 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos (Spanish) | |
|---|---|
 Proportion of Hispanic and Latino Americans in each county of thefifty states, theDistrict of Columbia, andPuerto Rico as of the2020 United States census | |
| Total population | |
 65,329,087 (2020)19.5% of the total US and Puerto Rico population (2020) 62,080,044 (2020)[1]18.7% of the total US population (2020)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Religion | |
| |
| Related ethnic groups | |
Hispanic and Latino Americans areAmericans who have aHispanic orLatin American background, culture, or family origin.[3][4][5][6] This demographic group includes all Americans who identify asHispanic orLatino, regardless ofrace.[7][8][9][10][11][12] According to annual estimates from theU.S. Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2024, the Hispanic and Latino population was estimated at 68,086,153, representing approximately 20% of the totalU.S. population, making them thesecond-largest group in the country after thenon-Hispanic White population.[13]
"Origin" can be viewed as the ancestry, nationality group, lineage or country of birth of the person, parents or ancestors before their arrival into the United States of America. People who identify as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race, because similarly to what occurred during the colonization and post-independence of the United States, Latin American countries have had populations made up of multiracial and monoracial descendants of settlers from themetropole of a Europeancolonial empire (in the case of Latin American countries,Spanish and Portuguese settlers, unlike theThirteen Colonies that will form the United States, which received settlers from theUnited Kingdom). In addition, there are also monoracial and multiracial descendants ofIndigenous peoples of the Americas (Native Americans),descendants of African slaves brought to Latin America in the colonial era, and post-independence immigrants fromEurope, theMiddle East, andEast Asia.[14][15][16][17]
As one of only two specifically designated categories ofethnicity in the United States, Hispanics and Latinos form apan-ethnicity incorporating a diversity of inter-related cultural and linguistic heritages, in which use of theSpanish language is the most important common element. The largest national origin groups of Hispanic and Latino Americans in order of population size are:Mexican,Puerto Rican,Cuban,Salvadoran,Dominican,Colombian,Guatemalan,Honduran,Ecuadorian,Peruvian,Venezuelan andNicaraguan. Although commonly embraced by Latino communities, Brazilians are officially not considered Hispanic or Latino.[18][19] The predominant origin of regional Hispanic and Latino populations varies widely in different locations across the country.[15][20][21][22][23] In 2012, Hispanic Americans were the second fastest-growing ethnic group by percentage growth in the United States afterAsian Americans.[24]
Hispanic Americans ofIndigenous American descent and European (typically Spanish) descent are the second oldest racial group (after theNative Americans) to inhabit much of what is today the United States.[25][26][27][28] Spain colonized large areas of what is today theAmerican Southwest andWest Coast, as well as Florida. Its holdings included all of present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Florida, as well as parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma, all of which constituted part of theViceroyalty of New Spain, based inMexico City. Later, this vast territory (except Florida, which Spain ceded to the United States in 1821) became part of Mexico after its independence from Spain in 1821 and until the end of theMexican–American War in 1848.
The termsHispanic andLatino refer to anethnicity.Hispanic first came into popular use to refer to individuals with origins in Spanish-speaking countries after the Office of Management and Budget created the classification in 1977, as proposed by a subcommittee composed of three government employees, a Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican American.[29] TheUnited States Census Bureau defines being Hispanic as being a member of an ethnicity, rather than being a member of a particularrace and thus, people who are members of this group may also be members of any race.[15][30][31] In a 2015 national survey of self-identified Hispanics, 56% said that being Hispanic is part of both their racial and ethnic background, while smaller numbers considered it part of their ethnic background only (19%) or racial background only (11%).[30] Hispanics may be of any linguistic background; in a 2015 survey, 71% of American Hispanics agreed that it "is not necessary for a person to speak Spanish to be considered Hispanic/Latino".[32] Hispanic and Latino people may share some commonalities in their language, culture, history, and heritage.
.jpg)
TheSmithsonian Institution defends that the termLatino should also include peoples with Portuguese roots, such asBrazilians, and not only those of Spanish-language origin.[34][35] The difference between the termsHispanic andLatino is ambiguous to some people.[36] The US Census Bureau equates the two terms and defines them as referring exclusively to hispanic people[37][38] and those from Spain or the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas. After theMexican–American War concluded in 1848, termHispanic orSpanish American was primarily used to describe theHispanos of New Mexico within theAmerican Southwest. The1970 United States census controversially broadened the definition to "a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race". This is now the common formal and colloquial definition of the term within the United States, outside of New Mexico.[39][40] This definition is consistent with the 21st century usage by the US Census Bureau andOMB, as the two agencies use both terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably. ThePew Research Center mentions that some researches defend that the termHispanic is strictly limited toSpain,Puerto Rico, and all countries whereSpanish is the only official language, whereas "Latino" could include all countries inLatin America (evenBrazil regardless of the fact that Portuguese is its only official language), but not Spain and Portugal.[3]
_(cropped2).jpg)
The termsLatino andLatina are words fromItaly and are ultimately fromancient Rome. In English, the term Latino is a condensed form of"latinoamericano", the Spanish term for a Latin American, or someone who comes from Latin America. The termLatino has developed a number of definitions. This definition, as a "male Latin American inhabitant of the United States",[41] is the oldest definition which is used in the United States, it was first used in 1946.[41] Under this definition aMexican American orPuerto Rican, for example, is both a Hispanic and a Latino.[42][43][44][45][46][47] In the United States, bothBrazilian Americans andItalian Americans are officially not considered "Latino",[48] as they are for the most part descended from immigrants from non-hispanic countries, unless they happen to have had recent history in a Latin American country.
Preference of use between the terms among Hispanics in the United States often depends on where users of the respective terms reside. Those in the Eastern United States tend to prefer the termHispanic, whereas those in the West tend to preferLatino.[14]
The US ethnic designationLatino is abstracted from the longer formlatinoamericano.[49] The elementLatino- is actually an indeclinable, compositional form in-o (i.e. anelemento compositivo) that is employed to coin compounded formations (similar asfranco- infrancocanadiense 'French-Canadian', oribero- iniberorrománico,[50] etc.).
The termLatinx (and similarneologismXicanx) have gained some usage.[51][52] The adoption of theX would be "[r]eflecting new consciousness inspired by more recent work by LGBTQI and feminist movements, some Spanish-speaking activists are increasingly using a yet more inclusive "x" to replace the "a" and "o", in a complete break with thegender binary.[53] Among the advocates of the termLatinX, one of the most frequently cited complaints of gender bias in the Spanish language is that a group of mixed or unknown gender would be referred to asLatinos, whereasLatinas refers to a group of women only (but this is changed immediately toLatinos, if even a single man joins this female group).[54] A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that about 3% of Hispanics use the term (mostly women), and only around 23% have even heard of the term. Of those, 65% said it should not be used to describe their ethnic group.[55] Another gender neutral term, like LatinX, is Latine. Though "Latinx" is quite challenging to say in Spanish, "Latine" is easy. Spanish speakers are increasingly adopting this term, which originated in Spanish-speaking countries.[56]
Some have pointed out that the term "Hispanic" refers to a pan-ethnic identity, one that spans a range of races, national origins, and linguistic backgrounds. "Terms like Hispanic and Latino do not fully capture how we see ourselves", says Geraldo Cadava, an associate professor of history and Hispanic studies atNorthwestern University.[57]
According to a 2020American Community Survey data, more than two-thirds of Brazilians in the U.S. described themselves as Hispanic or Latino.[11] In 2017, a small minority ofPortuguese Americans (2%), and theFilipino Americans (1%) self-identified as Hispanic.[citation needed]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: more about the 19th and 20th centuries. You can help byadding to it.(January 2010) |
Explorers were pioneers in the territory of the present-day United States. The first confirmed European landing in the continental United States was byJuan Ponce de León, who landed in 1513 at a lush shore he christenedLa Florida. In the next three decades, the small numbers of Spanish individuals became the first Europeans to reach theAppalachian Mountains, theMississippi River, theGrand Canyon and theGreat Plains. Ships sailed along theAtlantic Coast, penetrating to present-dayBangor, Maine, and up thePacific Coast as far asOregon. From 1528 to 1536,Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and three fellows (including an African namedEstevanico), from a Spanish expedition that foundered, journeyed from Florida to theGulf of California. In 1540,Hernando de Soto undertook an extensive exploration of the present United States.
Also in 1540,Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led 2,000 mostly Mexican natives across today'sArizona–Mexico border and traveled as far as centralKansas, close to the exact geographic center of what is now the continental United States. Other Spanish explorers of the US territory include, among others:Alonso Alvarez de Pineda,Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón,Pánfilo de Narváez,Sebastián Vizcaíno,Gaspar de Portolà,Pedro Menéndez de Avilés,Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca,Tristán de Luna y Arellano, andJuan de Oñate, and non-Spanish explorers working for the Spanish Crown, such asJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo.
