FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Contact Name]
[Contact Title]
[Org name]
[Phone]
[Email]
http://herencialatina2015-16.org/ and [your website]
[Your organization name], the Pioneer Valley History Network (PVHN) and partner
organizations announce Herencia Latina 2015-16, a nine-month Pioneer-Valley-wide
exploration of Latino history and culture in the Pioneer Valley and beyond, from September,
2015 to May, 2016. [The series will be formally launched on Wednesday, September 16, 2015,
6:00 pm, at Forbes Library in Northampton, and the full schedule is available online at the
project website Herencia Latina 2015-16]
The expansive project includes fourteen film-and-discussion events, four exhibits, and six
cultural programs and festivals, as well as related events, in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton,
and Turners Falls. A full list of programs can be found on the website and includes multiple
screenings of the six episodes of the PBS documentary series, “Latino Americans,” in libraries
and museums in Holyoke, Northampton, Springfield, and Turners Falls, many followed by
community discussion moderated by local scholars; art and culture exhibits at the Springfield
Museums, Wistariahurst in Holyoke, and in Turners Falls; festivals and music at the Springfield
museums and in Turners Falls.
The centerpiece of the project is the six-part, NEH-supported documentary film series The
Latino Americans,” created for PBS in 2013 by the WETA public television station. The awardwinning series chronicles the history of Latinos in the United States from the 16th century to
present day. (Learn more about the series at www.pbs.org/latino-americans/en/.) As part of
Herencia Latina 2015-16, all six episodes will be screened with scholar-led discussions, each
more than once, at different locations throughout the autumn and spring. At the conclusion of the
project, PVHN will donate DVDs of the documentary series to Holyoke Public Library and to
Holyoke Community College.
“Latino Americans have been present in our Pioneer Valley communities for more than a
century, yet many people are unaware of their rich and varied history and culture,” said Cliff
McCarthy, president of the Pioneer Valley History Network. “I’m thrilled that PVHN has this
opportunity to celebrate Latino culture and bring this history to our museums, libraries, and our
communities.”
Herencia Latina is spearheaded and coordinated by the Pioneer Valley History Network and the
Springfield City Library, programming is presented by partners Casa Latina Northampton,
Holyoke Community College, L.I.S.A. (Latin American Students Association at H.C.C.),
Holyoke Public Library, Springfield Museums, Springfield Public Library, Turners Falls
RiverCulture, and Wistariahurst Museum.
The project is funded by grants from the American Library Association, National Endowment for
the Humanities, and Mass Humanities, and supported by El Sol Latino, Nuestras Raices, and
WGBY Public Television.
The Pioneer Valley History Network is a non-profit consortium of historical institutions
throughout Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties of western Massachusetts. Members
include museums, historical societies, libraries, and historic sites, as well as history-minded
individuals. Membership is free for individuals and organizations.