Jesús Colón Collection
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Abstract
Materials collected by Puerto Rican author, activist, and labor organizer Jesús Colón. Materials cover various labor, political and social organizations in New York.
Biographical Note
Jesús Colón (sometimes spelled Jesus Colon) was born in 1901 in Cayey, Puerto Rico to a working class family. As a teenager he moved to San Juan, where he joined the city's new Socialist Party and took on leadership roles in his high school's journal and literary society. At sixteen he moved in Brooklyn, arriving aboard the S.S. Carolina to live with his older brother, Joaquin.
Colón faced difficulty finding employment in New York, working a number of odd jobs including dockworker and dishwasher. He earned his high school degree by attending night classes at Boys High School and took college courses at St. John's University. During this time he became active in the New York Socialist Party, becoming a founding member of the Party's Puerto Rican Committee.
By the late 1920s Colón was a regular contributor to various newspapers in both New York and Puerto Rico, occasionally writing under the pseudonyms Miquis Tiquis and Pericles Espada. Over the next decades he contributed articles and columns to papers such as Liberación, Vida Obrera, Gráfico, and La Tribuna. By 1955 he was also contributing regular columns to the Communist publications Daily Worker and the Daily World.
In addition to opinion and news he also wrote poetry and short stories. His most recognized work, "A Puerto Rican in New York and Other Sketches" was published by Mainstream Publishers in 1961. The book is an autobiographical collection of short stories documenting his experience and observations as a Puerto Rican immigrant in New York. It's recognized as one of the first English language books about the Puerto Rican experience by a Puerto Rican author.
Colón also worked as a political activist and labor organizer. He co-founded organizations such as La Liga Puertorriqueña e Hispana and Alianza Obrera Puertorriqueña and served as head of the Spanish speaking lodges of the International Workers Order. Colón ran for office several times, for assemblyman and for city council under the American Labor Party, and in 1969 for city comptroller under the Communist Party. Colón died in May 1974 in New York City.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four series by type:
Series I: Political and Social Organizations are arranged in folders alphabetically by organization, with items in each folder arranged chronologically whenever possible. Folders 10-12 contain miscellaneous items arranged by type. Oversize items from this series have been separated and housed in box 2.
Series II: Correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Series III: Newspapers are arranged alphabetically by publication title. La Voz de Puerto Rico has been separated and housed in box 1.
Series IV: Photographs are grouped by size and arranged chronologically whenever possible.
Scope and Contents
The bulk of the collection consists of material collected by Jesús Colón from the various political and labor organizations he was affiliated with. Fliers, invitations and event programs make up the majority of these materials. Newspapers with articles and columns contributed by Colón are also included.
A smaller portion of the collection includes group photographs at parties and rallies and a small portrait of Emilia Colón. Correspondence does not include personal notes, only items concerning various organizations and their members.
Items in this collection are in Spanish and English.
Access
This collection is located in the Brooklyn Collection at Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch at Grand Army Plaza. The collection may only be used in the library and is not available through interlibrary loan. Requests to view the collection must be made at least 48 hours in advance of visit.
Use
While many items in the Brooklyn Collection are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as the Jesús Colón Collection, Brooklyn Public Library – Brooklyn Collection.
Provenance
This collection was donated by Jesús Colón, circa 1965.