In 1565, the Spanish created the first permanent European settlement in the continental United States, atSt. Augustine, Florida. Spanish missionaries and colonists founded settlements including in the present-daySanta Fe, New Mexico,El Paso,San Antonio,Tucson,Albuquerque,San Diego,Los Angeles, andSan Francisco.[58]
Settlements in theAmerican Continent were part of a broader network of trade routes that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The mostly Tlaxkalan settlers established trade connections with other indigenous peoples, exchanging goods such asfurs,hides,agricultural products, and manufactured goods.[citation needed] These trade networks contributed to the economic development of colonies and facilitated cultural exchange between different groups.[citation needed]
.jpg)
As late as 1783, at the end of theAmerican Revolutionary War (a conflict in which Spainaided and fought alongside the rebels), Spain held claim to roughly half the territory of today's continental United States. From 1819 to 1848, the United States increased its area by roughly a third at Spanish and Mexican expense, acquiring the present-dayU.S states ofCalifornia,Texas,Nevada,Utah, most ofColorado,New Mexico andArizona, and parts ofOklahoma,Kansas, andWyoming through theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after theMexican-American War,[59] as well asFlorida through theAdams-Onís treaty,[60] and theU.S territory ofPuerto Rico through theSpanish-American War in 1898.[61] Many Latinos residing in those regions during that period gained U.S. citizenship. Nonetheless, many long-established Latino residents faced significant difficulties post-citizenship. With the arrival ofAnglo-Americans in these newly incorporated areas, Latino inhabitants struggled to maintain their land holdings, political influence, and cultural traditions.[62][63]
The discovery of gold in California in 1848 attracted people from diverse backgrounds, including Hispanic and Latino miners, merchants, and settlers. The Gold Rush led to a population boom and rapid economic growth in California, transforming the social and political landscape of the region.
Many Hispanic natives lived in the areas that the United States acquired, and a new wave of Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, and South American immigrants had moved to the United States for new opportunities. This was the beginning of a demographic that would rise dramatically over the years.[64]
During the 20th and 21st centuries, Hispanic immigration to the United States increased markedly following changes to theimmigration law in 1965.[65] During the World Wars, Hispanic Americans and immigrants had helped stabilize the American economy from falling due to the industrial boom in the Midwest in states such as Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. While a percentage of Americans had fled their jobs for the war, Hispanics had taken their jobs in the Industrial world. This can explain why there is such a high concentration of Hispanic Americans in Metro Areas such as the Chicago-Elgin-Naperville, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, and Cleveland-Elyria areas.[64]
Hispanic and Latino Americans were actively involved in the broader civil rights movement of the 20th century, advocating for equal rights, social justice, and an end to discrimination and segregation. Organizations such as theLeague of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and theUnited Farm Workers (UFW) fought for the rights of Hispanic and Latino workers and communities.
Hispanic contributions in the historical past and present of the United States are addressed in more detail below (SeeNotables and their contributions). To recognize the current and historic contributions of Hispanic Americans, on September 17, 1968, PresidentLyndon B. Johnson designated a week in mid-September as National Hispanic Heritage Week, withCongress's authorization. In 1988, PresidentRonald Reagan extended the observance to a month, designatedNational Hispanic Heritage Month.[66][67] Hispanic Americans became the largest minority group in 2004.[68]
Hispanic and Latino Americans increasingly sought political representation and empowerment during the 20th century. The election of individuals such asEdward Roybal,Henry B. González, andDennis Chávez to Congress marked significant milestones in Hispanic political representation. Additionally, the appointment of individuals likeLauro Cavazos andBill Richardson to cabinet positions highlighted the growing influence of Hispanic and Latino leaders in government.
Hispanic and Latino Americans became the largest minority group in the United States, contributing significantly to the country's population growth. Efforts to preserve and promote Hispanic and Latino culture and heritage continued in the 21st century, including initiatives to support bilingual education, celebrate cultural traditions and festivals, and recognize the contributions of Hispanic and Latino individuals and communities to American society.
As of 2020, Hispanics accounted for 19–20% of the US population, or 62–65 million people.[69] The US Census Bureau later estimated that Hispanics were under-counted by 5.0% or 3.3 million persons in the US census, which explains the 3 million range in the number above. In contrast, Whites were over-counted by about 3 million.[70] The Hispanic growth rate over the April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007, period was 28.7%—about four times the rate of the nation's total population growth (at 7.2%).[71] The growth rate from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006, alone was 3.4%[72]—about three and a half times the rate of the nation's total population growth (at 1.0%).[71] Based on the 2010 census, Hispanics are now the largest minority group in 191 out of 366 metropolitan areas in the United States.[73] The projected Hispanic population of the United States for July 1, 2050 is 132.8 million people, or 30.2% of the nation's total projected population on that date.[74]
US Metropolitan Statistical Areas with over 1 million Hispanics (2014)[75]
| Rank | Metropolitan area | Hispanic population | Percent Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 5,979,000 | 45.1% |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 4,780,000 | 23.9% |
| 3 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,554,000 | 43.3% |
| 4 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 2,335,000 | 36.4% |
| 5 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 2,251,000 | 23.4% |
| 6 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,197,000 | 49.4% |
| 7 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,943,000 | 28.4% |
| 8 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 1,347,000 | 30.1% |
| 9 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,259,000 | 55.7% |
| 10 | San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 1,084,000 | 33.3% |
| 11 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 1,008,000 | 21.9% |
States and territories with the highest proportion of Hispanics (2021)[76]
| Rank | State/territory | Hispanic population | Percent Hispanic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puerto Rico | 3,249,043 | 99% |
| 2 | New Mexico | 1,059,236 | 50% |
| 3 | Texas | 11,857,387 | 40% |
| 4 | California | 15,754,608 | 40% |
| 5 | Arizona | 2,351,124 | 32% |
| 6 | Nevada | 940,759 | 29% |
| 7 | Florida | 5,830,915 | 26% |
| 8 | Colorado | 1,293,214 | 22% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 1,991,635 | 21% |
| 10 | New York | 3,864,337 | 19% |
| 11 | Illinois | 2,277,330 | 18% |
| 12 | United States Virgin Islands | 18,514 | 17.4% |
Of the nation's total Hispanic population, 49% (21.5 million) live inCalifornia orTexas.[77] In 2022,New York City andWashington, D.C. began receiving significant numbers of Latino migrants from the state of Texas, mostly originating fromVenezuela,Ecuador,Colombia, andHonduras.[78]
Over half of the Hispanic population is concentrated in theSouthwest region, mostly composed of Mexican Americans.California andTexas have some of the largest populations of Mexicans and Central American Hispanics in the United States. TheNortheast region is dominated byDominican Americans andPuerto Ricans, having the highest concentrations of both in the country. In the Mid Atlantic region, centered on theDC Metro Area,Salvadoran Americans are the largest of Hispanic groups.Florida is dominated byCuban Americans and Puerto Ricans. In both theGreat Lakes states and theSouth Atlantic states, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans dominate. Mexicans dominate in the rest of the country, including theWest,South Central andGreat Plains states.
