HIDDEN HISPANIC HERITAGE
MENU
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US/QUIENES SOMOS
  • CHAPTERS/CAPITULOS
  • EN ESPAÑOL
  • ON FACEBOOK
  • IN THE NEWS/NOTICIAS
  • ACCOLADES/ELOGIOS
  • VIDEO LECTURES/CHARLAS
  • MY STUDENTS
  • MIGUELPEREZ.COM
  • ABOUT/SOBRE MIGUEL
  • VIDEOS WE LIKE
  • CONTACT US/CONTÁCTENOS
  • TIMELINE/CRONOLOGIA
  • THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM
  • THE GREAT TOUR/LA GRAN GIRA
  • CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
  • NYC HISPANIC LANDMARKS
  • NYC HISPANIC ART
  • ON THE ROAD AGAIN
  • EN EL CAMINO OTRA VEZ
  • OUR MEDALLIONS SAGA
Picture
Click to enlarge


​LET'S SAVE
​THE MEDALLIONS!
On the Avenue
of the Americas

34 COUNTRIES ARE NOT REPRESENTED AND ONLY THESE 14 STILL REMAIN:​
Picture
Photos by Miguel Pérez from Sunday April 10, 2022
Picture
Picture
​EN ESPANOL:
​
´SALVEMOS LOS MEDALLONES!
By Miguel Pérez
April 24, 2022

On Oct. 20, 1945, the wide north-south Manhattan artery known as Sixth Avenue was given an additional name: The Avenue of the Americas. In the words of former New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia, it was “an expression on the part of our people of the love and affection we have for our sister republics of Central and South America."

Since then, statues of seven Latin American statesmen have been erected almost from end to end of the avenue -- from the Dominican Republic's Juan Pablo Duarte on Canal Street to Venezuela's Simon Bolivar, Cuba's José Martí, and Argentina's José de San Martín on 59th Street. Statues of Mexico's Benito Juarez and Brazil's José Bonifacio De Andrada e Silva also stand between 41st and 42nd Streets. And Uruguay's General Jose Gervasio Artigas stands on Spring Street.
Picture
Simon Bolivar
Picture
José Martí
Picture
José de San Martín
Picture
José Bonifacio De Andrada e Silva
Picture
Benito Juarez
Picture
Gen. José Artigas
Picture
Juan Pablo Duarte
Photos by Miguel Pérez, ​from Sunday April 10, 2022
​For years, those statues have been a source of ethnic pride for Hispanics who live in New York City and for many others who visit the city as tourists.

​But there was something else that evoked that sense of pride, something they saw as welcome signs!

In 1959, porcelain enamel medallions, depicting the coats of arms of the nations of the Western Hemisphere were installed on 300 lampposts from Canal Street to Central Park. Each was three-feet in diameter and very colorful. Just like with the statues, Hispanics would walk up and down the avenue, searching for the coat of arms of their ancestral homelands. And not just Hispanics, all of the nations of the Americas were represented.
Picture
Six midtown medallions in one photo. Can you spot them?
​Yet now that the city's Hispanic population is larger than ever -- 2.49 million people — now that we represent 28.3 percent of the city's population, now that English and French-speaking Caribbean islanders are also a huge part of the city, these welcome signs are practically gone!

​
Do you know how many remain? Less than 20! And they have been so neglected that they are covered with streaks of rust!

