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Smithsonian Latino Museum

Smithsonian Staff

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino advances the representation, understanding and appreciation of Latino history and culture in the United States. The museum provides financial resources and collaborates with other museums to expand scholarly research, public programs, digital content, collections and more. The museum’s Molina Family Latino Gallery is the Smithsonian’s first gallery dedicated to the Latino experience. The legislation creating the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian passed Dec. 27, 2020. Connect with the museum at latino.si.edu, and follow @USLatinoMuseum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Smithsonian Latino Museum's collections

 

Arte para el cambio social: Conversaciones sobre las protestas y la Ley del Derecho al Voto

<p style="text-align: center;">“El voto es el agente de cambio no violento más poderoso que tenemos en una sociedad democrática. Debemos usarlo porque no está garantizado. Hasta podríamos perderlo”. </p> <p style="text-align: center;">– Rep. John Lewis, 2020</p> <p>La historia del derecho al voto en los Estados Unidos es compleja. Hasta 1870, solo los hombres blancos y dueños de propiedades podían votar. En sus primeros 100 años, la democracia estadounidense era muy distinta a la de hoy. Se fundamentaba en privilegios económicos, raciales y de género, reforzados por la institución de la esclavitud basada en la raza. Los afroamericanos no han dejado de luchar por sus plenos derechos como ciudadanos, que incluyen el derecho al voto. En la 15.a enmienda de la Constitución se afirma que los estados no pueden negar el derecho al voto "por motivos de raza, color o condición previa de servidumbre". Esta enmienda fue ratificada en 1870. Sin embargo, muchos gobiernos estatales aprobaron leyes para impedir que los afroamericanos votaran; para ello, usaron diversas tácticas como los impuestos al voto y las pruebas de que una persona sabía leer y escribir. Estas medidas buscaban eludir lo estipulado en la 15.a enmienda que prohibía la aplicación de leyes electorales basadas en la raza. Otras estrategias eran el fraude y la intimidación.</p> <p>Estas mismas tácticas privaron de derechos a las comunidades latinas en diferentes regiones del país. Varias organizaciones pioneras, como la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos Unidos (LULAC, por su sigla en inglés), fundada en 1929, lucharon por los derechos civiles de los mexicanos americanos, incluido el derecho al voto. Aun antes del comienzo del siglo XX, los puertorriqueños residentes en el continente han luchado por tener representación en el Congreso. En Nueva York, en 1899, tuvo lugar el primer juicio relativo al voto de los puertorriqueños. En la década de 1960, algunas organizaciones, como la Legión de Votantes y la Asociación Nacional de Derechos Civiles Puertorriqueños, lucharon  contra la discriminación electoral.</p> <p>Los afroamericanos, los latinos/as/xs, los indios americanos, los asiáticos americanos y los miembros de otras comunidades han organizado protestas para crear conciencia acerca de la supresión del voto. Una protesta es una manera de que las personas expresen sus creencias acerca de una persona, lugar, cosa o idea. Las personas pueden manifestar esas creencias por medio de una declaración o una acción. Las marchas públicas y los mítines son ejemplos de protestas. Escribir cartas, cantar, negarse a comer o usar la violencia son otros tipos de protesta. Mediante las protestas y la promoción de su causa, las mujeres y las comunidades de color han podido lograr su derecho al voto. El voto permite elegir a funcionarios que representen a las comunidades a las que sirven.</p> <p>Ahora, analicemos juntos la Ley del Derecho al Voto y algunas de sus enmiendas subsiguientes. Además,  veremos el juicio presentado ante la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos, cuyas partes litigantes eran el Condado Shelby de Alabama y Holder. Veremos de qué manera esta ley y las decisiones de los tribunales afectan directamente a las comunidades de color y su derecho al voto. Le daremos una mirada breve a cómo contribuye nuestro voto a la elección de funcionarios a distintos niveles, incluso del presidente.</p> <p>En este laboratorio de aprendizaje se presentan obras de arte, videos, fotografías y signos de protesta. Tiene también rutinas de pensamiento del <em>Project Zero</em> de la Escuela de Posgrado en Educación de Harvard. Estas nos ayudarán a conversar en torno a las imágenes o pancartas de protesta que se encuentran en la colección. Las hojas de actividades del Centro Latino Smithsonian <em>Expresiones culturales: arte para el cambio social</em> se encuentran al final de esta colección. Están adaptadas para alumnos de la escuela primaria, intermedia y secundaria. El personal de atención al público o los maestros pueden usar las preguntas de las actividades para crear afiches de protesta y obras de arte a favor del cambio social. </p> <p></p>
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Arte para el cambio social: Conversaciones sobre protestas y brutalidad policial

