Hispanic books from Houston press yanked from Arizona classrooms

The Tucson Unified School District in Arizona made headlines in recent weeks when it dismantled a popular Mexican American Studies program.

John Huppenthal, the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, declared the program illegal under a state law that bans racially-divisive classes. Although the district says no books have been banned, seven books have been yanked from classrooms. Two of those books were published by the University of Houston’s Arte Público Press, the largest publisher of contemporary U.S. Latino literature: Message to Aztlán, by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales (2001) and Chicano! A History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement, by Arturo Rosales (1997). Both are taught often.

But the Houston connection doesn’t end there.

Tony Diaz, founder of local literary nonprofit Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say is organizing a caravan from Houston to Tucson over spring break to raise awareness about the situation and bring Hispanic books to Tucson students. He calls it the Librotraficante movement, and it begins in Houston on Monday, March 12 and ends in Tucson on Saturday, March 17. Along the way, the caravan will stop in San Antonio, El Paso and Albuquerque, for read-ins and other activities. The caravan will be filled with authors and activists, accruing people as it goes.

Books and other forms of donations are welcome. Nick Kanellos, founder of Arte Público Press, is donating copies of the two books in question — and other books, if Diaz needs them — to the cause.

Look for a story with more details in this blog and in the Chronicle soon.

In the meantime, check out Tony Diaz’s and Rodolfo Acuña’s video: