About El mosquito. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz.) 191?-19??
Tucson, Ariz. (191?-19??)

El Mosquito

Helmed by editor and publisher Felipe Hale, El Mosquito delivered general local news, news from Mexico, and humorous columns to its Tucson, Arizona, audience throughout its run from 1917-1925. The Spanish-language newspaper covered issues that were important to the Mexican American community it served, such as examining Paramount Pictures’ derogatory portrayal of Mexicans in films and covering the acquittal of two Anglo policemen who assaulted a man at a dance held by Alianza Hispano-Americana, a mutual-aid society, as described in Thomas Sheridan’s Los Tucsonenses: The Mexican Community in Tucson, 1854-1941.

Editor Hale was the secretary of Tucson’s Junta Patriótica Mexicana, as reported in fellow Tucson Spanish-language newspaper El Tucsonense. Though El Mosquito did not overtly identify itself with one political leaning throughout its run, it did endorse the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial candidate George W.P. Hunt in 1922’s elections and supported the Southern Pacific Railroad strike of that same year, according to Sheridan.

The paper was known for its sharp tongue and lively writing. Its slogan, appearing in its first few years of publication, was “Pica, pero no hace roncha” (“It stings, but it doesn’t leave a mark.”) Over the years, the paper included special sections for women, a humor column by Mexican writer José Castelan, and “Notas Mexicanas.” Between news stories, the paper often included snippets of conversation or poem-like exchanges that offered “witty observations of life in the Tucson barrios themselves,” Sheridan wrote.

El Mosquito, which varied in length between four and six pages, was published weekly on Sundays for several years but later published twice-weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays. Its exact circulation was never clearly specified, but a 1919 edition stated that the paper is read in Tucson by “mas de mil personas” (more than a thousand people). In its beginning years, subscriptions cost $0.25 for one month, but by the end of the publication’s tenure the paper had free circulation, only requiring a $2.00 payment for year-long delivery to a specific address.

The paper frequently included large advertisements for businesses such as zapaterías and barberías, and many times included notices for advertising within its own pages. Sometimes these advertisements were in English, such as a large one that appeared on the back of a 1922 issue: “‘El Moskito’ is not a new paper! ‘El Mosquito’ is an old and good friend of Tucson merchants. Give us a chance to prove it!” One small advertisement frequently included in earlier editions summed up how the paper characterized itself: “Seminario serio-guason, se pública los domingos; de gran circulación, es el mejor medio para anunciar en castellano” (“Serious-joking weekly, published on Sundays, of large circulation, the best way to advertise in Spanish.”)

Research provided by the University of Arizona Libraries.

Provided by: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