In the coming weeks, students will have the opportunity to experience the Latino American language series at Sims Memorial Library. The event is “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History,” which began February 17. It will feature screenings of two documentaries, speakers and a dance demonstration. The series is created by the Department of Language and Communication in cooperation with the Sims Memorial Library.

Library Director Eric Johnson is excited for the upcoming documentaries.

“Both documentaries are part of the ‘Latino Americans: 500 Years of History’ series produced for PBS by WETA, Washington, D.C.; Bosch and Co., Inc. and Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) in association with Independent Television Service (ITVS),” said Johnson.  “The documentaries will cover various topics and decades. ‘The New Latinos’ covers 1946 to 1963, while ‘Prejudice and Pride’ chronicles 1965 to 1980. Both present the rich and varied history of Latinos, who have become the largest minority group in the United States. The series describes itself as ‘a story of immigration and redemption, of anguish and celebration, of the gradual construction of a new American identity that connects and empowers millions of people today.’  In a way, it mirrors the stories of all the immigrants who arrived in the United States in the past years, creating the country we have today.  The entire series will be available to borrow from the library at the end of the series of presentations and discussions.”

Johnson also encourages students to attend all the lectures set for the series.  

“I wouldn’t want to single out any particular speaker, since I think all of them will be very interesting and entertaining,” said Johnson. “Audience members interested in a particular art form or in history will be able to choose the topics that appeal to them the most, but I would encourage students to come to as many as they can, since the arts are all intertwined, and they will learn something new at every program. There are even two children’s programs at the Hammond and Amite branches of the Tangipahoa Parish Library, so there is something scheduled for all ages.”

A dance performance will be taking place in the future bringing a live performance of Latino dance for the series.

“Javier’s Dance Company from Slidell will be performing a selection of Latino dances,” said Johnson. “We’re really excited about that program since it brings an actual performance to a series that is primarily about the arts.”

Lastly, Johnson commented on the generosity that made the series possible.

“The series of presentations is the result of a 3,000 dollar grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association that I applied for last April,” said Johnson. “We were one of 200 schools and organizations receiving a grant, and I’d like to think that our approach of focusing on the arts made a difference to the judges.”