| Hispanic ancestry | Population | % of Latinos | % of USA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican | 37,145,956 | 60.15% | 11.22% |
| Puerto Rican | 5,902,402 | 9.56% | 1.78% |
| Cuban | 2,405,080 | 3.89% | 0.73% |
| Salvadoran | 2,389,469 | 3.87% | 0.72% |
| Dominican | 2,267,142 | 3.67% | 0.68% |
| Guatemalan | 1,669,094 | 2.70% | 0.50% |
| Colombian | 1,357,798 | 2.20% | 0.41% |
| Honduran | 1,068,265 | 1.73% | 0.32% |
| Ecuadorian | 803,854 | 1.30% | 0.24% |
| Peruvian | 712,740 | 1.15% | 0.22% |
| Venezuelan | 627,961 | 1.02% | 0.19% |
| Nicaraguan | 441,378 | 0.71% | 0.13% |
| Argentinian | 304,672 | 0.49% | 0.09% |
| Panamanian | 224,385 | 0.36% | 0.07% |
| Chilean | 182,671 | 0.30% | 0.06% |
| Costa Rican | 173,375 | 0.28% | 0.05% |
| Bolivian | 128,584 | 0.21% | 0.04% |
| Uruguayan | 71,984 | 0.12% | 0.02% |
| Paraguayan | 27,522 | 0.04% | 0.01% |
| Other Central American | 36,629 | 0.06% | 0.01% |
| Other South American | 30,622 | 0.05% | 0.01% |
| Spanish[80] | 1,756,181 | 2.84% | 0.53% |
| All other | 123,102 | 0.2% | 0.04% |
| Total | 61,755,866 | 100.00% | 18.65% |
As of 2022, approximately 60.1% of the nation's Hispanic population were of Mexican origin (see table). Another 9.6% were ofPuerto Rican origin, and with about 3.9% each ofCuban andSalvadoran and about 3.7%Dominican origins.[79] The remainder were of other Central American or of South American origin, or of origin directly from Spain. In 2017, Two thirds of all Hispanic Americans were born in the United States.[81]
There are few immigrants directly from Spain, since Spaniards have historically emigrated to Hispanic America rather than to English-speaking countries. Because of this, most Hispanics who identify themselves asSpaniard orSpanish also identify with Hispanic American national origin. In the 2017 Census estimate approximately 1.76 million Americans reported some form of "Spanish" as their ancestry, whether directly from Spain or not.[79]
In northern New Mexico and southernColorado, there is a large portion of Hispanics who trace their ancestry to settlers fromNew Spain (Mexico), and sometimesSpain itself, in the late 16th century through the 17th century. People from this background often self-identify as "Hispanos", "Spanish" or "Hispanic". Many of these settlers also intermarried with local Native Americans, creating amestizo population.[82] Likewise, southernLouisiana is home to communities of people ofCanary Islands descent, known asIsleños, in addition to other people of Spanish ancestry.Californios,Nuevomexicanos andTejanos are Americans ofSpanish and/orMexican descent, with subgroups that sometimes call themselvesChicanos. Nuevomexicanos and Tejanos are distinct southwest Hispanic cultures with their own cuisines, dialects and musical traditions.
Nuyoricans are Americans ofPuerto Rican descent from theNew York City area. There are close to two million Nuyoricans in the United States. Prominent Nuyoricans include CongresswomanAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US Supreme Court JudgeSonia Sotomayor, and singerJennifer Lopez.
Hispanics come from multi-racial and multi-ethnic countries with diversity of origins; therefore, a Hispanic can be from any race or mix of races. The most common ancestries are: Native American, European and African. Many also have colonial eraNew Christian Sephardic Jewish ancestry.[83] As a result of their racial diversity, Hispanics form anethnicity sharing a language (Spanish) and cultural heritage, rather than arace.
Hispanic origin is independent of race and is termed "ethnicity" by theUnited States Census Bureau.
On the2020 United States census, 20.3% of Hispanics selected "White" as their race. This marked a large drop when compared to the2010 United States census in which 53.0% of Hispanics identified as "White".[84] These Hispanics make up 12,579,626 people or 3.8% of the population.
Over 42% of Hispanic Americans identify as "some other race".[85] Of all Americans who checked the box "Some Other Race", 97 percent were Hispanic.[86] These Hispanics make up 26,225,882 people or 42.2% of the Hispanic population.
Over half of the "two or more races" respondents were Hispanics.[87] These Hispanics make up 20,299,960 people or 32.7% of the Hispanic population.
The largest numbers ofBlack Hispanics are from the Spanish Caribbean islands and Central America, including the Cuban, Haitian, Honduran, Panamanian,Dominican, and Puerto Rican communities.
In Puerto Rico, people have some Native Indigenous American ancestry as well as European and Canary Islander ancestry. There's also a population of predominantly African descent as well as populations of Native American descent as well as those with intermixed ancestries. Cubans are mostly of Iberian and Canary Islander ancestry, with some heritage from Native Indigenous Caribbean. There are also populations of Black Sub-Saharan ancestry and multi-racial people.[88][89][90] The race and culture of each Hispanic country and their United States diaspora differs by history and geography.
Welch and Sigelman found, as of the year 2000, lower interaction between Latinos of different nationalities (such as between Cubans and Mexicans) than between Latinos and non-Latinos.[91] This is a reminder that while they are often treated as such, Latinos in the United States are not a monolith, and often view their own ethnic or national identity as vastly different from that of other Latinos.[91]
| Race/Ethnic Group | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 9,072,602 | 14,608,673 | 22,354,059 | 35,305,818 | 50,477,594 | 62,080,044 |
| White alone | 8,466,126 (93.3%) | 8,115,256 (55.6%) | 11,557,774 (51.7%) | 16,907,852 (47.9%) | 26,735,713 (53.0%) | 12,579,626 (20.3%) |
| Black alone | 454,934 (5.0%) | 390,852 (2.7%) | 769,767 (3.4%) | 710,353 (2.0%) | 1,243,471 (2.5%) | 1,163,862 (1.9%) |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone | 26,859 (0.3%) | 94,745 (0.6%) | 165,461 (0.7%) | 407,073 (1.2%) | 685,150 (1.4%) | 1,475,436 (2.4%) |
| Asian orPacific Islander alone | x | 166,010 (1.1%) | 305,303 (1.4%) | 165,155 (0.5%) | 267,565 (0.5%) | 335,278 (0.5%) |
| Some other race alone | 124,683 (1.4%)[a] | 5,841,810 (40.0%) | 9,555,754 (42.7%) | 14,891,303 (42.2%) | 18,503,103 (36.7%) | 26,225,882 (42.2%) |
| Two or more races | x[b] | x[b] | x[b] | 2,224,082 (6.3%) | 3,042,592 (6.0%) | 20,299,960 (32.7%) |
An automosal DNA study published in 2019, focusing specifically onNative American ancestry in different ethnic/racial groups within the US, found that self-identified Hispanic Americans had a higher average amount of Native American ancestry compared toBlack andnon-Hispanic White Americans. On average, Hispanic Americans were found to be 52% European, around 38% Native American, and less than 10% African.[97][98] However, these results, being an average of the entire Hispanic population, vary sharply between individuals and between regions. Hispanic participants from theWest Coast andWest South Central regions, where the Hispanic population is predominantlyMexican-American,[99] had an average of 43% Native American ancestry.[98] On the other hand, those from theMid-Atlantic region, where the Hispanic population is predominantly ofPuerto Rican orDominican descent,[100] averaged only 11% Native American ancestry.[98]
As of 2014, one third, or 17.9 million, of the Hispanic population was younger than 18 and a quarter, 14.6 million, wereMillennials. This makes them more than half of the Hispanic population within the United States.[101]
With the increasing Hispanic population in the United States, Hispanics have had a considerable impact on the K–12 system. In 2011–12, Hispanics constituted 24% of all enrollments in the United States, including 52% and 51% of enrollment in California and Texas, respectively.[102] Further research shows the Hispanic population will continue to grow in the United States, implicating that more Hispanics will populate US schools.
The state of Hispanic education shows some promise. First, Hispanic students attending pre-K or kindergarten were more likely to attend full-day programs.[102] Second, Hispanics in elementary education were the second largest group represented in gifted and talented programs.[102] Third, Hispanics' averageNAEP math and reading scores have consistently increased over the last 10 years.[102] Finally, Hispanics were more likely than other groups, including White people, to go to college.[102]
However, their academic achievement in early childhood, elementary, and secondary education lag behind other groups.[102] For instance, their average math and readingNAEP scores were lower than every other group, except African Americans, and have the highest dropout rate of any group, 13% despite decreasing from 24%.[102]
.jpg)
To explain these disparities, some scholars have suggested there is a Hispanic "Education Crisis" due to failed school and social policies.[103] To this end, scholars have further offered several potential reasons including language barriers, poverty, and immigrant/nativity status resulting in Hispanics not performing well academically.[104][105]
Currently, Hispanic students make up 80% ofEnglish-language learners in the United States.[106] In 2008–2009, 5.3 million students were classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) in pre-K to 12th grade.[107] This is a result of many students entering the education system at different ages, although the majority of ELLs are not foreign born.[107] In order to provide English instruction for Hispanic students there have been a multitude of English Language programs. Schools make demands when it comes to English fluency. There are test requirements to certify students who are non-native English speakers in writing, speaking, reading, and listening, for example. They take an ELPAC test, which evaluates their English efficiency. This assessment determines whether they are considered ELL students or not. For Hispanic students, being an ELL student will have a big impact because it's additional pressure to pass an extra exam apart from their own original classes. Furthermore, if the exam is not passed before they attend high school, the student will fall behind in their courses due to the additional ELD courses instead of taking their normal classes in that year.[108] However, the great majority of these programs are English Immersion, which arguably undermines the students' culture and knowledge of their primary language.[105] As such, there continues to be great debate within schools as to which program can address these language disparities.
