A large crowd of standing individuals at a Black Panthers and Young Lords Party rally.

Latinx Objects in the NMAAHC Collection

Communicator Award of Excellence logo Silver Vega Award logo Davey Award 2023 Davey Award 2023

Welcome to the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Latinx collection online.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture presents American history through an African American lens. Latinx history is American history and the NMAAHC is committed to collecting, documenting, interpreting, and preserving Latinx history and culture as an integral part of that American story. Black history is globally created and globally impactful. A shared legacy of the transatlantic slave trade connects the histories and cultures of the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Further, Latinxs and Latin Americans—black and non-black—have historically contributed to and have been shaped by African American culture, including performing arts, music, literature, sports, and political movements. Conversely, African Americans have influenced Latinx and Latin American art, history, and culture as well. Articulating these connections across the African Diaspora affirms black American history as multicultural and inclusive of Latinx experiences.

The Latinx-related objects and archival collections at the National Museum of African American History and Culture traverse racial identifications and national boundaries. This online portal is a guide to exploring the diversity of our Latinx-related holdings.

Note: To be as inclusive in language as we are in our collecting, we use the gender-neutral term Latinx, as an alternative to Latino or Latina, to describe people and cultures of Latin American heritage in the United States.

A gold and diamond “MTV” ring

Ring with gold and diamond "MTV" design owned by Fab 5 Freddy, ca. 1988.

Fab 5 Freddy commissioned Tito Caicedo, a famous New York jeweler of Ecuadorian heritage, to co-design and create a unique piece of jewelry when Freddy was the host of Yo! MTV Raps! Caicedo is considered one of the first hip-hop jewelers.  

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

SEARCHING ONLINE RECORDS

Use this guide to search the NMAAHC collection for Latinx-related objects:

The photograph depicts a full-length image of four children posed on a sidewalk.

La Familia, 2000. Photograph by Jamel Shabazz. 

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Jamel Shabazz, © Jamel Shabazz
A four page Spanish language manuscript handwritten in ink describing the sale of two enslaved men in colonial New Spain’s Ciudad de Los Angeles (today Puebla, Mexico).

Sale agreements for enslaved persons Ciborio and Andres in colonial New Spain, April 26, 1670. 

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Social Justice and Community Activism

Explore how Latinx communities have asserted their identities and supported one another through celebration and activism. Our collections include specific movements like The Young Lords Movement and The Chicano Movement, as well as broader social justice and political movements built on African American and Latinx Solidarity.

Arts, Music, and Culture

Search objects related to the Nuyorican Movement, a political, cultural, and intellectual movement of poets, writers, musicians, and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent in New York City. You can also explore objects related to genres of Latin music such as calypso, salsa, Latin jazz, and hip-hop or survey elements of art and design in the NMAAHC collection related to the history and cultural experiences of Latinx identities and communities. 

The History of Latin America

Find objects related to Slavery and Colonialism in Latin America, the history of U.S. and Latin American relations, and the African Diaspora in Latin America. Or search objects related to religious practices among U.S. Latinxs and Latin Americans. You can also see objects related to the process and idea of Decolonization as related to Latin America and globally or enjoy photographs from around Latin America and Latinx communities in the United States.

Afro-Caribbean Painters in the NMAAHC Collection

Take a scroll and view some of NMAAHC’s recently acquired paintings by three artists with ties to the Caribbean and Latin America.

Harmonia Rosales

In Oya’s Betrayal, Afro-Cuban American artist Harmonia Rosales (b. 1984) tells a Yoruba tale, a patakí, about a relationship between orishas Ogun, Oya, and Shango in a Renaissance style. She was inspired by artistic depictions of the Roman myth of Vulcan, Venus, and Mars.
View painting

Cliff R. Joseph

Clifford Ricardo Joseph (1922-2020) was a Panama-born author, art therapist, and artist of Caribbean heritage who was deeply involved in the Black Arts Movement. His painting of the Black Liberation flag, Rise People Rise, reflects the politics of Joseph and the movement which emphasized Black economic and cultural autonomy.
View painting

Pétion Savain

Pétion Savain (1906-1973) was lawyer, author, and artist. Born and raised in Haiti, Savain was a trailblazing figure of modern Haitian art. His paintings of Haitian life captured international attention after he received the IBM medal at the Treasure Island World’s Fair and an award from the Gallery of Science and Art at the World Fair in 1939 in New York.
View painting

ver el video en español

This project received federal support from the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.

