The History of Latinos in the U.S.

What is the difference between terms like “Hispanic,” “Latin American,” “Chicano,” “Boricua,” “Latinx” and “Latiné”? Though Latinos are not a recently arrived group in the U.S., they are often misunderstood, stereotyped, and portrayed as a perpetually new, foreign, or threatening presence in the United States. This lecture course traces Latinos’ long social, political, and cultural history in the US from the 1600s to the present. Groups examined include Spaniards, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Central Americans, South Americans, Caribeños, and indigenous peoples. Key topics include war and conquest; past and present migrations; race and citizenship; labor and political activism; gender and family; transnational and multiracial identities; and contemporary political debates around borders and migration. This course aims to show the uniqueness of the Latino experience while making them more central figures in American history.