"There Are No Hispanic Stars!"

Selected writings by early LA cultural critic Gabriel Navarro, in English for the first time

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.

Gabriel Navarro (1894–1950) was a composer, author, cultural critic, and newspaper editor. His work appeared in La Opinión (Los Angeles) and other regional papers. Colin Gunckel is associate professor of screen arts and cultures, American culture, and Latina/o studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Laura Isabel Serna is associate professor of history and cinema and media studies at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.