The Delis Negrón digital archive captures the life and legacy of the Puerto Rican writer born in 1901, who was also director, editor, poet, writer, English professor and activist throughout his residency in south Texas and Mexico City during the twentieth century. Delis Negrón's personal archive incorporates familial memory as a resource for recovering part of his legacy.
His literary production can be traced through newspapers published in the United States and Mexico and events in cities across the state of Texas during the first half of the 20th century. His poetry was recited at the Junta Patriótica Mexicana in the city of McAllen, and various other cities for national holidays, Mother’s Day celebrations, Day of the Dead and other community celebrations. He also influenced other writers, such as P. Galindo (José Díaz), who wrote a poem dedicated to the newspaper La Prensa and to Delis Negrón entitled "New Year's Greeting," in which he congratulated the newspaper's members and recognized Negrón’s great work. His literary works also demonstrate the influence Mexican culture had on him. For example, his poem "Las Soldaderas" describes the role played by some women during the Mexican Revolution. And in his manuscripts titled "Cantinflas," "Cantinflas Político," "Cantinflas Sindicalista," etc., he provides a social and political critique of Mexican society after Mexican Independence and during Porfirio Díaz's presidential administration.
"Muchos políticos prometen dar de comer al pueblo y lo que hacen es comérselo".
-Delis Negrón
In his poem "Bandera," Negrón demonstrates his connection to the Puerto Rican homeland and in other more personal poems, he expresses his feelings for his family, as in "La Adelita," dedicated to his wife, Adela. Other poems are found in his collections, Vislumbres and Palabras. In the same way that his presence makes Latinos visible in American history, his literary career also highlights the literary participation of a Puerto Rican in the United States and Mexico.
His literary, political and social publications are found in various South Texas newspapers. He published weekly columns in San Antonio's La Prensa titled "Microscopio" and "Temas Humanos," some of which touched on themes of the "Red Scare." He developed these during two different periods in the United States: the first, from 1917 to 1920 and the second from 1947 to 1957. Negrón's commitment to the community led him to become an active member in politics and a participant in the Latino community's struggle for civil rights. As an editor, he contributed to the publication of the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) newsletter during the 1950s. He also served as a member of various organizations, including the Gran Cadena Fraternal Filantrópica, Sociedad de Obreros, Sociedad Fraternal Mexicoamericana, Hijos de Juárez and Fé, Esperanza y Caridad.
This archive makes it possible to trace and understand other aspects of Negrón's life that would otherwise have been lost to history.