonincharacter Production. The Hidden Heroes of History episode was written by Molly Murphy. Jonathan and Mr. Redge were performed by Jonathan Cormur. Special thanks to special guest actor Erika Ludwig, who voiced Isabella the Bear. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studios.

Jonathan Cormur (14:35)
Reach out to us on Instagram or email us at dorktalesstorytime@gmail.com. Find links in the show notes or go to dorktalesstorytime.com. Now, go be the hero of your own story and we'll see you next, once upon a time.