Many countries are no longer represented. According to published reports, many medallions were removed and never replaced during renovations of the avenue in the 1990s. One of the most recent casualties appears to be the medallion with the U.S. Coat of Arms, on the Avenue of the Americas and Grant Street. According to Google Maps (street level), it was there on June of 2019, but gone by May 2021.
So why did I decide to write a column encouraging New Yorkers to "Save the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas?" Let me tell you in this short video:
So why should New York City's Hispanic community be better recognized by the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas?
Let me tell you in this short video! CLICK:
Remaining Downtown Medallions:
Picture
Belize, Watts St
Picture
Nicaragua, Broome St
Picture
Bolivia, Spring St
Picture
Dominica, Vandam St
Picture
Cuba, King St
Picture
Uruguay, King St
Picture
Venezuela, Downing St
Picture
Barbados, Minetta Lane
Picture
Honduras, Carmine St
Picture
Cuba, W. Fourth St
Picture
Canada, Washington Pl
Remaining Midtown Medallions:
Picture
COSTA RICA, between 56 and 57 Streets
Picture
CUBA, between 56 and 57 Streets
Picture
HAITI, 57th Street
Picture
CHILE, between 57 and 58 Streets
Picture
HONDURAS, between 57 and 58 Sts
Picture
COSTA RICA, 58th Street
Picture
ARGENTINA, between 58 and 59 Sts
How many Medallions can you find
​in this short video?
Picture
Picture
Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and El Salvador are among the missing. Since there were originally medallions for more than 30 countries, every country had several of these wonderful emblems for the people of the Americas to look up with pride. Coincidentally, the country with the most remaining medallions is my native Cuba, which still has three!

But I would love to see them all replenished -- all 300! All of those that remain — darkened by streaks of rust that has seeped down from their attachment clips ​— are pictures of neglect!

Ironically, some countries have modified their coasts of arms since they were posted on the avenue, which is more reason to replace them!

I'm almost afraid to say this, fearing that there might be a city bureaucrat who would use this as an excuse to get rid of them all.

But something needs to get done! We can't allow these beautiful emblems, these symbols of our American fellowship, to rust away into oblivion!

According to a 2016 New York Times report, back in 1998 a spokesman for the Transportation Department said, “D.O.T. is reviewing what would be required to put them back up.” Then the Times reported that in 2008, a spokesman for the agency said, “In the interest of safety, we have removed some medallions, but the spirit of the avenue will live on."

So there! Isn’t that special?

And when the Times asked again in 2016, a spokesman said there were no plans to replace them but that the department would “consider discussions with any entities wishing to pursue the matter.”

Really? With all the Hispanic and Caribbean elected officials in New York City, no one has been “wishing to pursue the matter? And what about all those countries that are so well represented by U.N. diplomats in New York City, no interest in such discussion from them either? Not even though some of those countries paid much more for the Hispanic statues on the avenue? And what about the newly elected mayor who claims to be very multiculturally inclusive? Would Eric Adams be interested in such a project? Are Hispanics telling him that this is important to us? And what about Ydanis Rodriguez, the new Transportation Department Commissioner who is Hispanic?

Surely, there would be some interest from the “Avenue of the Americas Association,” which is a civic improvement corporation promoting the avenue as “America’s Corporate Corridor?" C’mon, they can’t afford to fix the medallions? Really? They can’t get their wealthy corporate members to contribute to a fund to replenish these emblems and re-beautify the avenue? Imagine how beautifully the avenue could represent the Americas if they had some kind of "adopt a medallion" program, not only to replenish them, but the maintain them!

What all these people need is a little public pressure. We should use all sorts of media to let them know how proud we felt when we saw our national emblems hanging over the avenue. It was a beautiful expression of Pan-American unity that is rapidly deteriorating. We should let them know that this is not acceptable!

So who can you approach about this? How about our own Hispanic and Caribbean elected representatives? How about Mayor Adams? How about city officials, starting with D.O.T. Commissioner Rodriguez? This is a new city administration, and we should not blame them for the negligence of the past. But we should let them know that the negligence of the future will be on their watch!


Or how about reaching out to the diplomats from countries that should be represented by medallions, or to the tenants of the "Corporate Corridor," or to the association that represents them? They should all be approached!

And what is the question we should be asking these people? It's simple: "Why don't you do something to SAVE THE MEDALLIONS on the Avenue of the Americas?"

If you are a community or social media activist looking for a good cause, you just found one!

On Sunday, Aril 10, 2022, I walked on the Avenue of the Americas, from Canal Street to Central Park, and I took photos of the medallions I found. 
According to the Times article, out of the original 300, there were 22 medallions left in 2016.

