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For over 40 years, Nicolás Kanellos of the University of Houston has been instrumental in promoting Latino stories through various literary forms. His work spans directing Arte Público Press and the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage initiative while serving as a full-time faculty member at UH. Today, his contributions were recognized with a National Humanities Medal awarded by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Kanellos received this honor during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C., on October 21. He was one of 17 individuals honored by President Biden, including artists, authors, musicians, and historians. The event also recognized National Arts Medalists.
“The medal has my name on it—and I am so proud of that—but in reality, it honors all the mission-driven people who for some 40 years have searched for and preserved Latino cultural history and made it accessible to schools, universities, libraries and the public at-large,” Kanellos said. “Here at UH, the entire Arte Público Press team of professionals and students assiduously works to create new humanistic knowledge through cutting-edge technology, traditional scholarship and outreach to the community.”
Kanellos' efforts with Arte Público Press and UH have led to numerous publications across genres and preserved significant Hispanic historical documents. His initiatives have also provided valuable experience to students involved in research.
“Words can shape our world, tell our stories and shine a light on the unseen,” said UH President Renu Khator. “For more than 40 years, Nicolás Kanellos has used the power of the written word to uplift, celebrate and commemorate Hispanic American culture. I am beyond proud to see his immeasurable contributions awarded with such a distinguished honor.”
The foundation for Arte Público Press was laid in 1972 when Kanellos co-founded Revista Chicana-Riqueña with Luis Davila. This magazine highlighted works from Latino authors in English and Spanish, leading to increased interest that eventually inspired Kanellos to establish a publishing house by 1979 at UH.
Prominent authors like Sandra Cisneros and Victor Villaseñor have published their works through Arte Público Press alongside emerging talents such as Daniel Peña.
A 2022 article from UH provides further insights into Arte Público Press's history. More information about this publishing house and its associated projects is available online.
The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups making significant contributions to humanities disciplines such as history, literature, music, philosophy since its inception by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1997.