This is a list of Puerto Rican literary figures, including poets, novelists, short story authors, and playwrights. It includes people who were born in Puerto Rico, people who are of Puerto Rican ancestry, and long-term residents or immigrants who have made Puerto Rico their home and who are recognized for their literary work.
A
Manuel Abreu Adorno (1955–1984), novelist Rafael Acevedo (born 1960), poet, playwright, fiction writer Aravind Enrique Adyanthaya (born 1965), writer, performer, and theater directorLa Fountain-Stokes, Lawrence. “Rewriting the ‘Great Puerto Rican Family’: Technology, Religion, Extrasensory Perception, Family Violence, and Sexuality in Aravind Enrique Adyanthaya’s The Faculties." HispanismeS: Revue de la Societé des Hispanistes Français 20 (2022), retrieved January 8, 2023. Moisés Agosto Rosario (born 1965), poet and authorlisted in David William Foster, ed., Latin American Writers on Gay and Lesbian Themes: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook, Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994. Alfredo M. Aguayo, educator and writer (1866–1948). Established the first laboratory of child psychology at the University of Havana. Jack Agüeros (1934–2014), author, playwright, poet and translator Miguel Algarín (1941–2020), poet, writer. Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Manuel A. Alonso (1822–1889), poet and author. Considered by many to be the first Puerto Rican writer of notable importance. Aldo Alvarez, short-story writer Silvia Álvarez Curbelo (born 1940), writer and historian Joe Elvis Alway (1969-) is a Nuyorican playwright, social justice leader, educator, and award winner. Wrote "We Are The Whole Cast," "Sabor Nutcracker," "The Front Porch," "540 Southern Blvd.," and is the "Founder of Multicultural Arts Foundation." https://voyagestl.com/?post_type=interview&p=104961, https://www.bing.com/search?q=joe%20elvis%20alway&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=joe%20https://voyagestl.com/?post_type=interview&p=134753elvis%20alway&sc=12-15&sk=&cvid=20141FCD48F54824836390EB798188B0. Alba Ambert, novelist. In 1996 Ambert became the first Hispanic author to win the Carey McWilliams Award for Multicultural Literature, presented by the Multicultural Review, for her novel A Perfect Silence."Hispanic Firsts", By; Nicolas Kanellos, publisher Visible Ink Press; ; p. 40 Marta Aponte Alsina (born 1945), storyteller, novelist and literary critic Pedro I. Aponte Vázquez, historian, journalist, social scientist, professor and writer |page=Source Notes #27. Page 431. (Evidences notability) A. C. Higgins. Science Fraud Database. SUNY at Albany. 2013. (Evidences Puerto Rican background.) Author of ¡Yo Acuso! Tortura y Asesinato de Don Pedro Albizu Campos.;(Bayamon, PR: Movimiento Ecumenico Nacional de Puerto Rico. 1985). Reprinted (Paperback. 1991) Pedro Albizu Campos: Su persecución por el F.B.I.;(Publicaciones René, 1991. 77 pages) Crónica de un encubrimiento: Albizu Campos y el caso Rhoads.;(San Juan: Publicaciones RENÉ, 1992) [co-authored with Gregorio Hernandez Rivera] Locura por decreto: El papel de Luis Muñoz Marín y José Trías Monge en el diagnóstico de locura de don Pedro Albizu Campos.;(San Juan: Publicaciones RENÉ, 1994) El ataque Nacionalista a La Fortaleza;Gregorio Hernández Rivera. Pedro I. Aponte Vázquez, editor. (Publisher: Publicaciones RENÉ. 1993. ) The Unsolved Case of Dr. Cornelius P. Rhoads: An Indictment.;(Publisher, Publicaciones René. 2005. ) Transición [short stories];(Publisher: Los Libros de la Iguana. 2010. 113 pages) La hacienda;(Publisher: Publicaciones René. 2011. 42 pages) "Necator Americanus: O sobre la fisiología del caso Rhoads"(Revista del Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico, Vol. 43, Núm. 1, Febrero, 1982, pp. 117–142.) Delma S. Arrigoitia, historian, author. Arrigoitia was the first person at the University of Puerto Rico to earn a master's degree in the field of history. In 2010, her book, Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868–1938, was recognized among the best in the category of "research and criticism" and awarded a first place prize by the Ateneo Puertorriqueño. Francisco Arriví, writer, poet, and playwright. Arriví is known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Theater". Rane Arroyo, poet, playwright and scholar Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro (born 1970), award-winning Puerto Rican novelist, short story writer and essayist
