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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

 

Sylvia Rivera, Latinas on 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, Sylvia Rivera: Pushing Boundaries.</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.</p> <p>Sylvia Rivera was a transgender woman living in New York City during the '60s and '70s. She became a fierce defender of LGBTQ+ rights, pushing the movement in the aftermath of the Stonewall riots to vigilantly protect transgender people's rights.</p>
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Southern Identity: Contemporary Argentine Art

<p>These bilingual (English/Spanish) resources feature activities related to Argentine culture through the lens of contemporary art for families, middle school, and high school students. </p> <p>This digital collection is from an exhibition with the same name, organized by the Smithsonian Latino Center with Argentina’s Secretariat of Culture. <em>Southern Identity</em> presented an overview of the major movements and trends in Argentina’s national art scene since 1948 and is organized in four sections featuring political art, landscapes, national identities and abstraction. It was the largest survey of Argentine contemporary art ever organized in the United States and included paintings, drawings, sculptures, video art, photography and prints representing the work of artists working in Buenos Aires and throughout Argentina’s provinces. </p> <p><em>Southern Identity</em> was part of the public program and exhibition series<em> Argentina at the Smithsonian 2010 </em>that commemorated Argentina’s bicentennial.</p>
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SLC Day of the Dead Bilingual Curriculum-Based Resources

<p>The cultural online programs and resources developed by The Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC) featuring Dia de los Muertos represent groundbreaking efforts by the Smithsonian to promote a deeper appreciation for Latino heritage and our connections to the ancestral past. In addition to its online festival, complete with bilingual interactive online resources based on Smithsonian scholarly research, is a vehicle for the exploration of this traditional practice which has become a phenomenon of popular American culture today. The online programming is in part a collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU) and other key community partners across the country.<br /><br />Generous support for the Smithsonian Latino Center's bilingual digital educational resources provided by the following Education Sponsors: Target and The Walt Disney Company.</p>
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Nuestras Voces: Wishing on Star With Estrella

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino's book <em><em>Wishing on a Star With Estrella </em></em>created in collaboration with Capstone and written by Vanessa Ramos and illustrated by Eugenia Nobati.<br></p> <p>Sixth grade is hard enough, but Mexican American Selena Estrella Herrera has to do it in a new town. Her family has moved to El Paso to help care for her grandfather (who seems not to want them there and insists on speaking only Spanish). One upside to being at a new school, though, is that she can finally leave behind her embarrassing obsession with musical megastar Selena—whom her parents named her after even though she can’t sing. She renames herself *Strella, avoids her grouchy grandfather, and tries to move on with her life. Then *Strella starts a National History Day project. The topic her team chooses? Selena. Can *Strella embrace her Tejano heritage and her old love of Selena and still become her own person? And will she ever discover what her own gifts are? In diary format, the <em>Nuestras Voces</em> series profiles inspiring characters from yesterday and today, and honors the joys, challenges, and outcomes of Latino experiences.</p> <p>This Learning Lab helps identify objects in the Smithsonian's collection that could be found in <em><em><em>Wishing on a Star With Estrella</em></em>.</em> They are grouped into themes for easier viewing.</p> <p>What is in a collection? It has objects that were used or worn by someone. Examples of objects include articles, photographs, artifacts, and videos. Objects can be anything from a baseball to a piece of clothing. It could even be a space shuttle! Objects help museums tell more complete stories. Museums also take care of objects. That way, future visitors can see them, too.</p> <p>Each Learning Lab includes a thinking routine. They are from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. These questions can help create discussion around the stories and objects here. This Learning Lab can serve middle school and high school students. Especially if they are interested in Latino culture. It can help with a Spanish project exploring family traditions.<br><br></p> <p>For more information on the <em>Nuestras Voces </em>series, please visit www.latino.si.edu.<br></p>
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Nuestras Voces: Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino's book <em>Paloma’s Song for Puerto Rico</em> created in collaboration with Capstone written by Adriana Erin Rivera and illustrated by Eugenia Nobati.<br></p> <p>It is 1898, and twelve-year-old Paloma lives in Puerto Rico with her Papi, Mami, and little brother, Jorge. They are coffee farmers, and Paloma loves the chickens and fruit trees that she helps to care for. She also loves music―the song of the coquí frogs who sing her to sleep, and the melodies from Papi’s tiple guitar. But Paloma’s world begins to change when war arrives on Puerto Rico’s shores. What will happen to their culture, the island? As Paloma and her family navigate changes they can’t control, they hold tightly to each other and hope for a better future. In diary format, the <em>Nuestras Voces</em> series profiles inspiring characters and honors the joys, challenges, and outcomes of Latino experiences. </p> <p>This Learning Lab helps identify objects in the Smithsonian's collection that could be found in <em>Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico.</em> They are grouped into themes for easier viewing.</p> <p>What is in a collection? It has objects that were used or worn by someone. Examples of objects include articles, photographs, artifacts, and videos. Objects can be anything from a baseball to a piece of clothing. It could even be a space shuttle! Objects help museums tell more complete stories. Museums also take care of objects. That way, future visitors can see them, too.</p> <p>Each Learning Lab includes a thinking routine. They are from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. These questions can help create discussion around the stories and objects here. This Learning Lab can serve middle school and high school students. Especially if they are interested in Latino culture. It can help with a Spanish project exploring family traditions. <br><br></p> <p>For more information on the <em>Nuestras Voces </em>series, please visit www.latino.si.edu.<br><br><br></p>
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Nuestras Voces: On the Home Front with Valentina