There are more than five million ELLs from all over the world attending public schools in the United States and speaking at least 460 different languages.[108] Undocumented immigrants have not always had access to compulsory education in the United States. However, since the landmark Supreme Court casePlyler v. Doe in 1982, immigrants have received access to K-12 education. This significantly impacted all immigrant groups, including Hispanics. However, their academic achievement is dependent upon several factors including, but not limited to time of arrival and schooling in country of origin.[109] When non-native speakers arrive to the United States, the student not only enters a new country, language or culture, but they also enter a testing culture to determine everything from their placements to advancement into the next grade level in their education.[108] Moreover, Hispanics' immigration/nativity status plays a major role regarding their academic achievement. For instance, first- and second- generation Hispanics outperform their later generational counterparts.[110] Additionally, their aspirations appear to decrease as well.[111] This has major implications on their post-secondary futures.
The term "simultaneous bilinguals", which was coined by researcher Guadalupe Valdez,[112] refers to individuals who acquire two languages as a "first" language. Most American circumstantial bilinguals acquire their ethnic or immigrant language first and then English. The period of acquisition of the second language is known as incipient bilingualism.
Those with a bachelor's degree or higher ranges from 50% of Venezuelans compared to 18% for Ecuadorians 25 years and older. Amongst the largest Hispanic groups, those with a bachelor's or higher was 25% for Cubans, 16% of Puerto Ricans, 15% of Dominicans, and 11% for Mexicans. Over 21% of all second-generation Dominican Americans have college degrees, slightly below the national average (28%) but significantly higher than US-born Mexican Americans (13%) and US-born Puerto Rican Americans (12%).[113]
Hispanics make up the second or third largest ethnic group inIvy League universities, considered to be the most prestigious in the United States. Hispanic enrollment at Ivy League universities has gradually increased over the years. Today, Hispanics make up between 8% of students atYale University to 15% atColumbia University.[114] For example, 18% of students in theHarvard University Class of 2018 are Hispanic.[115]
Hispanics have significant enrollment in many other top universities such asUniversity of Texas at El Paso (70% of students),Florida International University (63%),University of Miami (27%), andMIT,UCLA andUC-Berkeley at 15% each. AtStanford University, Hispanics are the third largest ethnic group behind non-Hispanic White people and Asians, at 18% of the student population.[116]
While Hispanics study in colleges and universities throughout the country, some choose to attend federally-designatedHispanic-serving institutions, institutions that are accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25 percent or more total undergraduate Hispanic full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. There are over 270 institutions of higher education that have been designated as an HSI.[117]
.jpg)
As of 2016, life expectancy for Hispanic Americans is 81.8 years, which is higher than the life expectancy for White Americans (78.6 years).[129] Research on the "Hispanic paradox"—the well-established apparent mortality advantage of Hispanic Americans compared to White Americans, despite the latter's more advantaged socioeconomic status—has been principally explained by "(1) health-related migration to and from the US; and (2) social and cultural protection mechanisms, such as maintenance of healthy lifestyles and behaviors adopted in the countries of origin, and availability of extensive social networks in the US."[130] The "salmon bias" hypothesis, which suggests that the Hispanic health advantage is attributable to higher rates ofreturn migration among less-healthy migrants, has received some support in the scholarly literature.[131] A 2019 study, examining the comparatively better health of foreign-born American Hispanics, challenged the hypothesis that a stronger orientation toward the family (familism) contributed to this advantage.[132] Some scholars have suggested that the Hispanic mortality advantage is likely to disappear due to the higher rates ofobesity anddiabetes among Hispanics relative to White people, although lower rates of smoking (and thussmoking-attributable mortality) among Hispanics may counteract this to some extent.[130]
As theCOVID-19 coronavirus spread throughout the United States, disproportionate numbers of cases have been observed amongBlack andHispanic populations.[133][134][135]
As of 2017, about 19% of Hispanic Americanslack health insurance coverage, which is the highest of all ethnic groups except for Indigenous Americans and Alaska Natives.[136] In terms of extending health coverage, Hispanics benefited the most among US ethnic groups from theAffordable Care Act (ACA); among non-elderly Hispanics, the uninsured rate declined from 26.7% in 2013 to 14.2% in 2017.[136] Among the population of non-elderly uninsured Hispanic population in 2017, about 53% were non-citizens, about 39% were US-born citizens, and about 9% were naturalized citizens.[136] (The ACA does not help undocumented immigrants or legal immigrants with less than five years' residence in the United States gain coverage).[136]
According to a 2013 study, Mexican women have the highest uninsured rate (54.6%) as compared to other immigrants (26.2%), Black (22.5%) and White (13.9%).[137] According to the study, Mexican women are the largest female immigrant group in the United States, and are also the most at risk for developing preventable health conditions.[137] Multiple factors such as limited access to health care, legal status and income increase the risk of developing preventable health conditions because many undocumented immigrants postpone routine visits to the doctor until they become seriously ill.
_1.png)
.jpg)
TheAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, theCanadian Paediatric Society, theAmerican Medical Association, theCanadian Medical Association and the International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health strongly condemn the systematic splitting of immigrant families. During the summer 2018, over 2300 immigrant children, reportedly including preverbal and breastfed infants were relocated to separate shelters across the USA pending their parent’s case.[138] By 2025, at least 5,600 migrant children had been separated from their parents, hundreds of which have never been reunited, while families continue to be separated.[139] In 2025, more than 100 US citizen infants and children were separated from their parents.[140]
Immigration policies for arriving Mexican and Central American immigrants are linked to mental health issues among documented and undocumented immigrant families and youth. The effects are often long-term and the impact extends to the community level. Children may experience emotional traumas and long-term changes in behaviors. Additionally, when parents are forcefully removed, children often develop feelings of abandonment and they might blame themselves for what has happened to their family. Some children believe in the possibility of never seeing their parents again. These effects can cause negative parent-child attachment. Reunification may be difficult because of immigration laws and re-entry restrictions which further affect the mental health of children and parents.[141] Parents who leave their home country also experience negative mental health experiences. According to a study published in 2013 on Mexican migrant men, 46% of those who participated in the study reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms, associated with structural stressors (family separation, sending remittances to Mexico) and situational stressors (fearfulness, worry about police confrontation, treatment by non-Latinos, and lack of support).[142]
PresidentDonald Trump and his administration have pursued adeportation policy characterized as "hardline"[143] with "huge camps" for immigrant detention.[144] According to a mid-July list of the population detainted at the immigration detention center in the Everglades dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz", more than 95% of the detainees originated from Latin American countries, with approximately 20% from Guatemala, ~20% from Mexico, and another ~10% from Cuba.[145] On July 16, 2025, theAmerican Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, and Americans for Immigrant Justice filed aclass action suit claiming theTrump administration violates theFirst Amendment andFifth Amendment rights of people being detained, as well as the First Amendment rights of legal service organizations and law firms with clients held at the facility.[146]
Many immigrant families cannot enjoy doing everyday activities without exercising caution because they fear encountering immigration officers, which limits their involvement in community events. Undocumented families also may not trust government institutions and services. Because of their fear of encountering immigration officers, immigrants may feel ostracized and isolated which can lead to the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.[141] The harmful effects of being ostracized from the rest of society are not limited to just that of undocumented immigrants but it affects the entire family even if some of the members are of legal status. Children often reported having been victims of bullying in school by classmates because their parents are undocumented.[147] This can cause them to feel isolated and develop a sense of inferiority which can negatively impact their academic performance.
Despite the struggles Hispanic families encounter, they have found ways to keep motivated. Many immigrants use religion as a source of motivation. Mexican immigrants believed that the difficulties they face are a part of God's bigger plan and believe their life will get better in the end. They kept their faith strong and pray every day, hoping that God will keep their families safe.[147] Immigrants participate in church services and bond with other immigrants that share the same experiences.[141] Undocumented Hispanics also find support from friends, family and the community that serve as coping mechanisms. Some Hispanics state that their children are the reason they have the strength to keep on going. They want their children to have a future and give them things they are not able to have themselves.[147] The community is able to provide certain resources that immigrant families need such as tutoring for their children, financial assistance and counseling services.[141] Some identified that maintaining a positive mental attitude helped them cope with the stresses they experience. Many immigrants refuse to live their life in constant fear which leads to depression in order to enjoy life in the United States.[147] Since many immigrants have unstable sources of income, many plan ahead in order to prevent future financial stress. They put money aside and find ways to save money instead of spend it such as learning to fix appliances themselves.[147]
Many Hispanic families migrate to find better economic opportunities in order to send remittances back home. Being undocumented limits the possibilities of jobs that immigrants undertake and many struggle to find a stable job. Many Hispanics report that companies turned them down because they do not have aSocial Security number. If they are able to obtain a job, immigrants risk losing it if their employer finds out they are unable to provide proof of residency or citizenship. Many look towards agencies that do not ask for identification, but those jobs are often unreliable. In order to prevent themselves from being detained and deported, many have to work under exploitation. In a study, a participant reported "If someone knows that you don't have the papers ... that person is a danger. Many people will con them ... if they know you don't have the papers, with everything they say 'hey I'm going to call immigration on you.'"[147] These conditions lower the income that Hispanic families bring to their household and some find living each day very difficult. When an undocumented parent is deported or detained, income will be lowered significantly if the other parent also supports the family financially. The parent who is left has to look after the family and might find working difficult to manage along with other responsibilities. Even if families are not separated, Hispanics are constantly living in fear that they will lose their economic footing.
