At this very moment, I’m sitting in a coffee shop in down town San Francisco on a Friday afternoon, it’s about 75 degrees out, sunny, clear, the best weather we’ve had in some time. Yet, I can’t seem to pull my head out of this book long enough to enjoy it. I just picked up a copy of “The Puerto Rican Diaspora” by Frank Espada, and I have to say that it is a remarkable body of work. I had the great privilege to study under Frank for a brief time while in college. He is truly an amazing and under appreciated photographer, as well as a master printer.

Born in Utuado, Puerto Rico, in 1930, he and his family migrated to New York City in 1939. After a time in the Air Force he attended The New York Institute of Photography in New York City on the GI Bill, studying under Eugene Smith and David Heath. The book contains over 230 images, beautifully reproduced as duo tones, documenting in more than 30 Puerto Rican communities throughout the mainland and Hawaii.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. It is an amazing piece of history in photographs.

The Puerto Rican Diaspora Documentary Project