According to a 2023 study from Johns Hopkins University, “87% of key topics in Latino history were either not covered” in the books that were evaluated or “mentioned in five or fewer sentences.” That’s what John Leguizamo shares in a new three-part series about U.S. Latino and Latin American history premiering on PBS on September 27.
In “American Historia: The Untold Story of Latinos,” Leguizamo explores our history as Latinos he visits historic sites and even speaks with those who made history. Aside from Leguizamo, there are also narrations from actors Benjamin Bratt, Rosario Dawson, Edward James Olmos and Rosie Perez.
The first episode of the series focuses on the rise and fall of Indigenous empires in the Americas — the Olmec, Inca, Maya and Aztec. The second episode features key Latino figures in U.S. history during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The final episode covers the civil rights movements that championed Latino activism and solidarity in the 20th century.
“To me, Latin people are the most resilient people on Earth because we came from almost complete genocide,” says Leguizamo. “Our culture was destroyed, our religion, our language. And yet here we are adding $3.6 trillion to the U.S. GDP annually.”
The Sept. 27 premiere of “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos” will be followed by the second and final episodes on Oct. 4 and Oct. 11, respectively.
