Hispanic Heritage: A Research Guide
Hispanic-Americans, or Latinos, are a diverse group of U.S. residents defined by their common
connection to the Spanish language. This growing population has a major impact on national
politics, as it is the largest minority group in the United States. Their cultural contributions can be
discovered by examining the following resource materials. This guide introduces the researcher
to some of the basic informational sources on the topic. The terms and phrases listed in the
subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library’s catalog and
research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.
Books
Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture in the United States by Cordelia Candelaria, Peter J.
García, and Arturo J. Aldama. 2 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2004. ISBN:
0313322155.
Contains 500 entries on noted people, festivities, items, terms, movements, sports, food, events,
places, visual and performing arts, film, institutions, fashion, literature, organizations, the media,
and more.
Hispanic Firsts: 500 years of Extraordinary Achievement by Nicolás Kanellos. Detroit: Gale
Group, 1997. ISBN: 0787605174.
Chronicles 1,000 Hispanic accomplishments related to labor, religion, business and commerce,
publishing, the arts, sports, science and technology, government, civil rights, and other fields.
Latinos: A Biography of the People by Earl Shorris. New York: W. W. Norton, 1992. ISBN:
0393033600.
Explores the collective lives of Mexican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and other
Spanish-speaking descendants of the Spanish conquest of the native populations of the New
World.
Notable Latino Americans: Biographical Dictionary edited by Matt S. Meier, Conchita Franco
Serri, and Richard A. Garcia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997. ISBN: 0313291055.
A biographical dictionary devoted to the accomplishments of American men and women of Latino
heritage.
Museums
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
www.mfacmchicago.org
A Chicago museum that focuses heavily on educational programs for children. They also house a
large collection of Mexican paintings and sculpture.
Mexican Heritage Plaza
www.mhcviva.org
A cultural center in San Jose that hosts art exhibits, concerts, and other events pertaining to
Latin-American culture and serves as a resource center for educational programming.
Museo del Niño (in Spanish)
www.museodelninopr.org
A Puerto Rican museum devoted to arts and educational activities for children.
Museo de Arte de Ponce (in Spanish)
www.museoarteponce.org
A Puerto Rican museum devoted to classical art, with more than 3,000 paintings from the 14th to
the 20th century. The site itself is a work of art and displays many of the pieces that are kept in
the permanent collection.
El Museo de Barrio
www.elmuseo.org
A New York City museum devoted to Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin-American art. The
museum houses both contemporary and classical works of art, ranging from pre-Colombian
pottery to postmodern film.
Museum of Latin American Art
www.molaa.com
A museum in Long Beach, California founded by Dr. Robert Gumbiner with the goal of educating
the American public about the artistic contributions of Latin-Americans. The Web site features a
virtual gallery so that you can tour the museum without leaving home.
Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives
http://latino.si.edu/virtualgallery/start.html
A visually stunning virtual museum of art with several interactive exhibits.
Hispanic Art Web Sites
Del Corazón
http://nmaa-ryder.si.edu/webzine/index.html
Featuring the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection of art by Latino artists, ¡del
Corazón! is an interactive, educational Webzine for teachers and students.
MuseumStuff.com
www.museumstuff.com/museums/types/hispanic_american/
A primary gateway page for Hispanic Art museums, historical societies, and arts
organizations.
National Park Service
www.cr.nps.gov/nr/feature/hispanic/
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with the National Register of Historic Places.
Subject Headings
• Hispanic Americans
• Hispanic Americans—biography
• Hispanic Americans—history