Collection Stories

Read in English / Leer en español
a black-and-white image of Bayard Rustin standing on a stage and speaking to a crowd from a podium

Capturing Community and Creating Coalitions: Frank Espada in the 1960s

Beginning in the early 1960s, photographer Frank Espada (1930–2014) attended rallies and boycotts, snapping images of New York youth and the battles fought by them and their families.
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Harmonious Mixes

Latin jazz was born of the communal harmonies between African Americans, Latin Americans, and Caribbean musicians. Its particular mix of rhythms continued growing and developing in the late 20th century and into the 21st. Veterans and new musician’s experimentation and integration of musical styles such as Brazilian bossa nova among other Latin American and Caribbean sounds, have continued to help the genre obtain immortality in the global musical universe.
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A group of musicians.

Mezclas armoniosas

El jazz latino nació de las armonías comunes entre músicos afroamericanos, latinoamericanos y caribeños. Su particular mezcla de ritmos continuó su crecimiento y desarrollo a finales del siglo XX y hasta el siglo XXI. La experimentación de músicos veteranos y nuevos y la integración de estilos musicales como la bossa nova brasileña, entre otros sonidos latinoamericanos y caribeños, han seguido ayudando al género a obtener la inmortalidad en el universo musical mundial.
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Detail of a lithographic print juxtaposing two black faces stylized as African masks framed by yellow circular emblems with a black panther in the center

From Here and From There: Exploring Elizabeth Catlett’s African American and Mexican Duality

Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012) was exiled from the United States due to the political themes she explored in her art. Her legacy is one of cultural belonging and activism that provokes conversations about the role of art among continental American neighbors: the U.S. and Mexico.
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Detail of a lithographic print juxtaposing two black faces stylized as African masks framed by yellow circular emblems with a black panther in the center

De Aquí y de Allá: Explorando La Dualidad Afroamericana y Mexicana de Elizabeth Catlett

Elizabeth Catlett fue exiliada de Los Estados Unidos por los temas políticos que exploró en su arte. Su legado es un de activismo que provoca conversaciones sobre el papel del arte entre los vecinos continentales de América: Los Estados Unidos y México.
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INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM LATINX-RELATED COMMUNITIES

The NMAAHC collection holds objects relating to individuals and organizations representing diverse Latinx-related identities and communities. The list below contains a selection of such individuals from within our online collection. This list will continue to expand as we add more materials online. Click on a name to learn more about the person and explore related objects.

