Watch Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 at 9:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream with YouTube (not in the KPBS+ app)
Rudolfo Anaya was the first Hispanic American writer to achieve major publishing success with his landmark novel, "Bless Me, Ultima," in print since 1972. Recipient of the National Medal for the Arts, Anaya has demonstrated a lifelong determination to persevere - through poverty, catastrophic injury and an almost insurmountable artistic struggle to publish - and in the end, succeed. "Rudolfo Anaya: The Magic Of Words," is a vital reference to the authentic culture of Hispanic New Mexico. And while the wellspring of Anaya's stories is New Mexico, his insight is invaluable to understand the quest by all Hispanic Americans for cultural identity, recognition and respect.
Credit: Ellis Film, LLC