B–C
Lefty (Manuel) Barreto, novelist, author of the autobiography Nobody's Hero (1977)listed in Marc Zimmerman, U.S. Latino Literature: An Essay and Annotated Bibliography, MARCH/Abrazo, 1992. Janette Becerra, short-story writer, poet, professor, literary critic, and lawyer. Author of Doce versiones de soledad, Elusiones, and Antrópolis. Emilio S. Belaval, short-story writer, playwright, essayist, and lawyer Pura Belpré, author. First Puerto Rican librarian in New York City."Pura Belpré: The Children's Ambassador". In Vicki Ruiz and Virginia Sánchez Korrol, Latina Legacies: Identity, Biography, and Community New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. 148–157 Samuel Beniquez, author of the autobiographical book entitled Tu alto precio... Mi gran valor. María Bibiana Benítez, playwright. Benitez is one of Puerto Rico's first woman poets. Alejandrina Benítez de Gautier, poet. Benítez de Gautier's collaboration with the "Aguinaldo Puertorriqueño" (Collection of Puerto Rican Poetry) gave her recognition as a great poet. Tomás Blanco, writer and historian. Blanco was the author of "Prontuario Historico de Puerto Rico" and "El Prejuicio Racial en Puerto Rico" (Racial Prejudice in Puerto Rico). Juan Boria, Afro-Caribbean poet. Boria, also known as the Negro Verse Pharaoh, was a poet known for his Afro-Caribbean poetry. Gerson Borrero, journalist, radio host and TV commentator in New York City. He has been editor-at-large of City & State NY and editor-in-chief of El Diario/La Prensa Giannina Braschi, author of postmodern political philosophy, poetry, fiction, and drama. Wrote the first full-length Spanglish novel. Titles: Yo-Yo Boing!, Empire of Dreams, and United States of Banana.The Review of Contemporary Fiction, Review of Giannina Braschi's Yo-Yo Boing, by David William Foster, 1999. Julia de Burgos, one of the greatest poets to have been born in Puerto Rico; author of "Yo misma fui mi ruta" and "Poema Río Grande de Loíza". German William Cabassa Barber, award-winning drama, science fiction and poetry writer.Premiaciones de Literatura, 2009-2015. Letters. Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, 2009-2015. Retrieved 24 June 2023. Pedro Cabiya, writer, poet and filmmaker. Author of the seminal Historias tremendas. Other books include Historias atroces, La cabeza, Malas hierbas, Trance, Crazy X-Ray Boomeranf Girl, Ánima Sola, Phantograms and Saga de Sandulce. Morales Boscio, Cynthia. La incertidumbre del ser. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Isla Negra Editores, 2009. Zenobia Camprubí, writer and poet. Camprubí was also the wife of Nobel Prize-winning author Juan Ramón Jiménez. Nemesio Canales, essayist and poet Luisa Capetillo, labor activist. Capetillo was one of Puerto Rico's most famous labor organizers. She was also a writer and an anarchist who fought for workers' and women's rights. Jaime Carrero, poet and playwright N. Humberto Cintrón, novelist, author of Frankie Christo (1972) Joaquín Colón (1896–1964), author of Pioneros puertorriqueños en Nueva York Manuel Corchado y Juarbe, poet, journalist and politician. Corchado y Juarbe defended the abolition of slavery and the establishment of a university in Puerto Rico. Juan Antonio Corretjer, poet. Corretjer was also a journalist and pro-independence political activist who opposed United States rule in Puerto Rico. Zoé Corretjer LlorénsEl surrealismo en la novela hispanoamericana. Luis Rafael Sánchez y "La guaracha del Macho Camacho". 2007."Laíberinto en dos tiempos". 2010. Nicky Cruz, reverend. Cruz has written two autobiographies, Run Baby Run, with Jamie Buckingham (1968), and Soul Obsession, with Frank Martin (2005)."Run, Baby, Run"; Nicky Cruz (Author); Publisher: Bridge-Logos (1 December 1988); Victor Hernández Cruz, poet and essayist. Random House published Cruz's first poetry collection, Snaps (1969), when he was nineteen. Isabel Cuchí Coll, journalist and author. Cuchi Coll was the granddaughter of Cayetano Coll y Toste and niece of José Coll y Cuchí. She served as Director of the "Sociedad de Autores Puertorriqueño""Tras las Huellas de Nuestro Paso"; by: Ildelfonso López; Publisher: AEELA, 1998