<p>This resource is designed to accompany the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino's book <em><em>On the Home Front with Valentina </em></em>created in collaboration with Capstone and written by Claudia Oviedo and illustrated by Juan Manuel Moreno.<br></p> <p>In 1940, eleven-year-old Valentina lives in El Paso, Texas, with her Mami, Papi, and two older brothers, Hugo and Kiki. Valentina loves reading and learning, and she hopes to go to college and become a teacher and writer someday. Her brother Hugo was in college, but with World War II looming—and Kiki eager to join the military—Hugo decides to join the National Guard with Kiki. Trying to help her family navigate wartime changes, Valentina takes on a lot more at home. She writes to her brothers, keeps her parents updated on news about the war, and helps with the war effort on the home front—all for a country she’s not so sure accepts Mexican American families like her own. In diary format, the <em>Nuestras Voces</em> series profiles inspiring characters and honors the joys, challenges, and outcomes of Latino experiences. </p> <p>This Learning Lab helps identify objects in the Smithsonian's collection that could be found in <em>On the Home Front with Valentina.</em> They are grouped into themes for easier viewing.</p> <p>What is in a collection? It has objects that were used or worn by someone. Examples of objects include articles, photographs, artifacts, and videos. Objects can be anything from a baseball to a piece of clothing. It could even be a space shuttle! Objects help museums tell more complete stories. Museums also take care of objects. That way, future visitors can see them, too.</p> <p>Each Learning Lab includes a thinking routine. They are from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. These questions can help create discussion around the stories and objects here. This Learning Lab can serve middle school and high school students. Especially if they are interested in Latino culture. It can help with a Spanish project exploring family traditions.<br><br></p> <p>For more information on the <em>Nuestras Voces </em>series, please visit www.latino.si.edu.</p>
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Marge Villa, 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, Marge Villa: Breaking Gender Barriers.</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.</p> <p>Margaret (Marge) Villa was among the very few women professional baseball players and a record-setting catcher. Villa broke gender barriers in the early '40s at age 16 while playing in East Los Angeles, California.</p>
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Making History, Sharing Culture Featuring Disney-Pixar's Coco

<p>This collection can serve students grades 2-5 as well middle school and high school students interested in Latino culture or as part of a Spanish project exploring family traditions. Activities include family or classroom activity on collage making with family photos and writing your own museum object label. Videos include a special performance from Grupo Bella and interviews with artists, chefs, curators, and educators that formed part of the<em> Making History, Sharing Culture Featuring Disney-Pixar's "Coco" </em>Event. An on-stage conversation featuring Illustrator Ana Ramirez and Character Modeling Artist Alonso Martinez of Disney-Pixar's "Coco" is also featured.<br></p> <p><em><br></em></p><p><em>Making History, Sharing Culture featuring Disney-Pixar's "Coco</em><em>" </em>was presented as the Smithsonian's feature Hispanic Heritage event by the Smithsonian Latino Center and the National Museum of American History in October 2018. A portion of the travel of the Smithsonian Latino Center and this program was generously provided by Southwest Airlines. Additional support was provided by The Walt Disney Company.</p>
Smithsonian Latino Museum
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Álida Ortiz Sotomayor, Latinas Talk Latinas

<p style="text-align: center;">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, Álida Ortiz-Sotomayor: The Love for Teaching Natural Sciences.</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.</p> <p>Álida Ortiz Sotomayor was the first Puerto Rican woman to obtain a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez in 1976. She was one of the founders and the first Director of the Coastal Marine Biology Program from the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao and developed the first Earth Sciences curriculum for the Public Schools of Puerto Rico and has trained hundreds of teachers in Marine Education. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><br></p>
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Latinas Talk Latinas: Celia Cruz, The Queen of Salsa

<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: Celia Cruz, The Queen of Salsa.</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.</p> <p><strong>Through the story of Celia Cruz we learn about the complexities of belonging and how her music gave her the sense of “home.” Exiled from Cuba, she succeeded in New York and through the world. She was an icon larger than life taking salsa music beyond borders and musical boundaries.</strong></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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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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