Now, in 2022, I counted 18, representing only 14 countries!​ Will we allow them to vanish into oblivion?
Picture
Cuba and Uruguay medallions on King Street
Picture
MEDALLIONS DOWNTOWN
​​Proceeding uptown on the Avenue of the Americas, starting from Watts Street, these are the medallions I have found:
​
DOWNTOWN:


Washington Place — Canada

West Fourth Street — Cuba

Carmine Street — Honduras

Minetta Lane — Barbados

Downing Street — Venezuela

King Street — Uruguay

King Street -- Cuba

Vandam Street — Dominica

Spring Street — Bolivia

​
Broome Street — Nicaragua

Watts Street — Belize
Picture
MEDALLIONS IN MIDTOWN

​​MIDTOWN:

​Between 58 and 59 Street -- Argentina


West 58th Street -- Costa Rica

Between 57 and 58 Streets -- Honduras

Between 57 and 58 Streets -- Chile

West 57th Street -- Haiti

Between 56 and 57 Streets 
-- Cuba
​

Between 56 and 57 Streets -- Costa Rica
Photos still found on the Internet, of medallions no longer on the avenue:
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION!
https://www.change.org/medallions

On Facebook: Let's Save the Medallions
​En Facebook: Salvemos los Medallones
Picture
So what do you think? / ™Entonces, qué piensas?
Please join our dialogue on Facebook / Por favor únete a nuestro diálogo en Facebook
Hidden Hispanic Heritage

​And to share, please click on these buttons:

Y para compartir, por favor haga clic sobre estos botones:

                   CHAPTERS/CAPITULOS

1. Our Pre-Mayflower Thanksgivings
Nuestros Días de Acción de Gracias Pre-Mayflower
               
2. A Tale of Two Cities
                 
3. Our Pre-Hispanic Heritage
              

4. The Black Legend Returns

4. La Leyenda Negra Regresa
                
5. Even on HBO, The Black Legend Lives
                   
6. Our Spanish Heritage
                     
7. Exalted or Offended?
                    
8. We are all 'Americanos'
                  
9. Latinos are Failing
                  
10. Hispanic, Columbus or Indigenous Day?
10. 
™Dia Hispano, De Colon o Indigena?
                   
11. Two Good Places to Rest
11. Dos buenos lugares para descansar
                  
12. Whitman's Prophetic Letter
12. La Carta Profética de Whitman
                  
13. America’s Cradle
13. La Cuna de America
                 
14. Our Quincentennial is Coming!

14. ´Nuestro Quinto Centenario Se Avecina!
                   
15. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 29
                
16. A Time To Welcome the Spirits
                  
17. A Hispanic Christmas
17. Una Navidad Hispana
                  
18. JOSE MARTI:
     His Legacy Lives Here
     Su Legado Vive Aquí 
                
19. Hyphenated and Proud!
                   
20. Politicizing Education

21. Speak Any Spanish Lately?
              
22. Happy Three Kings Day!
22. ​
´Feliz Día de Reyes!
               
23. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 29

24. A Long-Overdue Museum
                 
25. America's First Christmas was celebrated in Spanish
25. La Primera Navidad Americana fue celebrada en español

26. The Grand Canyon
and the Bucket List
 Of Hispanic Heritage
26. El Gran Canyon
y la Lista de Lugares de la Herencia Hispana

                  
27. Now That Fiesta Month Is Here,
Can We Talk About Heritage?

27. Ahora que el mes de fiesta hispana esta aquí,

​™Podemos hablar de nuestra herencia?
                  
