Hispanic History
America’s Hispanic and Latino history is rich, diverse and long, with immigrants, refugees and Spanish-speaking or Indigenous people living in the United States since long before the nation was established. From early Spanish colonialism to civil and worker rights laws to famous firsts, explore notable figures and events in Hispanic history.
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From early Spanish colonialism to civil and worker rights laws to famous firsts to Supreme Court decisions on immigration, see a timeline of notable events in U.S Hispanic and Latinx history.
From entertainment devices to lifesaving medical technologies, Latino inventors have advanced humankind through their contributions.
Chicano activists took on a name that had long been a racial slur—and wore it with pride.
The effort to coin a term to describe a wildly diverse group of Americans has long stirred controversy.
Puerto Rico
Here's Why Puerto Rico Is Part of the U.S. - Sort Of
Learn about Puerto Rico's complex history, starting with its Spanish rule to becoming a U.S. territory. See how its eventual commonwealth status, the 2006 recession, and 2017's Hurricane Maria have caused political and economic upheaval.
3 Trailblazing Hispanic and Latino Activists
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Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island covering approximately 3,500 square miles. After centuries of Spanish rule, Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898.
Cesar Chavez, labor leader, civil rights activist and founder of the National Farm Workers Association, dedicated his life to the rights of farm workers.
From early Spanish colonialism to civil and worker rights laws to famous firsts to Supreme Court decisions on immigration, see a timeline of notable events in U.S Hispanic and Latinx history.
Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15, celebrates the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities.
Mexico’s movie industry became a cultural powerhouse in the 1930s.
Chinese immigrants, escaped slaves, and Native Americans were all people U.S. forces tried to keep on one side or the other.
They had a profound effect on the massive world of American food production.
Take a look at the history of Tex-Mex, the regional cuisine that food snobs love to hate and millions love to consume.
Thousands of Mexican American students participated in the 'Blowout,' the first urban, youth-led protest of the burgeoning Chicano civil rights crusade.
As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is neither a state nor an independent country—and politics over its status remain complicated.
The Borinqueneers, the U.S. military's only all-Hispanic unit, saw their sacrifices overshadowed by a trumped-up court martial.
Eugenics and unethical clinical trials are part of the pill’s legacy.
These sites honor Hispanic Americans’ enduring legacy.
He became especially known for his rallying cry, 'Su voto es su voz' ('Your vote is your voice').
Is it time to alter or abolish the Jones Act?
How white settlers edged out Mexicans in their own backyard.
