Category: January

Children in Puerto Rico begin to prepare for the celebration of el Dia de los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings or Epiphany).  Since the kings are riding horses and camels (not reindeer), the children gather grass to feed the kings’ animals.  The children put the grass in shoe boxes under their beds on the evening… Continue reading Eve of el Dia de los Reyes Magos

Feast Day of the Patron Virgin of the Dominican Republic, known as Our Lady of Altagracia or Our Lady of High Grace.  This is a portrait of the Virgin Mary painted on a cloth 13 inches wide and 18 inches long, during the early 1500’s in Spain.  Two Spanish brothers brought the portrait to Santo… Continue reading Our Lady of Altagracia

El Dia de los Reyes Magos is celebrated in many countries throughout the Americas.  Puerto Ricans celebrate with a caroling block party called alsaltos navideños or parrandas.  While the caroling starts at the beginning of Advent and lasts throughout the season, January 6 is particularly celebrated with song.  Carolers go house to house, enjoying holiday… Continue reading El Dia de los Reyes Magos

Welcome to the Latino Hispanic Almanac, where we celebrate Latinas and Latinos every day of the year!  During the year, you’ll discover the Latinx culture and people that have been part of the United States of America for centuries and on the continents of the Americas for thousands of years.  We appreciate your interest, and… Continue reading ¡Feliz año nuevo! / New Year’s Day

On January 24, 2012, President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union address.  US Congressman Francisco Canseco delivered the Spanish-language Republican Address to the nation following the President’s address.  Canseco was elected in 2010 to serve the 23rd District of Texas. A native of Laredo, Canseco is the son of immigrants from Mexico. Congressman… Continue reading 2012 State of the Union en español

Porfirio Lobo Sosa, President of Honduras, was inaugurated on January 27, 2010.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami and was granted a doctorate by Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow.   Lobo’s administration has received mixed reviews, with criticism from Human Rights watch for political oppression and praise from the… Continue reading Porfirio Lobo Sosa, President of Honduras

On January 10, 2007, Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra was inaugurated as President of Nicaragua for the second time.  Saavedra was a pivotal leader in the Cold War politics of Central America in the 1980s; viewed as a freedom fighter by the left and as an untrustworthy communist by the right.  Upon taking office in 2007,… Continue reading Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra, President of Nicaragua 2007

On January 22, 2006 Evo Morales was inaugurated as President of Bolivia.  Morales is of Spanish and Aymara descent; Aymara is one of the First Nations.  He is committed to reducing poverty and illiteracy in Bolivia, and his policies are characterized as leftist and socialist.  He has implemented land reform and the redistribution of gas… Continue reading President Avo Morales 2006

January 23, 2002 was the premier of the new series, “American Family: Journey of Dreams”, created and produced by Gregory Nava (please see reference on January 11 – Nava is a busy guy).  American Family was the first family drama series featuring a Latinx cast to air on broadcast television.  PBS (Public Broadcasting System) later… Continue reading “American Family: Journey of Dreams” 2002

January 14, 2002 marked the launch of TeleFutura, a Spanish-language broadcast network, by Univisión.   Telefutura became America’s second largest Spanish-language prime time network.  TeleFutura’s programming includes Noticias 41 Al Despertar, its news and public affairs program, talk shows, children’s programming and of course, telenovellas, or soap operas, which demonstrate the same amount of intelligence and… Continue reading The Launch of TeleFutura 2002

On January 25, 1999, Hispanic Magazine and Nordstrom Inc. announced that Dr. Ed Avila won the 1999 Teacher of the Year Award. Avila directed the Endeavour Academy, an engineering and applied science preparatory school, where he developed the curriculum and teaches classes.  He contributed to the development of the Youth Aerospace Discovery Program, a weekly… Continue reading Dr. Ed Avila, 1999 Teacher of the Year Award

On January 5, 1999, the Clinton administration (Bill, not Hil) approved direct charter flights from New York and Los Angeles to Cuba.  Secretary of State Madeline Albright made the announcement, which was heralded as the most significant change in policy toward Cuba in decades.  Travel was restricted to humanitarian-aid workers, athletes, scholars, teachers, and researchers,… Continue reading Charter Flights to Cuba 1999

