Latino Heritage Stories of...

Latino history is American history. Latinos have played important roles in the development of the US.

From the arrival of the Spanish in the 15th century into the early 21st century, Latinos have built missions and presidios; developed ranching, agricultural, and high-tech industries; written poetry, novels, and songs; preached on street corners and from pulpits; raised families; built businesses and labor unions; and supported politicians and critical national and international initiatives.

Some trace their residency to Spanish-speaking or Indigenous forebears who lived in Mexico prior to the establishment of the US. Others arrived more recently as immigrants or refugees in the 19th, 20th, or 21st centuries. Latino stories embrace the ancient past to the modern period. Each of the topics highlighted here represents a significant aspect of the human experience, but each is only a portion of the intertwined, glorious complexity of history.

"Struggles and Triumphs" indicates that our history includes both the stories that make us proud and those that make us resolve to do better, to work harder to realize the more perfect Union envisioned in our Constitution. Engage with the stories of Latinos who shaped the nation through art, science, education, business, industrial design, civil rights, philanthropy, medicine, and many other endeavors.