Living in poverty has been linked to depression, low self-esteem, loneliness, crime activities and frequent drug use among youth.[141] Families with low incomes are unable to afford adequate housing and some of them are evicted. The environment in which the children of undocumented immigrants grow up in is often composed of poor air quality, noise, and toxins which prevent healthy development.[141] Furthermore, these neighborhoods are prone to violence and gang activities, forcing the families to live in constant fear which can contribute to the development of PTSD, aggression and depression.
In 2017, theUS census reported the median household incomes of Hispanic Americans to be $50,486. This is the third consecutive annual increase in median household income for Hispanic-origin households.[94]
According to the US census, thepoverty rate Hispanics was 18.3 percent in 2017, down from 19.4 percent in 2016. Hispanics accounted for 10.8 million individuals in poverty.[94] In comparison, the average poverty rates in 2017 for non-Hispanic White Americans was 8.7 percent with 17 million individuals in poverty, Asian Americans was 10.0 percent with 2 million individuals in poverty, and African Americans was 21.2 percent with 9 million individuals in poverty.[94]
Among the largest Hispanic groups during 2015 was: Honduran Americans & Dominican Americans (27%), Guatemalan Americans (26%), Puerto Ricans (24%), Mexican Americans (23%), Salvadoran Americans (20%), Cuban Americans and Venezuelan Americans (17%), Ecuadorian Americans (15%), Nicaraguan Americans (14%), Colombian Americans (13%), Argentinian Americans (11%), and Peruvian Americans (10%).[151]
Poverty affects many underrepresented students as racial/ethnic minorities tend to stay isolated within pockets of low-income communities. This results in several inequalities, such as "school offerings, teacher quality, curriculum, counseling and all manner of things that both keep students engaged in school and prepare them to graduate".[152] In the case of Hispanics, the poverty rate for Hispanic children in 2004 was 28.6 percent.[106] Moreover, with this lack of resources, schools reproduce these inequalities for generations to come. In order to assuage poverty, many Hispanic families can turn to social and community services as resources.
The geographic, political, social, economic and racial diversity of Hispanic Americans makes all Hispanics very different depending on their family heritage and/or national origin. Many times, there are many cultural similarities between Hispanics from neighboring countries than from more distant countries, i.e. Spanish Caribbean, Southern Cone, Central America etc. Yet several features tend to unite Hispanics from these diverse backgrounds.
_(cropped).jpg)
As one of the most important uniting factors of Hispanic Americans,Spanish is an important part of Hispanic culture. Teaching Spanish to children is often one of the most valued skills taught amongst Hispanic families. Spanish is not only closely tied with the person's family, heritage, and overall culture, but valued for increased opportunities in business and one's future professional career. A 2013 Pew Research survey showed that 95% of Hispanics adults said "it's important that future generations of Hispanics speak Spanish".[153][154] Given the United States' proximity to otherSpanish-speaking countries, Spanish is being passed on to future American generations. Amongst second-generation Hispanics, 80% speak fluent Spanish, and amongst third-generation Hispanics, 40% speak fluent Spanish.[155] Spanish is also the most popular language taught in the United States.[156][157]
Hispanics have revived theSpanish language in the United States, first brought toNorth America during the Spanish colonial period in the 16th century. Spanish is the oldest European language in the United States, spoken uninterruptedly for four and a half centuries, since the founding ofSaint Augustine, Florida in 1565.[159][160][161][162] Today, 90% of all Hispanics speak English, and at least 78% speak fluent Spanish.[163] Additionally, 2.8 million non-Hispanic Americans also speak Spanish at home for a total of 41.1 million.[96]
With 40% of Hispanic Americans being immigrants,[164] and with many of the 60% who are US-born being the children or grandchildren of immigrants,bilingualism is the norm in the community at large. At home, at least 69% of all Hispanics over the age of five are bilingual in English and Spanish, whereas up to 22% are monolingual English-speakers, and 9% are monolingual Spanish speakers. Another 0.4% speak a language other than English and Spanish at home.[163]
| Year | Number of speakers | Percent of population |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11.0 million | 5% |
| 1990 | 17.3 million | 7% |
| 2000 | 28.1 million | 10% |
| 2010 | 37.0 million | 13% |
| 2012 | 38.3 million | 13% |
| 2020* | 40.0 million | 14% |
| *-Projected; sources:[153][165][166][167] | ||
The Spanish dialects spoken in the United States differ depending on the country of origin of the person or the person's family heritage. However, generally, Spanish spoken in theSouthwest isMexican Spanish orChicano Spanish. A variety of Spanish native to the Southwest spoken by descendants of the early Spanish colonists inNew Mexico andColorado is known as TraditionalNew Mexican Spanish. One of the major distinctions of Traditional New Mexican Spanish is its use of distinct vocabulary and grammatical forms that makeNew Mexican Spanish unique amongst Spanish dialects. The Spanish spoken in theEast Coast is generallyCaribbean Spanish and is heavily influenced by the Spanish ofCuba, theDominican Republic, andPuerto Rico.Isleño Spanish, descended fromCanarian Spanish, is the historic Spanish dialect spoken by the descendants of the earliest Spanish colonists beginning in the 18th century inLouisiana. Spanish spoken elsewhere throughout the country varies, although is generallyMexican Spanish.[96][168]
Heritage Spanish speakers tend to speak Spanish with near-native level phonology, but a more limited command of morphosyntax.[169] Hispanics who speak Spanish as a second language often speak with English accents.
Hispanics have influenced the way Americans speak with the introduction of many Spanish words into the English language. Amongst younger generations of Hispanics,Spanglish, a term for any mix of Spanish and English, is common in speaking. As they are fluent in both languages, speakers will often switch between Spanish and English throughout the conversation. Spanglish is particularly common in Hispanic-majority cities and communities such asMiami,Hialeah,San Antonio,Los Angeles and parts ofNew York City.[170]
Hispanics have also influenced the way English is spoken in the United States. In Miami, for example, theMiami dialect has evolved as the most common form of English spoken and heard in Miami today. This is a native dialect of English, and was developed amongst second and third generations ofCuban Americans in Miami. Today, it is commonly heard everywhere throughout the city.Gloria Estefan andEnrique Iglesias are examples of people who speak with the Miami dialect. Another major English dialect is spoken byChicanos andTejanos in theSouthwestern United States, calledChicano English.George Lopez andSelena are examples of speakers of Chicano English.[171] An English dialect spoken by Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic groups is calledNew York Latino English;Jennifer Lopez andCardi B are examples of people who speak with the New York Latino dialect.