On January 17, 1990, Ellen Ochoa (born May 10, 1958) was selected by NASA for training, and she was the first Latina astronaut in space.   Ochoa received a doctorate in electronic engineering from Stanford University, and after graduation, she worked in research at the Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California.   Ochoa flew her first mission… Continue reading Ellen Ochoa , First Latina Astronaut 1990

January 3, 1990, the former president of Panama, Manuel Noriega surrendered to the US Army.  Panama was invaded by US forces on December 20, 1989.  President George H.W. Bush cited Noriega’s involvement in drug trafficking as one of the leading reasons for the invasion.   This viewpoint was challenged later in the Academy Award winning documentary,… Continue reading Panamanian Dictator Noriega Surrenders 1990

January 11, 1984 is the release date of the independent film, “El Norte”.  The film is a compassionate, tragic, and sometimes humorous portrayal of the journey of a brother and sister from Guatemala to the US (“El Norte”).  There, they search for work and begin their personal quest of the American Dream.  The film was… Continue reading “El Norte” 1984

On January 31, 1980, a number of Guatemalan indigenous people and their allies occupied Spanish Embassy in Guatemala City.  The people were protesting the killing of civilians by the Guatemalan Army.  The protestors selected the Spanish embassy, since the Spanish were sympathetic to their cause.  The Guatemalan police raided the embassy later that day, and… Continue reading A bloody day in Guatemala 1980

On January 21, 1974, the US Supreme Court decided on the case Lau v. Nichols, a landmark in civil rights for the education of students.  The Chinese American community in San Francisco argued that since their students with limited English skills were not receiving meaningful language assistance for their education, they were discriminated against according… Continue reading Lau v. Nichols, a landmark in civil rights for the education of students

On January 2, 1968, US President Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908 – 1973) signed the Bilingual Education Act.  The Act provided assistance to students with limited English language skills. Johnson taught Mexican children in Texas early in his career, and remembered later, “I shall never forget the faces of the boys and the girls in that little… Continue reading Bilingual Education Act of 1968

Happy Birthday to Loretta Sanchez, US Congresswoman, entrepreneur, and small business owner.  Sanchez was born on January 7, 1960.  Sanchez represented the 46th district in California.  She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants; her father was a machinist and her mother was a secretary.  Sanchez earned her BA with a scholarship to Chapman University and… Continue reading Loretta Sanchez, US Congresswoman

Happy Birthday to Rigoberta Menchú, a Quiché Indian woman, born on January 9, 1959 in Guatemala.   Menchú is a civil rights activist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1992 for her work on behalf of the indigenous people of Guatemala.  The struggle for indigenous rights has continued since 1492.  Please click here to read… Continue reading Rigoberta Menchú Nobel Prize Winner

January 6, 1957 is the birthday of Mexican-American golfer Nancy Lopez.  Lopez began playing golf at age 8, and was the women’s champion in her home state of New Mexico by age 12.  She won five professional tournaments in a row, a feat unrivaled in women’s golf, and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her… Continue reading Mexican-American Pro Golfer Nancy Lopez

On January 11, 1954, arguments were heard at the US Supreme Court for the landmark case, Hernandez v. Texas.   The case centered on Pedro Hernandez, a Mexican agricultural worker, who was convicted of murder.  Hernandez’s legal team argued that the jury could not be impartial unless members of non-Caucasian races were allowed to participate.  The… Continue reading Hernandez v. Texas: Impartial Juries 1954

Happy Birthday to Maria Robledo Montecel, born on January 14, 1953.  Montecel is a dedicated educator who has devoted her life to improving educational opportunities for minorities and the poor.  Montecel works to address the steep high school dropout rate among young Latino students.  She earned an M Ed from Antioch College, and a Ph… Continue reading Happy Birthday to Maria Robledo Montecel, Educator

January 13, 1953 was a momentous day in history, as popular US President and war hero Dwight Eisenhower was sworn into office.  But according to the New York Times, more Americans tuned in to watch the birth of “little Ricky” (Desi Arnaz, Jr.) on the even more popular “I Love Lucy” show than President Eisenhower’s… Continue reading We all loved Lucy Arnaz 1953

On January 28, 1948, a plane crashed at Los Gatos Canyon, California, carrying 28 deportees and 4 North Americans from California to Mexico.  Famous American folk musician Woody Guthrie wrote a protest song about the event, concerning the racist mistreatment of the deportees.  The song was covered by many artists, including Dolly Parton and Judy… Continue reading “They are just deportees” 1948

Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzáles (1928 –2005), made his professional debut on January 23, 1947. Gonzáles was a Mexican American boxer, poet, and political activist.  In 1966, Gonzáles founded La Cruzada Para La Justicia (The Crusade for Justice), to encourage Hispanics to get involved in politics to improve their lives economically and socially.  His epic poem, Yo… Continue reading Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzáles 1928 –2005

On January 4, 1944, Rigoberto “Tito” Fuentes Peat was born in Havana, Cuba.  Fuentes played second base in the Major League for 13 seasons between 1965 and 1978.  Most of Fuentes career was with the San Francisco Giants.   In 1981, Fuentes returned to work with the Giants as a radio announcer, launching the team’s first… Continue reading Rigoberto “Tito” Fuentes Peat

Happy Birthday to Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, born on January 29, 1942, in Guantánamo, Cuba.  Méndez was orphaned as an infant, and spent some of his childhood working as a shoeshine and vegetable seller.  He was selected as an astronaut in the Soviet Union’s seventh Intercosmos program in 1978.  Méndez was the first Latinx and the first… Continue reading Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, first Latinx Astronaut

January 9, 1941 is the birthday of Joan Baez, a Mexican-American folk singer, songwriter, and activist for human rights, peace, and the environment.   Her father, Albert Baez, was born in Puebla, Mexico.  Baez’s wonderful accomplishments include founding the US branch of Amnesty International, performing publicly for over 50 years and releasing 30 albums. 09 de… Continue reading Happy Birthday to Joan Baez

January 31, 1929, is the birthday of Richard Edward Cavazos, the first Mexican American to achieve the rank of four-star general in the US Army.  During the Korean War, Cavazos earned the Distinguished Service Cross as a first lieutenant.  He served with great distinction for thirty-three years, with his final command as head of the… Continue reading Happy Birthday to Four-Star General Richard Edward Cavazos

January 20, 1920, is the birth date of war hero Macario Garcia, one of 17 Mexican-Americans who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage in World War II.  Garcia was born in Mexico and immigrated to the US. In the battlefields of Grosshau Germany, Garcia, acting as squad leader, single-handedly assaulted two machine… Continue reading Happy Birthday to War Hero Macario Garcia

January 17, 1917 is the birthday of Hector Perez Garcia (1914- 1996).  A Mexican American surgeon, World War II veteran and civil rights advocate, Garcia founded the American GI Forum in 1948, to assist veterans returning from the war.  He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, our nation’s… Continue reading Hector Perez Garcia, Mexican American Surgeon, Veteran and Civil Rights Advocate

During World War I, the Germans attempted to ally with the Mexican government to attack the US.  In the Zimmermann Telegram from the German Foreign Secretary, the Germans proposed assisting the Mexicans in the re-conquest of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  The then President of Mexico did not think that attacking the United States was… Continue reading The Zimmermann Telegram … Um, no, we are not attacking the USA

On January 1, 1917, Esquiel Cabeza De Baca (1864 – 1917) was inaugurated as Governor of New Mexico.  Baca was the second elected Governor and the first Latinx Governor in New Mexico’s history.  He had served as Lieutenant Governor prior to his election as Governor.  He was a descendant of the original Spanish settlers.  Cabeza… Continue reading Esquiel Cabeza De Baca (1864 – 1917)

January 8, 1912 is the birthday of José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (1912 –1992), known as José Ferrer.  The Puerto Rican actor was the first Latinx American actor to win an Academy Award, which he earned in 1950 for his portrayal of Cyrano de Bergerac.  Ferrer was accepted at Princeton University at age… Continue reading First Latinx Actor to win an Academy Award 1950

On January 15, 1904, the stunningly beautiful music of famed cellist Pablo Casals (1876 –1973) graced the White House, as the talented musician played for President Theodore Roosevelt and invited guests.   Casals was born in Spain, to a Spanish father and Puerto Rican mother.  By the age of 21, Casals was considered a master cellist. … Continue reading Pablo Casals at the White House 1904

Standing with every truly great man is a great woman, and the extraordinary life of Mexican Revolutionaries Francisco and Sara Madero is an inspiring example.  The couple met in San Francisco, where they were both students, and married on January 26, 1903.  Francisco Madero soon decided to enter politics.  Sara Madero was with her husband… Continue reading Sara Perez, truly a First Lady

