Meet Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer José Galvez as Tulsa City-County Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.
His visit kicks off Tulsa City-County Library’s Hispanic Resource Center’s quinceañera, celebrating 15 years as an integral part of the Latino community in Tulsa. Since 1999 the center has served as a vital cultural and educational resource for Spanish-speaking families and for the greater Tulsa community seeking a better understanding of the Hispanic community.
Galvez will speak, answer questions and sign copies of his books Sept. 13, 3 p.m., at Martin Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett Road. This event is free and open to the public.
From the early 1970s through 1993, Galvez was present for many of Cesar Chavez’s farm worker protests. His traveling exhibition “Cesar Chavez, Man of Courage” features iconic images of Chavez’s life and work.
For more than 40 years, Galvez has used black-and-white film to create a powerful and unparalleled historical record of the Latino experience in America. During his career, he has won numerous awards and honors, including the Pulitzer Prize, which he received in 1984 while working as a photographer for the Los Angeles Times. He was part of a team of reporters and photographers who won the award for a series on Latino life in southern California.
Galvez’s books include “Vatos,” “Beloved Land,” “Americanos,” and his latest book, “Shine Boy,” his memoir of growing up in the barrios of Tucson, Arizona.
“Shine Boy” documents how as a young shoeshine boy in Tucson, he carried his box into the Arizona Daily Star newspaper. Inspired by the photojournalists, he bought a camera at a pawn shop and began his training. Majoring in Journalism at the University of Arizona, Galvez got a job at the Star following graduation.
“The images of José Galvez represent the daily struggles of the Latino population,” said Sara Martinez, Hispanic Resource Center coordinator. “He goes beyond the posed photo by taking images which reveal the pride, passion and struggle shared by Latinos.”
For more information on Galvez’s visit or other Hispanic Heritage Month programs, call the AskUs Hotline, 918-549-7323, or visit the library’s Web site, www.tulsalibrary.org.
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