HIDDEN HISPANIC HERITAGE
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My Lehman College Hispanic-American History students reflect on what they have learned:

Spring semester, 2020
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PictureJasmine Gonzalez
"Coming in contact with the hidden Hispanic heritage that is not recorded in American History books has been one of the most fulfilling and eye opening experiences in my academic career . . . This journey that Professor Pérez has taken our class on is one that I am grateful for and has provided me with the passion to spread the word about REAL history.  The next group of student that enrolls in this course need to buckle up and prepare for the ride of their lives!"

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PictureAmberly Castillo
"We are lucky because we were able to break from our ignorance on Hispanic history within the United States. The articles were not short blurbs, boring textbook pages, and were not generalized like most museums present Hispanic history. ​This class gave us the opportunity to read first hand Hispanic history and showed us a neutral perspective on conquistadors (which I never thought I could gain). From Cabeza de Vaca to Chicano park, we were educated on Hispanic history we might not have even heard of, if it hadn't been for this class. I was able to see history in a different perspective, and I felt proud."

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PictureDayanne Rodriguez
"We (Hispanics) were not brutes that just came here to take over and kill anyone in our way, we instead worked side by side with the natives and built missions so that we showed the natives easier ways to live. It was because of the Black Legend that today we still face backlash from other ignorant people. Whenever someone tells me, "this is America, speak english." I will reply with, "this is America, learn your history." . . . I am super happy that there's someone out there like the professor who's so passionate about his Hispanic heritage he has gone above and beyond to actually keep our hispanidad alive. I am today proud to say I had the honor to be his student."

Picture
PictureStephanie Pérez
"I'm so happy that Professor Pérez took the time to put this course together with his own textbook and his own proof such as his photos because people need to be educated about our country and our heritage the correct way not just what some old textbook says. Overall, I would say this has been one of the best history courses I have ever taken, I would advise everyone to take this."

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PictureJennifer Madrid
"This is one of the few classes that I have felt that whatever I have learned, I can easily share it with those around me. Being a first-generation Salvadoran-American student, I can wholeheartedly say I have gotten so much out of this course to the point that it has even made me more confident in my own Hispanic identity. The material that Professor Perez presented so intelligibly made it very easy to catch on that Hispanic heritage in this country goes beyond what most would believe."

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PictureCarolyn Lluesma
"Professor Pérez takes us on a journey and for a lover of travel and exploration; this course gave me all the feels. I was left in awe so many times at how up close and personal he got and how authentic his material was. I feel honored to experience a professor as devoted and compassionate as him. I was never bored with these chapters and the pictures were stunning and detailed."

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PictureChantel Castillo
"The weekly readings were great because I felt as if I went on the tour with professor Pérez. I loved the visuals that accompanied each chapter because it allowed me to see what the professor was talking about and as a guide to visit many places. I can honestly say many of the things learned in this course I never learned when I took U.S. History like about the Black Legend or how Spain was an ally to the United States in beating Great Britain during the Revolutionary War."

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PictureReny Marinez
"The contribution that was most shocking to me is that Hispanics contributed in the American Revolution and still, Hispanics do not get to feel proud of that because, we don’t know. Many of us take El Més de la Herencia Hispana as a time to party, but trust me, the greatest party is when you stimulate your brain so that you are ready to correct those . . . who say we don’t belong in this country, that we are foreigners, that Hispanic is a race, that we have no ties to the U.S., that Spanish didn’t come here before the English. Overall, I love this class and I hope to share what I learn with my family, friends and perhaps strangers. I hope this class is taught in the future because Lehman students will only gain. A big thank you Prof. Pérez."

Picture
PictureJannette Medina
"I was filled with pride when learning about everything from grand churches and missions, to the murals under a bridge in California . . . I already try to educate my children and family about everything that I have discovered and learned in this class; I will try and continue to educate whomever will listen on the history of Hispanic Heritage. I am glad to have had this opportunity and tour across the country with you in discovering hidden Hispanic heritage."

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PictureBrenda Martinez
"This course has been the first time I have ever heard of the Black Legend. Why tell our Hispanic history in lies to make the explorers look bad as savages with no remorse, when in fact all the Europeans did the same thing? . . . I learned about many great Spanish explorers in this course such as Cabeza De Vaca, Juan Ponce de Leon, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Hernando De Soto, Estevan Gomez, and many more that didn’t get credit for their accomplishments or discoveries here . . . The Black Legend has made it so hard for Our Spanish History to be represented that in schools we never hear about any Spanish history . . . This course has been nothing but an eyeopener in many levels. I myself have shared the website Hidden Hispanic Heritage by Prof. Pérez with many of my friends and family members. This site teaches us so much History about our ancestors that We Hispanics from any ethnicity can be proud of. I am grateful I took this course and I would recommend this course for others -- to enlighten them about the truth of our history.

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My Hispanic American History students
speak out at the end of a semester:

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'Roots of Our Hispanic Heritage' Class
Celebrates the End of the Semester

Fall semester, 2018
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Last class of the semester (today 11/14/18) with about half of my Hispanic-American History students at Lehman College. The semester is over for them, but I still have their 35 finals (essays) to read and grade during the next week. I'm very proud of this group. Their involvement in the class, and the topics we were discussing, constantly showed me that they were inheriting my passion for unearthing and exposing America's Hispanic roots. What more could I ask for? I'm forming an army of Hispanic historians! LOL Today, after having read so many of my Hispanic American history articles, they gave me some great advice on how I should focus my upcoming books! Gracias!​
La última clase del semestre (hoy 11/14/18) con casi la mitad de mis estudiantes de historia hispano-americana en Lehman College. El semestre ha terminado para ellos, pero todavía tengo sus 35 finales (ensayos) para leer y calificar durante la próxima semana. Estoy muy orgulloso de este grupo. Su participación en la clase, y los temas que discutíamos, me mostraban constantemente que heredaban mi pasión por descubrir y exponer las raíces hispanas de los Estados Unidos. ™Qué más puedo pedir? ¡Estoy formando un ejército de historiadores hispanos! LOL Hoy, después de haber leído tantos de mis artículos de historia hispanoamericana, me dieron buenos consejos sobre cómo debería enfocar mis próximos libros! Gracias!

While I have received wonderful feedback from many of my journalism students over the past 11 years at Lehman College, including many who are now professional journalists and still keep in touch with me, yesterday’s last meeting of my “Roots of Our Hispanic Heritage” course was truly extraordinary.

​My students went out of their way to show me how much they appreciate what they have learned, expressing
sentiments that nearly brought me to tears on several occasi
ons. They brought in a wide variety of Latin American food to share with their classmates, and they brought me a cake that said, “Thank You, Prof. Pérez.” They gave me a cupcake marked “A+”. 
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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

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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