<p>Una protesta es una manera de que la gente exprese sus convicciones acerca de una persona, lugar, cosa o idea. Esas convicciones pueden manifestarse por medio de una declaración o una acción. Las marchas y mítines públicos son ejemplos de protestas. Escribir cartas, cantar canciones, dejar de comer, o usar la violencia son otros tipos de protestas. </p> <p>En los Estados Unidos la gente tiene derecho a protestar de manera pacífica. La Constitución y su primera enmienda garantizan este derecho. Sin embargo, en algunas ocasiones, la tensión entre los manifestantes y la policía puede llevar a la violencia. Ha habido épocas en que la policía ha tratado con violencia a las comunidades de color. Esta forma de abuso se conoce como brutalidad policial. </p> <p>Vamos a ver juntos algunos puntos de colaboración y de solidaridad entre los afroamericanos y los latinos. Analizaremos las tensiones entre estos dos grupos y cómo llegaron a colaborar. También veremos los conflictos entre ellos y la policía. Los eventos que mencionaremos son:</p> <ol><li>La Moratoria Nacional Chicana, 1970</li><li>Los disturbios en el barrio Mount Pleasant de Washington, D.C., 1991</li><li>#BlackLivesMatter (#LasVidasNegrasImportan), desde el 2013 hasta hoy</li></ol> <p>En este laboratorio de aprendizaje (Learning Lab) se presentan obras de arte, videos, fotografías y pancartas relacionados con las protestas. También incluye rutinas de exploración del Project Zero de la Harvard Graduate School of Education. Estas rutinas ayudan a iniciar conversaciones en torno a las imágenes o las pancartas de protesta que se encuentran en la colección. Al final de esta colección, encontrará hojas de trabajo del Centro Latino Smithsonian,<em> Expresiones culturales:</em> <em>Arte para el cambio social</em>. Están disponibles para estudiantes de educación primaria, intermedia y secundaria. Los cuidadores o maestros pueden usar las preguntas de las actividades para crear pancartas y arte de protesta relacionados con el cambio social.</p> <p> </p> <p></p>
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Art for Social Change: Conversations on Protest and Economic Injustice

<p></p> <p>A protest is a way for people to share their beliefs about a person, place, thing, or idea. People can share those beliefs through a statement or action. Public marches and rallies are examples of protests. Writing letters, singing songs, not eating, or using violence are other types of protest. Others have used their clothing and hair styles as a type of protest. Protests are usually planned by a coalition of community members who have a vision for social change. Protests usually take place in public spaces where they can be seen.</p> <p>The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees people the right to protest peacefully. Acts of violence and the destruction of property are against the law in any protest. Sometimes, people protest economic injustices. These protests, also called demonstrations, have demanded different things. They include government programs to help with of job training or small business loans. It also includes demands for safer working conditions, higher wages, and better education.</p> <p>Often times, these protests are organized by people called activists. Activists work towards a social change. This can be something political or social. They work together and form organizations. They fight for equity and against injustices of all kinds.</p> <p>Together, we will look two events where activists and organizations created change for their communities. They organized African-Americans and Latinas/os/xs and others too. All to protest economic injustice. The events featured are:</p> <ol><li>Poor People’s Campaign, 1968</li><li>Farmworker's Movement: Delano Grape Strike, 1965-1970</li></ol> <p>This Learning Lab features art, videos, photographs, and protest signs. It also has thinking routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. They will help create conversations around the pictures or protest banners found in this collection. Worksheets from the Smithsonian Latino Center's <em>Cultural Expressions: Art for Social Change</em> can be found at the end of this collection. They are available for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Caregivers or teachers can use the questions found within the activities to create responsive social change protest signs and art. </p> <p></p>
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Celebrating the Holidays with Poinsettias

