National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15–October 15, celebrates the contributions of those who trace their roots to Puerto Rico, Central and South America, and Spanish-speaking nations in the Caribbean. The struggles for freedom by Black and Brown people in these countries mirror the issues faced by African Americans. In many cases, those of Hispanic heritage are also of African descent.
 
Explore the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s  collections in-person and materials online to learn the rich history, deep ties, and political challenges both communities have faced as the fight for equality continues. Plus, learn more about materials once owned by founder Arturo Schomburg, which highlighted his Puerto Rican and African heritages.

MATERIALS ONCE OWNED BY ARTURO SCHOMBURG
Digitial Reproductions of Mr. Schomburg's Books

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Mr. Schomburg (1874–1938) moved to Harlem in 1891. He cofounded Las Dos Antillas (The Two Islands), a political club advocating for the independence of Cuba and Puerto Rico from Spain in 1892.

Mr. Schomburg’s extensive collection of books, artwork, and manuscripts included materials from both sides of his heritage. He sold his "seed collection" of more than 4,000 items to The New York Public Library in 1926. They went on to become the basis of the Schomburg Center’s collections. Today, there are over 11 million items.
 
HathiTrust has digital reproductions of texts similar to the ones Mr. Schomburg owned. Some of the titles include El 27 De Noviembre De 1871 by Fermin Valdes Dominguez, La Abolición de la Esclavitud en el Orden Económico by Rafael María de Labra, and Coleccion de Papeles Cientificos, Historicos, Politicos y de Otros Ramos Sobre la isla de Cuba ya Publicados, Ya Inéditos, volume 1 by Don José Antonio Saco. These texts are considered essential readings to understanding the history, politics, and policies of the region. Explore the Arturo (Arthur) Schomburg Research Guide to learn about more books in his collection.

MANUSCRIPTS, ARCHIVES AND RARE BOOKS DIVISION
George W. Westerman Papers

George W. Westerman’s career as a journalist, sociologist, and diplomat resulted in his playing a pivotal role in the politics and issues of the day. His collection of personal papers, news articles, and unpublished works detail his involvement in Panamanian politics, U.S.–Panamanian relations, Panama Canal treaty negotiations, as well as education and labor.

Westerman (1886–1988) made history as the first Panamanian of West Indian parentage to enter Panama's diplomatic service. He served from 1956-60. His advocacy for minority rights resulted in his serving on the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which dealt with independence for non-self-governing territories and the self-determination of emerging African and Caribbean nations. Learn more about the George W. Westerman Papers.

Miscellaneous Afro-Latin American Collection

Spanning the 18th and 19th centuries, the collection is a mix of official, private, and family papers from colonial Spanish American territories such as Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
 
There are also papers from the Magan family, which contain a history of the Argentinian family's slave holdings and its matriarch Inez de Cabrera y Magan. Records show her dying wish was to grant freedom to a woman she enslaved named Josefa.
 
Other materials include a chronology of the history of Black people in Uruguay from 1680-1990. Learn more about the Miscellaneous Afro-Latin American Collection.

Make a research appointment to visit the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division to view the materials.

MOVING IMAGE AND RECORDED SOUND DIVISION
Celia Cruz (1925-2003)

Celia Cruz was born in Cuba in 1925. She first rose to fame as part of the Afro Cuban group La Sonora Matancera in the 1950s. Cruz left the island after its 1959 revolution for the United States in 1960. 

Known for her flamboyant personality and eye-catching outfits, Cruz brought salsa music, which has Cuban and African influences, to a broader audience.

Cruz’s career spanned six decades during which she earned more than a dozen Grammy Award nominations. In 2002, she won a Latin Grammy for salsa with her album,La Negra Tiene Tumbao.

Her collaborations with fellow artists such as Tito Puente on albums like Cuba Y Puerto Rico Son and with Johnny Pacheco on Celia & Johnny are music classics. MIRS’s collection of her music includes Cuba Y Puerto Rico Son, Son Con Guaguanco, and ¡La Excitante Celia Cruz!, and more.

Mongo Santamaria (1917-2003)

Born in Cuba in 1917, Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría was an Afro Cuban jazz percussionist, conga player, and bandleader. He immigrated to New York City in the 1950s and worked with legendary artists such as Pérez Prado and Tito Puente, who led some of the most well-known Latin bands of their day.
 
Santamaría recorded "Afro Blue," which appeared on his 1959 album, Mongo. The song went on to become one of the standards of jazz music and was later performed by artists such as John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie. Santamaría’s 1963 rendition of composer Herbie Hancock’s "The Watermelon Man" brought Santamaría national fame and a top-10 hit for his innovative mix of Cuban and Afro rhythms.
 
Santamaría was a major contributor in the 1950s through 1970s in the evolution of Afro Cuban jazz to salsa. MIRS holds albums such as The Watermelon Man, Mongo, and Mongo Y La Lupe.
 
Schedule a research appointment to visit our Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division.

ART AND ARTIFACTS DIVISION

Artwork by Teodoro Ramos Blanco

Teodoro Ramos Blanco was born in Havana in 1902 and is considered one of Cuba’s greatest innovators in modern sculpture. He easily moved between creating pieces using bronze, marble, plaster, and wood. Blanco’s work addressed race and reflected pride in his Afro Cuban heritage during a time when disparaging images of those of African descent were commonplace.

In 1928, Blanco won the Mariana Grajales National Competition and the Gold Medal at the Seville Ibero-American Exposition. He studied in Italy in 1930. There, he held critically acclaimed exhibitions at the Casa de España and the Exposition of Latin-American Artists.

During his career, Blanco also traveled to France, Mexico, the U.S., and Spain, where he continued to further his knowledge and learn new techniques.

Blanco returned to Cuba where he continued to work and teach.

The Schomburg Center holds two of Blanco’s pieces, Head of Langston Hughes and The Kiss.

Schedule a research appointment with the Art and Artifacts Division to see Blanco's work.

LIVESTREAM ARCHIVE

The Young Lords, New York @50 Activism: Past and Present

Inspired by the Chicago chapter of Black Panther Party and the Young Lords of Chicago, the Young Lords of New York fought for equality, better healthcare, and racial justice in El Barrio, lower Eastside, and South Bronx communities in New York City, plus oppressed urban communities across the country.
 
This talk paid tribute to 50 years of activism through poetry, performance, photos, and community fellowship. Presenters included Young Lords of New York cofounders Denise Oliver-Velez and Juan Gonzalez, former Black Panther and educator Jamal Joseph, journalist and Young Lords of New York cofounder Felipe Luciano. Plus, there was a performance by Mahina Movement, Nuyorican poet Jani Rose, and percussionist Xen Medina. Dr. Johanna Fernández, award-winning author of The Young Lords: A Radical History and alumna of the Schomburg Center’s Scholars-in-Residence program, moderated the evening.

Return to the Schomburg Center's Location Page.

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