Each year, Americans observe Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded to a month-long celebration by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
The word Hispanic, first coined by the Census Bureau as a means of categorization, refers to those who come from Spanish speaking countries. Latino/Latina (Latine in gender expansive form) refers to those who come from countries in Latin America. While there is great overlap, not all Latin Americans speak Spanish and not all Hispanics are Latin American. The term Latine also acknowledges the indigenous populations of Latin America who speak over 560 unique languages.
The Consortium Library has a broad collection of materials pertaining to Latine/Hispanic history and culture as well as books written by Latine/Hispanic authors. This guide provides a sampling of the variety of materials we have available. For more information or for help in locating materials, please contact a librarian.
Latino Americans is a six-episode documentary series that aired on PBS in 2013. You can view all of the episodes on the series website.