<p>This learning lab collection explores the origins and history of the Cuetlaxóchitl (phonetic spelling cuet-lax-o-chitl) plant. Find out interesting facts about the plant that we have all come to know as the Christmas plant. Discover the legend behind the plant and the science behind the magical color. Then, try your handicraft skills out and make your own poinsettia plant using materials found at home or in the classroom. The learning lab includes additional resources and videos to continue exploring. </p>
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Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America's Past Revealed

<p>This bilingual collection features activities, publications, and videos for middle and high school students as well as scholars and life-long learners on Central American archaeology and history through ceramics from 1000 BC to the present.</p> <p>For thousands of years, Central America has been home to vibrant civilizations, each with unique, sophisticated ways of life, value systems, and arts. The ceramics these peoples left behind, combined with recent archaeological discoveries, help tell the stories of these dynamic cultures and their achievements. <em>Cerámica de los Ancestros</em> examines seven regions representing distinct Central American cultural areas that are today part of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Spanning the period from 1000 BC to the present, the ceramics featured, selected from the National Museum of the American Indian's collection of more than 12,000 pieces from the region, are augmented with significant examples of work in gold, jade, shell, and stone. These objects illustrate the richness, complexity, and dynamic qualities of the Central American civilizations that were connected to peoples in South America, Mesoamerica, and the Caribbean through social and trade networks sharing knowledge, technology, artworks, and systems of status and political organization. </p> <p>This collection features the past exhibition, <em>Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America's Past Revealed</em>, a collaboration of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian Latino Center.<br /></p>
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Civil Intersections Resource Kit: The Farmworkers' Movement Case Study

