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Rolando Hinojosa-Smith: In addition to his work as a writer, the literary scholar worked for many years as a university lecturer
Photo: Marsha Miller / The University of Texas at Austin
Born in a small town in Texas, his books told the story of Mexican immigrants.
US book critics therefore called him the "Dean of Chicano literature," a "mentor and inspirer for several generations of writers."
Now the writer Rolando Hinojosa-Smith has died.
According to consistent media information, he died at the age of 93 in an assisted living center near Austin.
Hinojosa was born in 1929 to Mexican-American parents in the Texas city of Mercedes - at that time under the name Romeo Daniel.
There he grew up bilingual.
He later took the name Romeo Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, adding his mother's maiden name.
Many of his books were published under the shortened name Rolando Hinojosa.
He enlisted in the US Army at the age of 17 and later used his military experience in books such as »Korean Love Songs« (1978).
After studying literature at New Mexico Highlands University, he worked as a university lecturer at the University of Minnesota and the University of Texas.
Along with writers such as Rudolfo Anaya and Tomás Rivera, Dr.
Hinojosa-Smith as one of the founders of the so-called Chicano literature.
His books dealt with Mexican-American culture and everyday life.
In 1976 he was awarded the Casa de las Americas Prize for his novel »Klail City«.
Overall, he published around 20 works of fiction and non-fiction.
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