When speaking in English, American Hispanics may often insert Spanish tag and filler items such astú sabes,este, andórale, into sentences as a marker of ethnic identity and solidarity. The same often occurs with grammatical words likepero.[172]
According to aPew Center study which was conducted in 2019, the majority of Hispanic Americans areChristians (72%),[173] Among American Hispanics, as of 2018–19, 47% areCatholic, 24% areProtestant, 1% areMormon, less than 1% areOrthodox Christian, 3% are members of non-Christian faiths, and 23% areunaffiliated.[173] The proportion of Hispanics who are Catholic has dropped from 2009 (when it was 57%), while the proportion of unaffiliated Hispanics has increased since 2009 (when it was 15%).[173] Among Hispanic Protestant community, most areevangelical, but some belong tomainline denominations.[174] Compared to Catholic, unaffiliated, and mainline Protestant Hispanics; Evangelical Protestant Hispanics are substantially more likely to attend services weekly, pray daily, and adhere tobiblical liberalism.[174] As of 2014, about 67% of Hispanic Protestants and about 52% of Hispanic Catholics were renewalist, meaning that they described themselves asPentecostal orcharismatic Christians (in the Catholic tradition, calledCatholic charismatic renewal).[175]
Catholic affiliation is much higher among first-generation Hispanic immigrants than it is among second and third-generation Hispanic immigrants, who exhibit a fairly high rate of conversion to Protestantism or the unaffiliated camp.[176] According toAndrew Greeley, as many as 600,000 American Hispanics leave Catholicism for Protestant churches every year, and this figure is much higher inTexas andFlorida.[177] Hispanic Catholics are developing youth and social programs to retain members.[178]
Hispanics make up a substantial proportion (almost 40%) ofCatholics in the United States,[179] although the number of American Hispanicpriests is low relative to Hispanic membership in the church.[180] In 2019,José Horacio Gómez,Archbishop of Los Angeles and a naturalized American citizen born in Mexico, was elected as president of theUS Conference of Catholic Bishops.[179]
| Date | Catholicism | Unaffiliated | Evangelical Protestant | Non-Evangelical Protestant | Other religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 43 | 30 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| 2021 | 46 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 5 |
| 2018 | 49 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 3 |
| 2016 | 54 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 5 |
| 2015 | 54 | 17 | 18 | 7 | 4 |
| 2014 | 58 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
| 2013 | 55 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 3 |
| 2012 | 58 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 3 |
| 2011 | 62 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 3 |
| 2010 | 67 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 3 |
.jpg)
The United States is home to thousands of Spanish-languagemedia outlets, which range in size from giant commercial and some non-commercialbroadcasting networks and major magazines with circulations numbering in the millions, to low-powerAM radio stations with listeners numbering in the hundreds. There are hundreds of Internet media outlets targeting US Hispanic consumers. Some of the outlets are online versions of their printed counterparts and some online exclusively.
Increased use of Spanish-language media leads to increased levels of group consciousness, according to survey data. The differences in attitudes are due to the diverging goals of Spanish-language and English-language media. The effect of using Spanish-language media serves to promote a sense of group consciousness among Hispanics by reinforcing roots in the Hispanic world and the commonalities among Hispanics of varying national origin.[182][183]
The first Hispanic-American owned majorfilm studio in the United States is based inAtlanta, Georgia. In 2017, Ozzie and Will Areu purchasedTyler Perry's former studio to establish Areu Bros. Studios.[184][185]
Hispanics are more likely to use social media such asTikTok andInstagram than non-Hispanics.[186]
Spanish language radio is the largest non-English broadcasting media.[187] While other foreign language broadcasting declined steadily, Spanish broadcasting grew steadily from the 1920s to the 1970s. The 1930s were boom years.[188] The early success depended on the concentrated geographical audience in Texas and the Southwest.[189] American stations were close to Mexico which enabled a steady circular flow of entertainers, executives and technicians, and stimulated the creative initiatives of Hispanic radio executives, brokers, and advertisers. Ownership was increasingly concentrated in the 1960s and 1970s. The industry sponsored the now-defunct trade publicationSponsor from the late 1940s to 1968.[190] Spanish-language radio has influenced American and Hispanic discourse on key current affairs issues such as citizenship and immigration.[191]
Notable Hispanic-oriented media outlets include:
.jpg)
Soccer is a common sport for Hispanics from outside of the Caribbean region, particularly immigrants. They have played a major role in boosting the sport's popularity in the United States.[193]Baseball is common among Caribbean Hispanics. They and their culture now form a major part of the fanbase and players inMLB.[194]
Other popular sports includeboxing,gridiron football, andbasketball.
Because of different cultures throughout the Hispanic world, there are various music forms throughout Hispanic countries, with different sounds and origins.Reggaeton andhip hop are genres that are most popular to Hispanic youth in the United States. RecentlyLatin trap,trap corridos, andDominican dembow have gained popularity.[195][196][197]
Hispanic food, particularly Mexican food, has influencedAmerican cuisine and eating habits.Mexican cuisine has become mainstream in American culture. Across the United States,tortillas andsalsa are arguably becoming as common as hamburger buns andketchup.Tortilla chips have surpassedpotato chips in annual sales, andplantain chips popular inCaribbean cuisines have continued to increase sales.[198] Theavocado has been described as "America's new favorite fruit"; its largest market within the US is among Hispanic Americans.[199]
Due to the large Mexican-American population in the Southwestern United States, and its proximity toMexico, Mexican food there is believed to be some of the best in the United States.Cubans broughtCuban cuisine toMiami and today,cortaditos, pastelitos de guayaba andempanadas are common mid-day snacks in the city. Cuban culture has changed Miami's coffee drinking habits, and today acafé con leche or a cortadito is commonly had at one of the city's numerous coffee shops.[200] TheCuban sandwich, developed in Miami, is now a staple and icon of the city's cuisine and culture.[201]
.jpg)
Hispanic culture places a strong value on family, and is commonly taught to Hispanic children as one of the most important values in life. Statistically, Hispanic families tend to have larger and closer knit families than the American average. Hispanic families tend to prefer to live near other family members. This may mean that three or sometimes four generations may be living in the same household or near each other, although four generations is uncommon in the United States. The role ofgrandparents is believed to be very important in the upbringing of children.[202]
Hispanics tend to be very group-oriented, and an emphasis is placed on the well-being of the family above the individual. The extended family plays an important part of many Hispanic families, and frequent social, family gatherings are common. Traditional rites of passages, particularlyRoman Catholicsacraments: such asbaptisms, birthdays,first Holy Communions,quinceañeras,Confirmations,graduations andweddings are all popular moments of family gatherings and celebrations in Hispanic families.[203][204]
Education is another important priority for Hispanic families. Education is seen as the key towards continuedupward mobility in the United States among Hispanic families. A 2010 study by the Associated Press showed that Hispanics place a higher emphasis on education than the average American. Hispanics expect their children to graduate university.[205][206]
Hispanic youth today stay at home with their parents longer than before. This is due to more years spent studying and the difficulty of finding a paid job that meets their aspirations.[207]
Hispanic Americans, like many immigrant groups before them, are out-marrying at high rates. Out-marriages constituted 17.4% of all existing Hispanic marriages in 2008.[208] The rate was higher for newlyweds (which excludes immigrants who are already married): Among all newlyweds in 2010, 25.7% of all Hispanics married a non-Hispanic (this compares to out-marriage rates of 9.4% of White people, 17.1% of Black people, and 27.7% of Asians). The rate was larger for native-born Hispanics, with 36.2% of native-born Hispanics (both men and women) out-marrying compared to 14.2% of foreign-born Hispanics.[209] The difference is attributed to recent immigrants tending to marry within their immediate immigrant community due to commonality of language, proximity, familial connections, and familiarity.[208]
In 2008, 81% of Hispanics who married out married non-Hispanic White people, 9% married non-Hispanic Black people, 5% non-Hispanic Asians, and the remainder married non-Hispanic, multi-racial partners.[208]
Of approximately 275,500 new interracial or interethnic marriages in 2010, 43.3% were White-Hispanic (compared to White-Asian at 14.4%, White-Black at 11.9%, and other combinations at 30.4%; "other combinations" consists of pairings between different minority groups and multi-racial people).[209] Unlike those for marriage to Black people and Asians, intermarriage rates of Hispanics to White people do not vary by gender. The combined median earnings of White/Hispanic couples are lower than those of White/White couples but higher than those of Hispanic/Hispanic couples. 23% of Hispanic men who married White women have a college degree compared to only 10% of Hispanic men who married a Hispanic woman. 33% of Hispanic women who married a White husband are college-educated compared to 13% of Hispanic women who married a Hispanic man.[209]
Attitudes among non-Hispanics toward intermarriage with Hispanics are mostly favorable, with 81% of White people, 76% of Asians and 73% of Black people "being fine" with a member of their family marrying a Hispanic and an additional 13% of White people, 19% of Asians and 16% of Black people "being bothered but accepting of the marriage". Only 2% of White people, 4% of Asians, and 5% of Black people would not accept a marriage of their family member to a Hispanic.[208]
Hispanic attitudes toward intermarriage with non-Hispanics are likewise favorable, with 81% "being fine" with marriages to White people and 73% "being fine" with marriages to Black people. A further 13% admitted to "being bothered but accepting" of a marriage of a family member to a White and 22% admitted to "being bothered but accepting" of a marriage of a family member to a Black. Only 5% of Hispanics objected outright marriage of a family member to a non-Hispanic Black and 2% to a non-Hispanic White.[208]
Unlike intermarriage with other racial groups, intermarriage with non-Hispanic Black people varies by nationality of origin. Puerto Ricans have by far the highest rates of intermarriage with Black people, of all major Hispanic national groups, who also has the highest overall intermarriage rate among Hispanics.[205][210][211][212][213][214][215][excessive citations] Cubans have the highest rate of intermarriage with non-Hispanic White people, of all major Hispanic national groups, and are the most assimilated into White American culture.[216][217]
As Hispanic migrants become the norm in the United States, the effects of this migration on the identity of these migrants and their kin becomes most evident in the younger generations. Crossing the borders changes the identities of both the youth and their families. Often "one must pay special attention to the role expressive culture plays as both entertainment and as a site in which identity is played out, empowered, and reformed" because it is "sometimes in opposition to dominant norms and practices and sometimes in conjunction with them".[218] The exchange of their culture of origin with American culture creates a dichotomy within the values that the youth find important, therefore changing what it means to be Hispanic in the global sphere.