<p><br><strong>Introduction: </strong>What is <em>Civil Intersections</em><strong>?</strong> </p> <p><em>Civil Intersections</em>: Asian-Latino Solidarity Movements and Cross-Cultural Dialogue is a new educator resource kit and capacity-building workshop developed by the Smithsonian’s Latino Center (SLC) and Asian Pacific American Center (APAC). Entering its pilot year (2021) with Cobb County School District in Georgia, <em>Civil Intersections</em> strives to serve as a multi-year effort in partnership with school districts across the United States. SLC and APAC educators are aiming to present US Latino and Asian American regional and national histories to middle and high school educators who are looking to weave first-voice Latino and Asian American narratives and primary source materials into their curriculum. For its pilot year, <em>Civil Intersections</em> centers its resource kit and workshop on the story of the Farmworkers’ Movement and the organizers behind it, Larry Itliong, Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta. The story of the Farmworker’s Movement and the leaders behind it is an important story in American history because it secured better pay, established workers’ rights to organize, and created better working conditions on many farms. </p> <p>While this history took place in Delano, California, it has national resonance as many Latino and Asian migrants and immigrants are working on farms and other industries across the United States to make a living. According to the organization Farmworker Justice, an estimated 2.4 million farmworkers work on farms and ranches in the United States in 2015-2016—of this number, 49% of farmworkers were immigrants, and 75% of the workforce were foreign-born. Women make up 32% of the agricultural workforce, and there have been increasing numbers of new migrants arriving in the U.S. from indigenous communities in Mexico and Guatemala. According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 2017, a higher proportion of Asian producers in the US identified as female, and younger on average, showing there are many farmers are at the beginning of their careers. Asian producers account for 0.7% of the country’s 3.4 million food producers and are primarily located in California and Hawaiʻi. Woven into these numbers are historic and contemporary stories of migration, immigration, belonging, identity, and equity. The legacy and impact of the Farmworkers’ Movement can be seen today through better pay and working conditions—however, inequities that Latino and Asian workers face in farming, and other industries, persist today. The COVID-19 pandemic unraveled issues of race, belonging, workers’ rights and safety, access to healthcare, and equity. The impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately impacted Latinx farmworkers in the US, who are deemed essential workers unable to practice preventative measures, such as staying at home and working from home. As we reflect on the history of the Farmworkers Movement, how can we bridge the past to current events impacting communities today? What have learned, and not learned, from the Farmworkers’ Movement, and who are the leaders today fighting for equity and justice? How can the practice of civil discourse lead to change? </p> <p><em>Civil Intersections</em> aims to spark new conversations with educators and students </p> <p>We hope that this resource kit and methodology leads to new conversations between educators and students in the classroom, and that it sparks new ideas for bringing first-voice narratives into the classroom. We also hope that the story of the Farmworkers Movement inspires users to think about the humanity of Asian and Latino communities throughout the United States, not solely through a contributions lens, but through a lens of belonging, identity, and equity, with all of its triumphs and challenges. </p> <p>How do I use this resource kit? The Civil Intersections resource kit comes in two collections. The first collection, part one, dives into historical context of the Farmworkers Movement, and the second collection, part two, dives into the kit’s six-step methodology. As you use both collections, look for a yellow paperclip in the left-hand corner of the tiles. The paperclip indicates that there is more information in the tile--simply click on the tile to see what more information is included. Some tile annotations include discussion questions, or more information about the step or resource. There is a specific order for how to navigate each collection--start with the top left tile and move left to right, moving down row by row. </p> <p>Overall, the two collections include access to: </p> <ul><li>Primary source materials from the Smithsonian Institution and community organizations across the United States, </li><li>Multimedia, such as short videos, </li><li>Images of objects, photographs and other archival materials from the Smithsonian Institution and community organizations, </li><li>A six-step methodology that focuses on reflection, transferable skills, and more, </li><li>Discussion and reflection questions and worksheets that you can use with colleagues and students </li><li>Strategies for using and applying primary source materials into existing curricula, </li><li>Ways to send in your feedback to the project’s developers. </li></ul> <p>Civil Intersections is an ongoing project, edited and informed by educators like you. We welcome feedback on the design, framing, and usability of this methodology and resource kit at any time. </p> <p>If you would like to contact the organizers of this kit to discuss its content and approach, please email: </p> <ul><li>Emily Key (Director of Education, Smithsonian Latino Center) at <a href="mailto:KeyE@si.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KeyE@si.edu</a> </li><li>Andrea Kim Neighbors (Manager of Education Initiatives, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center) at <a href="mailto:NeighborsA@si.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NeighborsA@si.edu</a> </li></ul> <p>With your feedback and insights, we will continue to develop and refine this methodology and accompanying resources based on your feedback. We aim to make Smithsonian and community-created resources usable and relevant for educators across the United States so that a fuller American story may be shared with students and future generations. </p> <p>This resource kit received federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. </p> <p> </p>
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Cultural Expressions: Spoken Connections and Poetry

<p>This collection features the Spoken Connections Workshop along with four Smithsonian Latino Center programs celebrating Latino poetry and spoken word. This collection is for middle school and high school students, along with life-long learners, with an interest exploring world cultures, language arts, and creative writing. </p> <p>This workshop PDF includes poetry from Puerto Rican and African American poets, including Martin Espada. The collection includes activities on defining culture and brainstorming your cultural home. Through these activities, learners will develop further understanding on culture characteristics, values, and how culture influences our everyday lives. Skills developed through this collection include interpersonal and intrapersonal conversations, learning how to use graphic organizers, and developing creative writing skills using vehicles such as free response and poetry. <br /></p> <p>This collection also features Smithsonian Latino Center Poetry Programs to complement the activity itself through visual performance. Caridad De La Luz aka La Bruja (New York City) and Francisco X. Alarcón (Los Angeles/Davis) honor memory and ancestors during Day of the Dead, Quique Avilés (Washington, DC), Leticia Hernández-Linares (Los Angeles/San Francisco), Raquel Gutiérrez (Los Angeles/Bay Area), and José B. González (Connecticut) perform at a special <em>enceuntro </em>or encounter of Salvadoran poets. A memorable event of music and spoken word curated by Luis Alberto Ambroggio featured performances by local poets Alberto Avendaño, Quique Avilés, Naomi Ayala, José Ballesteros, Consuelo Hernández, Samuel Miranda, Egla Morales, and Carlos Parada, with music by singer/songwriter Patricio Zamorano and his band. </p>
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Day of the Dead Learning Kit