On January 19, 1903, Narciso Gener Gonzales was assassinated by James H. Tillman, the Lieutenant Governor whom he had campaigned against.  Gonzales was a Cuban American born in South Carolina.  With his brother, Gonzales founded The State newspaper.  Tillman was acquitted of the murder.  A monument honoring Gonzales stands near the South Carolina State house.… Continue reading Assassination of Narciso Gener Gonzales, Leading Editor

January 26, 1902 is the birthday of Romney Brent, a Latino who you may not  know was Latinx.  Born Romulo Larralde in Saltillo, Mexico, Larralde was a Mexican actor, director, and dramatist.  He spent most of his career on the stage in North America, performing in musicals, classics and modern works.  He also starred in… Continue reading Romney Brent, Latino Actor 1902

January 30, 1889 marked the death of Manuel Antonio Chaves, known as El Leoncito (the little lion) for his military exploits as a soldier in the Mexican Army and in the US Army on the side of the Union during the Civil War (1861-1865).  As an American soldier, he helped to defeat the Confederates in… Continue reading Manuel Antonio Chaves, El Leoncito and War Hero 1889

January 18, 1867 is the birthday of poet, author and journalist Félix Rubén García Sarmiento, born in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.  Known as Rubén Darío, he was a child prodigy who learned to read by age 3 and published his first poem at age 13.  His brilliant writing was acknowledged worldwide, and he has had a lasting… Continue reading Félix Rubén García Sarmiento, Author, Journalist, and Poet

On January 15, 1858, Benito Juárez was inaugurated for the first of his five terms as president of Mexico. Juárez was a lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca.  He was the first indigenous national to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the post 1492 Western Hemisphere. El 15… Continue reading President Benito Juárez 1858

On January 27, 1855 the first intercontinental railroad opened, running from Isla Manzanillo to Panama City, Panama.  The railroad was built to assist North American travelers who were hurrying to the California Gold Rush.  At that time, it was too difficult and dangerous to travel across the continental United States.  The railroad was a 47.6… Continue reading The First Intercontinental Railroad 1855

On January 18, 1854, North American William Walker (1824-1860) declared the new “Republic of Sonora” in that sovereign territory of Mexico.  Not troubled by morality or legality, despite being a lawyer (or maybe because of it), Walker’s aim was to establish colonies in Latin America that would be incorporated into the US as slave states. … Continue reading An All-American Terrorist 1854

January 28, 1853 is the birthday of the poet and essayist Jose Marti, who founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party and led the struggle for independence from Spain.  During his exile from Cuba due to his revolutionary politics, Marti spent about 15 years in the US, mostly in New York.  His political writings stress both socioeconomic… Continue reading Jose Marti, Cuban Revolutionary 1853

On January 12, 1848, the reedy, determined voice of Congressman Abraham Lincoln filled the US House of Representatives, as Lincoln protested the Mexican American War.  The War was then in its 20th month; the US military had thought it would last only two months (sound familiar?).  Lincoln protested against the deceit of then President James… Continue reading Abraham Lincoln protested the Mexican-American War 1848

The Battle of Cañada at Santa Cruz, New Mexico (January 24, 1847), was part of the popular uprising known as the Taos Revolt in the Mexican-American War.  Abuses by US soldiers against the Mexican citizens and Pueblo Native Americans sparked the fighting.   Charles Bent, the first appointed territorial governor of New Mexico, had earlier requested… Continue reading Battle of Cañada at Santa Cruz, New Mexico 1847

January 19, 1847 marked the start of the bloody Taos Revolt, a popular insurrection by Mexicans and Pueblo Native Americans against the US occupation of northern New Mexico during the Mexican-American War.  The rebels were crushed by US troops and militia, and several Mexican and Native American prisoners of war were executed for “treason”. 19… Continue reading The Taos Revolt 1847

Screams and shots rang out on January 4, 1847 as civilians were massacred during the Caste War of Yucatan (1847–1901), Mexico.   Unfortunately, this was one of many tragic days of civilian deaths during this conflict.  The Mayans revolted against the European Spaniards and Americans of Spanish descent in years of terrible conflict.  The Mayans achieved… Continue reading Caste War of Yucatan, Mexico 1847