28. Our Hispanic Heritage: On Exhibit and Yet Hidden
28. Nuestra Herencia Hispana: En Exhibición y Sin Embargo Oculta

29. Florida's Birthday Should Be a National Holiday

             
30. A Local Celebration that Should be National               

31. 
This chapter was merged with Chapter 30               
​

32. The Conveniently 'Forgotten War'
32. La Guerra Convenientemente Olvidada

33. Guantanamo Has a History  June 4, 2013

34. Exposing the Social Media Bigots  June 18, 2013
34. Exponiendo a los Intolerantes
     de los Medios Sociales June 18, 2013

35. Thinking of Cusi On the Fourth of July
35. Pensando en Cusi en el Cuatro de Julio

36. The Discovery of White Hispanics
36.  El Descubrimiento de los Hispanos Blancos

37. Let's Build a Timeline Of Hispanic-American History
37. Vamos a Construir una Cronología
     De la Historia Hispanoamericana

38. In the Name of Heritage
38. En el Nombre de la Herencia

39. Hispanics or Latinos?
39. ™Hispanos o Latinos?

40.  Hollywood's Hidden Hispanic Heritage
40. La Herencia Hispana Oculta en Hollywood

41. Obliviously Living in ‘The Land of Estevan Gomez’
41. Viviendo Inconscientemente
       En la ‘Tierra de Estevan Gómez’

42. Marking America's Birthplace
42. Marcando el Lugar de Nacimiento De Estados Unidos

43. Hispanics in Denial Should Be Infamous
43. Los Hispanos en Rechazo Deben Ser Infames

44. 
Gay Marriage's Hidden American History
      Started in Spanish
 CABEZA DE VACA'S JOURNEY
44. La Historia Oculta del Matrimonio Gay
      En América Comenzó en Español
        EL VIAJE DE CABEZA DE VACA​

45. Super Bowl Coke Commercial
       Draws Out Ugly Americans

45. Comercial de Coke en Super Bowl
     Hace Relucir a los Americanos Feos


46. 
The 'Discovery' of Self-Loathing Hispanics
46. El ‘Descubrimiento' de los
     Hispanos que se Auto Desprecian


THE GREAT HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY TOUR 
June 2014 - January 2015


47. My Pilgrimage to San Xavier
47. Mi Peregrinaje a San Xavier

48. The Great Hispanic American History Tour
48. La Gran Gira por la Historia Hispanoamericana

49. On the Trail of Conquistadors
49. En el Camino de los Conquistadores

50. Beyond St. Augustine
50. Más Allá de San Agustín

51. A Hidden Hispanic Role Model
51. Un Modelo Hispano Oculto

52. The Hispanic Flank of the American Revolution
52. El Flanco Hispano de la Revolucion Americana
​

53. New Orleans Has a Spanish ‘Ne Sais Quoi’
53. Nueva Orleans Tiene Un ‘Ne Sais Quoi’ Español

54. Galveston: Still the Isle of Misfortune?

55. Extracting Compacted History
     Unveils Hidden Hispanic Heritage

56. 'Remember The Alamo' Was a Spanish Mission

57. San Antonio: The Showcase Of Our Hispanic Heritage

58. There Was Compassion On the Spanish Mission Trail

59. A Hidden Latina Role Model

60. Time Portals on the Road

61. The First Thanksgiving
     In the (Southwest) United States

62. The World's Biggest Statue
of a Nameless Horseback Rider


63. A River Runs Through Our Hispanic Heritage

64. A Beacon of Hope On a Border Mountaintop

65. A Mexican-American Town
65. Un Pueblo Mexico-Americano

66. The Crossroads of Conquistadors

67. Hiking In Search of Coronado's Trail

68. The Real American Pioneers

69. Keeping My Pledge to San Xavier

70. If They Knew Arizona's History,
     They Wouldn't Be So Xenophobic

71. 'Tucson' is a Spanish Adaptation

72. Under a Utah Lake, Hispanic Heritage Lives

73. A Hilltop View Of Hispanic Heritage

74. Searching for Coronado's Quivira

75. The Spanish Savior of St. Louis

76. 
Jefferson's Spanish Library

WASHINGTON, D.C.
February-June 2015

77. When Galvez Came to Congress
77. Cuando Gálvez Vino al Congreso


78. A Tour of Our Extraordinarily Hispanic U.S. Capitol

79. Searching for Not-S0-Hidden
Hispanic Heritage in Washington, DC


80. Smithsonian Omits Hispanics In U.S. History Exhibit
80. Smithsonian Omite a los Hispanos
     en Exhibición de Historia de EE.UU.
MIAMI - August 2015
​
81. Finding Dad in a Museum
81. Encontre a Mi Padre en un Museo


​CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP - 2018
82. International Friendship Park ​at U.S.-Mexico Border
​- A Jagged Corner of the World


83. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
​
84. Cabrillo National Monument

85. ​It took more than 2 centuries

86. Presidio Park: The Birthplace
of the Spanish Colonization of California


87. Junípero Serra Museum Transcends the Story of a Great Man

88. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá:
California's First Spanish Mission


89. Old Mission (Padre) Dam: California's First Aqueduct

90. Even at the beach in San Diego, you can't avoid Spanish history

91. Chicano Park: Mexican-American ​painted under highway ramps

92. Balboa Park: Candy for your eyes amid a painful controversy!

93. San Diego: An American Town
Named After the Saint from Alcalá

93. San Diego: Un Pueblo Americano
Lleva el Nombre del Santo de Alcalá


94. San Luis Rey de Francia: The King of the California Missions
94. San Luis Rey de Francia: ​El Rey de las Misiones de California

95. San Antonio de Pala:
A Sub-Mission to Reach
 the Natives of the Interior
95. San Antonio de Pala:
Una Asistencia para Alcanzar los Nativos del Interior

96. San Juan Capistrano:
The Home of the Mission Swallows
 from Argentina
96. San Juan Capistrano:
El Hogar de las Golondrinas Desaparecidas ​de Argentina

97. San Gabriel Arcángel: A Mission that Launched Cities
97. San Gabriel Arcángel: Una Misión Que Lanzó Ciudades

98. El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Ángeles:
Hispanics had to be imported

98. El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Ángeles:
Hispanos tuvieron que sen importados


99. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes:
A Walk through Mexican-American History

99. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes:
Un Paseo por la historia 
​mexicoamericana


100. Strolling the Hispanic Walk of Fame
​100. Caminando por el Paseo Hispano de la Fama

101. San Fernando Rey de España Teaches
California's Colonial History

101. ​​San Fernando Rey de España Enseña
la historia colonial de California


​102. Mission San Buenaventura Survived Earthquakes and Pirates
102. Misión San Buenaventura Sobrevivió Terremotos y Piratas

​103. Father Serra Cross: On a hill,
​overlooking ​the land he shepherded

​103. La Cruz del Padre Serra: En una colina,
​con vistas a la tierra que pastoreaba


104. The Birthplace of Santa Barbara
104. El Lugar de Nacimiento de Santa Barbara

105. The Queen of the Spanish Missions
105. La Reina de las Misiones Españolas

106. Mission Santa Ines: Built to relieve other overcrowded missions
106. Misión Santa Inés: Construida para aliviar otras misiones superpobladas

107. Mission La Purísima Concepcion:
​Going back in time ​to Spanish California

107. Mision La Purísima Concepción:
Retrocediendo en ​el tiempo a la California española


XXX. Saluting an exile: ​Father Félix Varela
XXX. The Meaning of 'Sotomayor'
SPECIAL SECTIONS
• Great (pro-Hispanic) Americans
​
• 16th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
• 17th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
• 18th Century in the Hispanic American History Timeline
​
• Spanish-American expeditions before Jamestown
• NYC ​Hispanic Landmarks
• NYC Hispanic Art
• Do You Know/Sabes?
• Garita Art
​
• Do You Speak Spanglish?
HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY TIMELINE
​1513 Ponce de Leon Discovers North America, Names Her 'Florida'