<p><em>El Día de los Muertos</em> or Day of the Dead is a celebration to honor and commemorate the cycle of life and the lives of the recently departed. This Pre-Columbian celebration has been observed in Mexico since before the arrival of the Spanish. Although many cultures see death as a cause for sadness rather than celebration, the cultures that observe el <em>Día de los Muertos</em> view death as a part of life. This is also a special celebration among some Native American and Mexican American communities in the United States.</p> <p>The National Museum of the American Latino has created this resource as a guide to learn more about the Day of the Dead. Use this Learning Lab as a starting off point to celebrate with your community, family, and/or students. Our on-line learning kit includes general information and the history of the tradition. Smithsonian collections, video resources, music, and hands-on activities for in-school or at-home learning are also included.</p> <p><br>This Learning Lab collection also includes links to a special exhibit and mural gallery on the Healing Uvalde Mural Project from Texas. <br><br><br></p>
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¡Descubra! Breaking Barriers in Space

<p>Latinas and Latinos have had a long legacy of contributing to space exploration from Arturo Campos, an electrical engineer that helped solve the power crisis on the Apollo 13 mission and Franklin Chang Diaz and Ellen Ochoa, the first Latino and Latina astronauts respectively, to today and the team of three (3) Latinas Diana Trujillo, Christina Hernandez, and Clara O’Farrell who helped lead the Mars Perserverance Rover Team. On the International Space Station, astronauts like Frank Rubio continue to pursue answers to science's greatest questions.  Explore this Learning Lab collection to learn more about these space pioneers through Smithsonian objects, exhibitions, articles, and video resources. Go a step further and enjoy exploring space through our Create-It activities for elementary, middle school, and high school students. </p>
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Gilda Mirós, Latinas Talk Latinas

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino and National Museum of American History's video <em>Latinas Talk Latinas, Gilda Mirós: From the Journalist's Desk</em>. After watching the video, which is located in the second tile of this collection, please return to this page to learn more about the objects and resources we have in our digital collection as well as additional information that will help you further explore the topics and themes presented in the video.<br></p> <p>Gilda Mirós is an entertainer, radio personality, and TV journalist that has covered major events in U.S. history from the reporter's desk. She has been an active member of the Latino community, championing Latinas and Latinos and ensuring the community has access to the important news of the day. </p>
Smithsonian Latino Museum
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Jessica Govea, Latinas Talk Latinas

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's and the Smithsonian's Latino Center's video <em>Latinas Talk Latinas, Jessica Govea: From Girlhood to Inspiring a Movement</em>. After watching the video, which is located in the second tile of this collection, please return to this page to learn more about the assets we have in our digital collection as well as additional resources that will help you further explore the topics and themes presented in the video.<em></em><br></p> <p>Jessica Govea was a labor leader and organizer who started at a very young age. She began working alongside César Chávez in the Community Service Organization and was later instrumental in the founding of the United Farm Workers union, extending her organizing power to Canada.</p>
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Jovita Idar, Latinas Talk Latinas

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino and National Museum of American History's video <em>Latinas Talk Latinas, Gilda Mirós: From the Journalist's Desk</em>. After watching the video, which is located in the second tile of this collection, please return to this page to learn more about the objects and resources we have in our digital collection as well as additional information that will help you further explore the topics and themes presented in the video.<br></p> <p>Jovita Idar, recently depicted in coinage as part of the American Women Quarters Program, was a courageous journalist and educator. She wrote about injustices and promoted Latino civil rights from her Texas home.</p>
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