Along with feeling that they are neither from the country of their ethnic background nor the United States, a new identity within the United States is formed calledlatinidad. This is especially seen in cosmopolitan social settings like New York City, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Underway is "the intermeshing of different Latino subpopulations has laid the foundations for the emergence and ongoing evolution of a strong sense oflatinidad" which establishes a "sense of cultural affinity and identity deeply rooted in what many Hispanics perceive to be a shared historical, spiritual, aesthetic and linguistic heritage, and a growing sense of cultural affinity and solidarity in the social context of the United States."[218] This unites Hispanics as one, creating cultural kin with other Hispanic ethnicities.
.jpg)
In a 1998 study of Mexican Americans it was found that males were more likely to endorse the notion than men should be the sole breadwinners of the family, while Mexican American women did not endorse this notion.[220]
Prior to the1960s countercultural movement, Mexican men often felt an exaggerated need to be the sole breadwinner of their families.[221] There are two sides to machismo, the man who has a strong work ethic and lives up to his responsibilities, or the man who heavily drinks and therefore displays acts of unpleasant behavior towards his family.[220]
The traditional roles of women in a Hispanic community are of housewife and mother, a woman's role is to cook, clean, and care for her children and husband; putting herself and her needs last.[222] The typical structure of a Hispanic family forces women to defer authority to her husband, allowing him to make the important decisions, that both the woman and children must abide by.[223] In traditional Hispanic households, women and young girls are homebodies ormuchachas de la casa ("girls of the house"), showing that they abide "by the cultural norms ... [of] respectability, chastity, and family honor [as] valued by the [Hispanic] community".[224]
Migration to the United States can change the identity of Hispanic youth in various ways, including how they carry their gendered identities.[225] However, when Hispanic women come to the United States, they tend to adapt to the perceived social norms of this new country and their social location changes as they become more independent and able to live without the financial support of their families or partners.[225] The unassimilated community views these adapting women as beingde la calle ("of [or from] the street"), transgressive, and sexually promiscuous.[225] A women's motive for pursuing an education or career is to prove she can care and make someone of herself, breaking the traditional gender role that a Hispanic woman can only serve as a mother or housewife, thus changing a woman's role in society.[226] Some Hispanic families in the United States "deal with young women's failure to adhere to these culturally prescribed norms of proper gendered behavior in a variety of ways, including sending them to live in ... [the sending country] with family members, regardless of whether or not ... [the young women] are sexually active".[227] Now there has been a rise in the Hispanic community where both men and women are known to work and split the household chores among themselves; women are encouraged to gain an education, degree, and pursue a career.[228]
According to polling data released in 2022, 11% of Hispanic American adults identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. This is more than twice the rate ofWhite Americans orAfrican Americans. Over 20% of HispanicMillennials andGen Z claimed anLGBT identity.[229] The growth of the young Hispanic population is driving an increase of theLGBT community in the United States.[230] Studies have shown that Hispanic Americans are over-represented amongtransgender people in the United States.[231][232]
According to Gattamorta, et al. (2018), the socially constructed notion ofmachismo reinforces male gender roles in Hispanic culture, which can lead to internalized homophobia in Hispanic gay men and increase mental health issues and suicidal ideation.[233] However, according to Reyes Salinas, more recent research shows that there has been an explosive growth ofLGBT self-identification among young Hispanic Americans, which may signal that the Hispanic attitudes towards LGBT have broken down.[229] According to Marina Franco, polling conducted in 2022 suggests that the Hispanic community in America is largely accepting of LGBT people and gay marriage, which is significant in light of the rapid growth of LGBT self-identification among Hispanics.[234]
.jpg)
As a result of the rapid growth of the Hispanic population, there has been some tension with other minority populations, especially theAfrican-American population, as Hispanics have increasingly moved into once exclusively Black areas.[235][236] There has also been increasing cooperation between minority groups to work together to attain political influence.[237][238]
.png)
Hispanics differ on their political views depending on their location and background. The majority (57%)[244] either identify as or support theDemocrats, and 23% identify asRepublicans.[244] This 34-point gap as of December 2007 was an increase from the gap of 21 points 16 months earlier. While traditionally a keyDemocratic Party constituency at-large,[245] beginning in the early 2010s, Hispanics have begun to split[246] between the Democrats and theRepublican Party.[247][248][249] In a 2022 study, it was found that 64% of Latinos surveyed had positive attitudes towards President Obama's executive actions on immigration, which was notably four percentage points lower than that of non-Hispanic Black respondents. It was also noted that support for undocumented immigrants was lowest among Latinos living in developing 'bedroom communities' or newly built suburbs designed for commuters. This was also the case for Latinos of affluent income levels, however they were still most likely to display a positive attitude towards undocumented immigrants, especially when compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts.[250]
Cuban Americans, Colombian Americans, Chilean Americans, and Venezuelan Americanstend to favor conservative political ideologies and support the Republicans. Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominican Americans tend to favor progressive political ideologies and support the Democrats. However, because the latter groups are far more numerous—as, again, Mexican Americans alone are 64% of Hispanics—the Democratic Party is considered to be in a far stronger position with the ethnic group overall.
Some political organizations associated with Hispanic Americans areLeague of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), theNational Council of La Raza (NCLR), theUnited Farm Workers, theCuban American National Foundation and theNational Institute for Latino Policy.
The United States has a population of over 60 million of Hispanic Americans, of whom 27 million are citizens eligible to vote (13% of total eligible voters); therefore, Hispanics have a very important effect on presidential elections since the vote difference between two main parties is usually around 4%.[251][252][253][254]
During the 1986 midterm elections, Hispanic voter turnout was increasing, although it remained lower compared to other demographic groups. The political concerns of Hispanic communities during this period included immigration reform and civil rights, with modest gains for Latino candidates at state and local levels. In the 1988 presidential election, George H.W. Bush (Republican) and Michael Dukakis (Democrat) were the main contenders, and although Hispanic voters were becoming more engaged, their influence was still emerging. The 1990 Census highlighted the substantial growth of Hispanic populations in the United States, leading to greater attention from political parties to Hispanic issues and concerns.
The 1992 presidential election marked a significant shift as Bill Clinton (Democrat) engaged actively with Hispanic voters, resulting in increased Latino support and signaling a broader Democratic outreach. Clinton's administration would further stimulate Hispanic political activity. The 1994 midterm elections saw Republican gains and were significantly impacted by debates over immigration and welfare reform, including California's Proposition 187, which sought to limit public services for undocumented immigrants and mobilized many Latino voters.
By the 1996 presidential election, Bill Clinton's successful re-election campaign reflected the growing influence of Hispanic voters. Key issues for the Latino community during this time included immigration, education, and healthcare. The period also witnessed an increase in Latino representation in Congress with figures such asBob Menendez andLuis Gutiérrez emerging as prominent leaders. Overall, the period from 1986 to 1996 marked a critical phase in the evolving political influence and representation of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States.
In the1996 presidential election, 72% of Hispanics backed PresidentBill Clinton. In2000, the Democratic total fell to 62%, and went down again in2004, with DemocratJohn Kerry winning Hispanics 54–44 against Bush.[255] Hispanics in the West, especially in California, were much stronger for the Democratic Party than in Texas and Florida. California Hispanics voted 63–32 for Kerry in 2004, and both Arizona and New Mexico Hispanics by a smaller 56–43 margin. Texas Hispanics were split nearly evenly, favoring Kerry 50–49 over their favorite son candidate and Florida Hispanics (who are mostly Cuban American) backed Bush, by a 54–45 margin.
In 1998,California Proposition 227, which sought to eliminate bilingual education in public schools, was passed. This initiative highlighted the political mobilization of Latino communities and their influence on educational policy in California.
The 2000 presidential election was notably close, with George W. Bush winning the presidency over Al Gore. Bush's outreach to Hispanic voters, particularly in battleground states such as Florida, was a significant factor in his narrow victory. Despite the growing visibility of Hispanic candidates, their representation at the national level remained limited. By the 2002 midterm elections, there was a notable increase in Hispanic representation in Congress, with more Latino candidates successfully winning seats in the House of Representatives. This trend continued to grow, reflecting the expanding political engagement of Hispanic Americans. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush was re-elected, with a notable increase in Hispanic support attributed to his campaign's targeted outreach efforts. Prominent Latino figures, including New Mexico GovernorBill Richardson and U.S. SenatorsKen Salazar, gained national recognition during this period.