President James K. Polk (1795 –1849) ordered the US Army at Corpus Christi, Texas, to advance to the Rio Grande in Mexican territory on January 13, 1846.  Commanding General Zachary Taylor advanced with about half of the US land Army.  Polk’s objective was to deliberately provoke Mexico into war, since the Mexican government had refused… Continue reading Stealing California 1846

The US and Mexico signed the Treaty of Limits on January 12, 1828, a few decades before the Mexican-American War.  As Mexican historians will attest, given that the US subsequently stole about a third of the Republic of Mexico, the name of the treaty was … well … very ironic.  The treaty was signed by… Continue reading Treaty of “Limits” 1828

One of the first Latinos to visit the newly independent United States was Venezuelan born Francisco de Miranda (1750 – 1816).  He was a huge fan of the American Revolution, and met with George Washington and other notable Americans.  Thomas Paine, the author of the key publication, Common Sense, and Miranda were BFFs.  A keen… Continue reading Francisco de Miranda, A Life of Adventure 1784

On January 22, 1781, Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis and Bernardo de Gálvez met for the first time in Havana, Cuba.  Saavedra was a soldier, diplomat and agent sent by Spanish King Carlos III to the Caribbean.  His mission was to assist the North American rebels in our fight against the British in the American Revolutionary… Continue reading Francisco Saavedra de Sangronis, Our Man in Havana 1781

On January 2, 1781, Spanish Captain Eugenio Pourré and his soldiers left the Spanish fort in Saint Louis, Illinois, to march over 350 miles in the cold winter to Saint  Joseph, Michigan.  There, they battled against the British who were trying to hold the western states during the American Revolutionary War.  The Spanish quickly captured… Continue reading Latinos in the American Revolutionary War 1781

On the winter day of January 10, 1778, US rebel officer James Willing departed from Spanish owned Nueva Orleáns (New Orleans), with military armaments and supplies for the US Continental Army fighting against the British.  Willing traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to reach the eastern ports.  The military supplies were provided on credit… Continue reading Spanish and Latino Aid in the American Revolution 1778

In January 1777, Diego Maria de Gardoqui managed the loading of the ship Rockingham with thousands of blankets, tents, and muskets, and sent it from Bilbao, Spain, to the US rebel army fighting the British in the colonies.   Gardoqui was a Spanish Basque merchant who managed the early smuggling operations of the Spanish government to… Continue reading Diego Maria de Gardoqui aids US Rebels 1777

Bernardo de Gálvez celebrated the New Year of 1777 with his inauguration as the Governor of Louisiana in Spanish New Orleans.  The Spanish were already shipping covert arms and ammunition to aid the North American rebels against the British Army.   The thirty-something Gálvez continued and greatly expanded the shipments of supplies from the Spanish government. … Continue reading Bernardo de Gálvez 1777

With his crew and ship Santiago, Juan José Pérez Hernández (1725 –1775) departed from New Spain (South America) on January 25, 1777 to explore the northwestern coast of North America, part of Spain’s empire.  He reached the area that was later designated as Anchorage, Alaska, and explored islands around Vancouver.  Perez named a mountain peak… Continue reading Juan José Pérez Hernández explores Alaska 1774

On January 8, 1774, a Spanish government expedition led by Juan Bautista de Anza departed to explore the territory of the Spanish empire in Arizona, New Mexico, and California.  Anza was searching for a route between Sonora and Alta California, to begin colonizing this territory.  The expedition departed from southern Arizona near the area that… Continue reading Juan Bautista de Anza 1774

King Carlos III of Spain expelled the Jesuits from North and South America with a decree on January 29, 1767. Carlos believed that the Jesuits were too close to the Spanish Inquisition.  The Spanish Jesuits built missions in Arizona and Baja California, beginning in the late 17th century.  This expulsion opened the way for the… Continue reading Expulsion of the Jesuits 1767

Birthday of King Carlos III of Spain, who ruled from 1759 to 1788, during the time of the American Revolutionary War.  Carlos III authorized covert military aid to the struggling North American rebels beginning in 1776 and throughout the seven years of the rebellion.  The Spanish declared war on the British in June of 1779,… Continue reading King Carlos III of Spain 1759 to 1788

January 3, 1543 marked the death of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer who worked for the Spanish crown.  He sailed along the west coast of North America, and was the first European explorer to navigate the coast of California.  His expedition was part of a series of explorations by the Spanish to map their… Continue reading Spanish Empire in California 1543