A color photographic portrait of Hector Xtravaganza, captured in Manhattan in 2018.
Hector Xtravaganza (1965–2018)
A digital image of Women's March organizers Carmen Perez and Tamika Mallory on a platform with Gloria Steinem.
Carmen Perez-Jordan (b. 1977)
A letter signed by Toussaint Louverture to Charles Humbert Marie Vincent from Cap-Français (now Cap-Haïtien), Haiti, on October 21, 1797.
Toussaint Louverture (ca. 1743–1803)
A terracotta sculpture depicts the head and neck of a young woman.
Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012)
ballet pointe shoe custom-colored with cosmetics to a dark brown to match the skin tone of the dancer.
Ingrid Silva (b. 1988)
Red, gold, and blue sequin dress designed with horizontal, varied stripes and large open sleeves.
Celia Cruz (1925–2003)
A plantain sculpture cast in platinum and presented as a pendant on a sterling silver curb chain.
Miguel Luciano (b. 1972)
Image of José White
José White (1835–1918)
A masonic certificate
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (1874–1938)
A large red and black hand-painted sign on paper mounted to a large piece of cardboard, with the message: [Mr. Rogell The Tigers Arent All White Anymore!].
Ozzie Virgil Sr. (b. 1932)
Triangular New York Cuban Stars felt baseball pennant.
New York Cuban Stars (1916–1935)
Long-playing record and album cover with sleeve. Album cover front features a color image of a place setting with food on a floral tablecloth. At the top center is brown and red text with the album name, artist, and tracks
Mongo Santamaría (1917–2003)
A comic book cover.
Hugo Canuto (b. 1986)
A copper and brass "Modern Cuff" bracelet by Art Smith.
Art Smith (1917–1982)
This flyer advertises a concert featuring Raphy Leavitt y La Selecta. The flyer is pink with black white and orange text and features photographs of Eddie Palmieri, La Selecta, Ismael Miranda, Machito & Graciela, and La Tipicia 73.
Frank "Machito" Grillo (ca. 1908–1984)
A 2005 West Point class ring owned by Lieutenant Emily J. T. Perez.
Lt. Emily J. T. Perez (1983–2006)
Playbill for Def Poetry Jam on Broadway. White background with yellow box at top, gray box below with large white circle center, title over the top in black.
Mayda Del Valle (b. 1978)
page from an issue of BLK magazine
Gilberto “Gil” Gerald (b. 1950)
The photograph depicts Charles Peaker, the head of the African Nationalist Pioneer Movement (ANPM), standing on the corner of 125th Street, above a crowd of people.
Carlos A. Cooks (1913–1966)
A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image Princess Orelia and four (4) men in costumes with conga drums.
Princess Orelia Benskina (1911–2002)
A poster for Concept-East Poetry advertising a performance by KAIN, David Nelson, and Felipe Luciano.
Felipe Luciano (b. 1948)
Four photographs of buildings along a street.
Camilo José Vergara (b. 1944)
This flyer announces an evening of jazz at NYU Loeb Student Center put on by Jack Kleinsinger Presents Highlights in Jazz!. The flyer is dark pink with black letters.
Ray Barretto (1929–2006)
A large bare-chested woman amidst a subway car and urban cityscape on a pyschadelic, multi-colored background.
Lady Pink (b. 1964)
A sketch consisting of suggestions for how a person can become involved in social justice done in different types of hand-lettering surrounded by illustrations
Andrea Pippins
A color photograph of Cypress Hill outdoors in Los Angeles, California.
Cypress Hill (founded 1988)
A black and orange krater in the form and style of ancient Greek kraters depicting images of police brutality against persons of color.
Roberto Lugo (b. 1981)
Tan paperback with red type on front cover. At center of front cover is a red religious symbol.
Félix Morisseau-Leroy (1912–1988)
A black and white photograph of an unidentified person wearing a leather jacket and two buttons.
Hiram Maristany (1945–2022)
Print depicting a woman and a small child beneath a flowering tree branch.
Cecile Chong (b. 1964)
Photograph of a child sitting on a suitcase
Frank Espada (1930-2014)
a small, painted rendition of the American flag on a crumpled piece of paper, with the flag reaching to all four edges of the paper.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988)
A color photograph of Idalis Leon captured in New York City.
Idalis M. DeLeón (b. 1969)
A black-and-white photograph of Sheila Escovedo, known as Sheila E., performing.
Sheila E. (b. 1957)
A lime green flyer with black text for an event at the Studio Museum in Harlem.
Eleo Pomare Dance Company (1958-unknown)
A digital image (jpg) of the Black Disabled Lives Matter Solidarity Fist symbol designed by Jennifer White-Johnson. The image has a bright yellow background and features a black-and-yellow graphic at the center, White-Johnson’s Black Disabled Lives Matter Solidarity Fist symbol.
Jennifer White-Johnson

CATALOGING NOTES

The collecting, processing, and cataloging of Latinx objects is an ongoing process. This page will be updated as more objects are added to the online collection. Please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu with any corrections, additional information, or feedback.

Top image: A Young Lords Party Rally at Queens County Jail, 1969. Photograph by Hiram Maristany. © Hiram Maristany. 2014.220.1