April 22, 1513 ​Alaminos discovers the Gulf Stream

1517 De Cordoba, wounded in Yucatan, stops in Florida

1518 Grijalva Reaches Galveston Island

1519 De Pineda confirms Florida ​is not an island​

1521 Ponce de Leon Returns to Florida, Falls Mortally Wounded

1524-25 Estevan Gomez Explores North America's East Coast

1526 Ayllón lands in S.C., settles in Georgia


1528 Narváez expedition succumbs to storms and natives

1528-36 Cabeza de Vaca treks across North America

1537-42 Cabeza de Vaca Returns to Spain, Writes 'La Relación'

1539 De Niza Searches for Golden Cities of Cibola
​

1539-42 De Soto celebrates first American Christmas

1540 Hernando de Alarcon Reaches California

1540-42 Coronado Explores the Southwest,
Cardenas Discovers ​the Grand Canyon


1542-43  ​Cabrillo explores California coast​

1559 De Luna Builds Santa Maria de Ochuse​


1565 Pedro Menendez de Avilés Establishes San Agustin

1566 Santa Elena Built in South Carolina

1598 ​Juan de Oñate Explores New Mexico

1602 Sebastian Vizcaino ​explores the West Coast

1610 Pedro de Peralta establishes Santa Fe

1610-26 The Birth of San Miguel, oldest church in the U.S.A.

1613 Juan Rodriguez becomes the first Manhattan immigrant

1633 Misión San Luis de Apalachee is born in Tallahassee

​1682 San Antonio de la Ysleta becomes first mission in Texas

1691 Father Eusebio Kino builds Tumacácori and Guevavi

1692 ​Father Kino builds San Xavier del Bac 

1692 Diego de Vargas leads ​'Bloodless Reconquest" of Santa Fe

1695 Castillo de San Marcos ​Completed in St. Augustine

1718 Mission San Antonio de Valero is born
​- long before it became The Alamo
​

1738 Runaway slaves establish Fort Mose,
​the first free African-American community​


​1738 Francisco Menendez Leads Fort Mose

1742 Spanish Soldiers ​Open Fort Matanzas

1752 Spanish Soldiers Build Presidio de Tubac

1763 Spanish Florida Goes to England

1765 Juan Antonio Maria de Rivera ​explores ​Colorado and Utah
​
1769 
Father Serra opens ​San Diego de Alcalá,
California's first ​Spanish mission


1771 Father Serra establishes San Gabriel Arcángel

1772 Good hunting determines site
​of ​Misión San Luis Obispo de Tolosa


1775 Captain Hugh O’Connor
​builds Presidio San Agustin del Tucson


​1776-83 Hispanics in the American Revolution

1776 The Birth of San Francisco

1781 Spanish troops defeat the British, capture Pensacola

1781 Pobladores of Los Angeles are imported

1791 ​Alessandro Malaspina Alaska Reaches Alaska

1797 Fermín Francisco de Lasuén
Establishes Misión San Fernando Rey de España


1797 The Birth of Villa de Branciforte

Herencia Hispana Oculta de America:
La Lista de Lugares, Ideas, y Evidencia Historica para Reconectár a los Americanos con sus Raíces Hispanas

Picture
America's Hidden Hispanic Heritage:
The Bucket List of Places, Ideas and Historical Evidence to Reconnect Americans with their  Hispanic Roots
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US/QUIENES SOMOS
  • CHAPTERS/CAPITULOS
  • EN ESPAÑOL
  • ON FACEBOOK
  • IN THE NEWS/NOTICIAS
  • ACCOLADES/ELOGIOS
  • VIDEO LECTURES/CHARLAS
  • MY STUDENTS
  • MIGUELPEREZ.COM
  • ABOUT/SOBRE MIGUEL
  • VIDEOS WE LIKE
  • CONTACT US/CONTÁCTENOS
  • TIMELINE/CRONOLOGIA
  • THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM
  • THE GREAT TOUR/LA GRAN GIRA
  • CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
  • NYC HISPANIC LANDMARKS
  • NYC HISPANIC ART
  • ON THE ROAD AGAIN
  • EN EL CAMINO OTRA VEZ
  • OUR MEDALLIONS SAGA