It is not news to most people that Latinos are increasingly influential in 21st-century America. What may come as a surprise is the role this population has played throughout U.S. history. Latinos helped defend the Alamo in 1836, were prominent players in the “Zoot Suit Riots” of 1943, and came to the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1954 decision that ended lawful segregation between Latinos and whites.
Latino/a history has been relatively slow in gaining recognition despite the population’s rich and varied history. Engaging and informative, Latino History Day by Day: A Reference Guide to Events will help address that oversight. Much more than just a “this-day-in-history” list, the guide describes important events in Latino/a history, augmenting many entries with a brief excerpt from a primary document. All entries include two annotated books and websites as key resources for follow up.
The day-to-day reference is organized by the 365 days of the year with each day drawing from events that span several hundred years of Latino/a history, from Mexican Americans to Puerto Ricans to Cuban Americans. With this guide in hand, teachers will be able to more easily incorporate Latino/a history into their classes. Students will find the book an easy-to-use guide to the Latino/a past and an ideal starting place for research.
