Quinto Sol facts for kids
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Octavio Romano, founder of Quinto Sol (1970)
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| Industry | Independent Publisher |
|---|---|
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Founded | 1967 at UC Berkeley |
| Founder |
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| Defunct | 1974 |
| Products | El Grito: A Journal of Contemporary Mexican-American Thought |
Quinto Sol was a special publishing company started in 1967. It was the first independent publisher to come from the Chicano Movement in the 1960s. This movement was a time when Mexican Americans worked for their rights and to celebrate their culture.
Quinto Sol was founded at UC Berkeley by Professor Octavio I. Romano, along with Nick C. Vaca and Andres Ybarra. The name "Quinto Sol" means "Fifth Sun" in Spanish. It comes from an ancient Aztec story about how the world was created and destroyed many times. This idea of the Fifth Sun became a big part of Chicano art, music, and writing.
The main goals of Quinto Sol were to bring people together through culture and help Mexican Americans have a stronger voice. The company and its authors were very important to the Chicano Movement in the 1970s. They wanted to create a fair place for Mexican American writers to share their ideas and stories.
Contents
Publishing Chicano Voices
Starting in 1967, Quinto Sol began publishing a special magazine called El Grito: A Journal of Contemporary Mexican-American Thought. This was the first national academic and literary magazine ever published for Mexican Americans in the United States. "El Grito" means "the Shout" in Spanish. It was meant to help Mexican Americans across the country feel more connected and proud of their heritage.
This magazine became a place where Chicano scholars, writers, and artists could share their work. They used it to challenge unfair ideas and stereotypes about Mexican Americans. As the magazine grew, it helped expand how Chicano culture was expressed and defined.
The writers in El Grito pointed out biases in how Mexican Americans were seen in schools and books. Quinto Sol also released Voices: Readings from El Grito, which collected the most important articles from the magazine. This book became a key resource for people learning about the new field of Chicano Studies. In 1969, Quinto Sol published El espejo--The Mirror, which was the first collection of Mexican-American literature.
Many works published by Quinto Sol in the 1970s were written in Spanish. Some even switched between English and Spanish, which is called "code switching." These works often drew from American culture, the experiences of Mexican Americans, and Aztec stories. Quinto Sol helped establish Chicano literature as its own unique type of writing. It also gave Chicano writers a sense of belonging in the world of books. Many writers who are now famous in Chicano literature got their start with Quinto Sol.
The Premio Quinto Sol Award
In 1970, Quinto Sol created the Premio Quinto Sol, which means "Quinto Sol Prize." This was the first national literary award for Mexican American authors. It was given to the best fictional work by a Mexican American writer. The winner received $1000 and their book was published by Quinto Sol.
The first Premio Quinto Sol was awarded in 1971 to Tomás Rivera. He was a professor of Spanish. His winning book was ...y no se lo tragó la tierra (And the Earth Did Not Devour Him). Quinto Sol published it as a bilingual edition, with both Spanish and English versions printed side-by-side.
In 1972, Rudolfo Anaya won the second Premio Quinto Sol for his novel Bless Me, Ultima. Rolando Hinojosa won the third award in 1973 for Estampas del Valle y Otras Obras. In 1975, Estela Portillo Trambley became the first woman to win the Premio Quinto Sol for her short story collection, Rain of Scorpions.
Lasting Impact
The books and magazines published by Quinto Sol between 1967 and 1974 are considered some of the most important works by Chicano authors. The Premio Quinto Sol award helped provide a way for Chicano artists to share their unique stories. The writers whose work Quinto Sol published are now a vital part of the Chicano literary and cultural movement.
Through its magazine El Grito, the Premio Quinto Sol award, and other publications, Quinto Sol played a huge role. It helped make Chicano culture a respected area of study. It also helped create a list of important Chicano literature. Quinto Sol was a creative and intellectual space for people involved in the Chicano Movement. It helped Mexican American authors and their supporters create their own identity and build a self-defined Chicano community.
After seven years, and after giving out the fourth Premio Quinto Sol, the publishing house split into two new companies: Editorial Justa and Tonatiuh International. Tonatiuh International later became Tonatiuh-Quinto Sol (TQS) Publications.
Quinto Sol Remembered Today
In 2012, a group called "Quinto Sol Remembered" was formed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was started by Gustavo Buenrostro, Javier Huerta, Wanda Alarcón, Joseph Rios, and Patricia Velazquez. Their goal was to honor the important literary achievements of Quinto Sol.
On April 6 and 7, 2012, a special event took place to celebrate the Chicano publishing house. Many important Chicano writers and scholars attended. These included Alex Saragoza, Alurista, Edel Romay, Gustavo Segade, Hector Calderón, Juan Carrillo, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Lucha Corpi, Malaquías Montoya, Nick Vaca, Rosaura Sánchez, Rudy Anaya (who joined by video), and Sergio Elizondo.