D
Ánjelamaría Dávila, poet José Antonio Dávila, poet. Dávila was a well-known poet during Puerto Rico's postmodern era of poetry. Virgilio Dávila, poet. Dávila is considered by many to be one of Puerto Rico's greatest representatives of the modern literary era. Anjanette Delgado, novelist, author of The Heartbreak Pill and The Clairvoyant of Calle Ocho. Twice winner of the International Latino Book Award. Nelson Antonio Denis, novelist, journalist, New York State Assemblyman. Denis authored War Against All Puerto Ricans, published over 300 editorials as the editorial director of El Diario/La Prensa, and received the "Best Editorial Writing" award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Abelardo Díaz Alfaro, writer Emilio Díaz Valcárcel Jaquira Díaz, writer, journalist José de Diego, "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement". De Diego was then elected to the House of Delegates, the only locally elected body of government allowed by the U.S., and which De Diego presided over from 1904 to 1917. Caridad de la Luz a.k.a. La Bruja, poet, playwright, actress and activist. She is also the writer/actor of Boogie Rican Blvd.
E–G
Elizam Escobar poet, author and visual artist. Sandra María Esteves, Nuyorican poetEstill, Adriana. "Sandra María Esteves." In Latino and Latina Writers (vol. 2), ed. Alan West Duran, 873–883. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. Héctor Feliciano, author. Feliciano's book The Lost Museum: The Nazi Conspiracy to Steal the World's Greatest Works of Art has shed a light on an estimated 20,000 looted works; each one is owned by a museum or a collector somewhere. Carole Fernández, novelist, author of Sleep of the Innocents (1991) Carlos Fonseca Suárez, novelist. author of Colonel Lágrimas (2016) Isabel Freire de Matos, writer, educator and advocate of Puerto Rican independence. Rosario Ferré, author of The House on the Lagoon, The Youngest Doll, and Maldito Amor. José Angel Figueroa, poet Shaggy Flores, Nuyorican writer and poet. African Diaspora Scholar, Founder of Voices for the Voiceless. Félix Franco-Oppenheimer, poet and writer. His works include Contornos, Imagen y visión edénica de Puerto Rico, and Antología poética. Edward Gallardo, playwright; works include those collected in Simpson Street and Other Plays Magali García Ramis, writer José Gautier Benítez, poet. Gautier Benítez is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's best poet of the Romantic Era. David Gonzalez, award-winning journalist and photographer at the New York Times. José Luis González, writer. One of the most prominent writers of the 20th century, particularly for his "El país de cuatro pisos" (1980)."González, José Luis." Ronald Fernández, Serafín Méndez Méndez, and Gail Cueto. Puerto Rico Past and Present: An Encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1998. 154–155. Migene González-Wippler, new-age author, prominent Santería expert. Manuel González Pató, educator and writer in the field of athletics
H–K
Victor Hernández Cruz, poet. In 1969, Hernández Cruz became the first Hispanic to be published by a mainstream publishing house when Random House published his poem "Snaps".Aparicio, Frances R. "Victor Hernández Cruz." Heath Anthology of American Literature, Fifth Edition. Paul Lauter, General Editor. Cengage Online Study Center. Accessed 10 January 2010. In 1981, Life Magazine named him one of America's (US) greatest poets.