In the2006 midterm election, however, due to the unpopularity of theIraq War, the heated debate concerningillegal Hispanic immigration and Republican-related Congressional scandals, Hispanics went as strongly Democratic as they have since the Clinton years. Exit polls showed the group voting for Democrats by a lopsided 69–30 margin, with Florida Hispanics for the first time split evenly.
The runoff election in Texas' 23rd congressional district was seen as a bellwether of Hispanic politics. DemocratCiro Rodriguez's unexpected (and unexpectedly decisive) defeat of Republican incumbentHenry Bonilla was seen as proof of a leftward lurch among Hispanic voters; majority-Hispanic counties overwhelmingly backed Rodriguez and majority European-American counties overwhelmingly backed Bonilla.
In the2008 Presidential election'sDemocratic primary, Hispanics participated in larger numbers than before, withHillary Clinton receiving most of the group's support.[256] Pundits discussed whether Hispanics would not vote forBarack Obama because he was African-American.[237] Hispanics voted 2 to 1 for Mrs. Clinton, even among the younger demographic. In other groups, younger voters went overwhelmingly for Obama.[257] Among Hispanics, 28% said race was involved in their decision, as opposed to 13% for (non-Hispanic) White people.[257] Obama defeated Clinton.
In the matchup between Obama and Republican candidateJohn McCain, Hispanics supported Obama with 59% to McCain's 29% in the June 30Gallup tracking poll.[258] This was higher than expected, since McCain had been a leader of the comprehensive immigration reform effort (John McCain was born inPanama to parents who were serving in the US Navy, but raised in the United States).[259] However, McCain had retreated from reform during the Republican primary, damaging his standing among Hispanics.[260][better source needed] Obama took advantage of the situation by running ads in Spanish highlighting McCain's reversal.[261][better source needed]
In the general election, 67% of Hispanics voted for Obama.[262][263] with a relatively strong turnout in states such as Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada andVirginia, helping Obama carry those formerly Republican states. Obama won 70% of non-Cuban Hispanics and 35% of the traditionally Republican Cuban Americans who have a strong presence in Florida. The relative growth of non-Cuban vs Cuban Hispanics also contributed to his carrying Florida's Hispanics with 57% of the vote.[262][264]
While employment and the economy were top concerns for Hispanics, almost 90% of Hispanic voters rated immigration as "somewhat important" or "very important" in a poll taken after the election.[265] Republican opposition to theComprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 had damaged the party's appeal to Hispanics, especially inswing states such as Florida, Nevada and New Mexico.[265] In aGallup poll of Hispanic voters taken in the final days of June 2008, only 18% of participants identified as Republicans.[258] The 2010 midterm elections highlighted the growing influence of Hispanic Americans in U.S. politics.Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, won a Senate seat, enhancing the visibility of Latino politicians in national politics.
Hispanics voted even more heavily for Democrats in the 2012 election with the Democratic incumbent Barack Obama receiving 71% and the Republican challengerMitt Romney receiving about 27% of the vote.[266][267] Some Hispanic leaders were offended by remarks Romney made during a fundraiser, when he suggested that cultural differences[268] and "the hand of providence"[269][270] help explain why Israelis are more economically successful than Palestinians, and why similar economic disparities exist between other neighbors, such as the United States and Mexico, or Chile and Ecuador.[271] A senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the remarks racist,[270][272] as did American political scientistAngelo Falcón, president of the National Institute of Latino Policy.[273]Mitt Romney's father was born to American parents in aMormon colony inChihuahua, Mexico. The Hispanic vote was crucial to Obama's re-election, particularly in swing states such asFlorida,Colorado, andNevada. The Obama campaign's focus on issues important to Latino voters, including immigration reform and healthcare, helped secure substantial support from the Hispanic community.
"More convincing data" from the2016 United States presidential election[274] from the polling firm Latino Decisions indicates that Clinton received a higher share of the Hispanic vote, and Trump a lower share, than the Edison exit polls showed. Using wider, more geographically and linguistically representative sampling, Latino Decisions concluded that Clinton won 79% of Hispanic voters (also an improvement over Obama's share in 2008 and 2012), while Trump won only 18% (lower than previous Republicans such as Romney and McCain).[275] Additionally, the 2016Cooperative Congressional Election Study found that Clinton's share of the Hispanic vote was one percentage point higher than Obama's in 2012, while Trump's was seven percentage points lower than Romney's.[276] Trump's campaign was marked by controversial statements and policies regarding immigration, which galvanized Latino voters.
On June 26, 2018,Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, amillennial, won theDemocraticprimary inNew York's 14th congressional district covering parts ofThe Bronx andQueens inNew York City, defeating the incumbent,Democratic Caucus ChairJoe Crowley, in what has been described as the biggestupset victory in the2018 midterm election season and at the age of 29 years, became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.[277][278] She is a member of theDemocratic Socialists of America and has been endorsed by various politicallyprogressive organizations and individuals.[279] According to aPew Research Center report, the 2020 election will be the first one when Hispanics are the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the electorate. A record 32 million Hispanics were projected to be eligible to vote in the presidential election, many of them first-time voters. On September 15, 2020, PresidentDonald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate and appointEduardo Verastegui, to be a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Prosperity if re-elected after days of the Democratic convention.[280]
Hispanic communities across the United States were long held as a single voting bloc, buteconomic,geographic andcultural differences show stark divides in how Hispanic Americans have cast their ballots in 2020. Hispanics helped deliver Florida to Donald Trump in part because ofCuban Americans andVenezuelan Americans (along with smaller populations such asNicaraguan Americans andChilean Americans); President Trump's reelection campaign ran pushing a strong anti-socialism message as a strategy in Florida, to their success. However the perceived anti-immigrant rhetoric resonated withMexican Americans in Arizona and theCOVID-19 pandemic (Arizona being one of the states hardest hit by theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States).[281] Many Latino voters in Nevada are members of theCulinary Union Local 226 and supported Biden based onRight-to-work standards.[282] The takeaway may be this may be the last election cycle that the "Hispanic vote" as a whole is more talked about instead of particular communities within it, such as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans and so on. In Texas like in Arizona and Nevada, the Hispanic community mainly being Mexican American; one in three Texan voters is now Hispanic. Biden did win the Hispanic vote in those states. But in Texas, 41 percent to 47 percent of Hispanic voters backed Trump in several heavily Hispanic border counties in the Rio Grande Valley region, a Democratic stronghold. In Florida, Trump won 45 percent of the Hispanic vote, an 11-point improvement from his 2016 performance reported NBC News.[283] Recognizing Hispanics as a population that can not only make a difference in swing states like Arizona, Nevada, Texas or Florida, but also really across the country, even in places likeGeorgia,North Carolina,Wisconsin,Michigan andPennsylvania, the number of Hispanic eligible voters may be the reason for the thin margins. In 1984, 37 percent of Hispanics voted forRonald Reagan and 40 percent voted forGeorge W. Bush in 2004.
In Florida, even though Trump won Florida and gained Hispanic voters, Biden kept 53% of the Hispanic vote and Trump 45%. According to NBC News exit polls, 55% of Cuban Americans, 30% of Puerto Ricans and 48% of other Hispanics voted for Trump.[284]
Subsections of Hispanic voters have a range of historical influences vying to affect their votes. Cuban American voters, mostly concentrated in South Florida, tend to vote Republican in part because of their anathema for socialism, the party ofFidel Castro's government that many of their families fled. Mexican Americans, however, have no such historical relationship with either party. Puerto Rican voters who have left the island might be influenced by the territory's move towards statehood, as a referendum for Trump's relief effort afterHurricane Maria, or regarding how it is taxed.[57] The 2020 presidential election was a major event, with Joe Biden defeating incumbent President Donald Trump. Biden's campaign focused on issues such as immigration reform, healthcare, and economic recovery, which resonated with many Latino voters. Despite Biden's win, Trump made significant inroads with Hispanic voters compared to 2016, particularly in Florida and Texas. This election highlighted the diverse political preferences within the Latino community and the growing complexity of its electoral impact.
Nationwide, Hispanics cast 16.6 million votes in 2020, an increase of 30.9% over the 2016 presidential election.[285]
After representativeFilemon Vela Jr. resigned,Mayra Flores won aspecial election to succeed him, she won the election to theUnited States House of Representatives in June 2022.[286][287] She was the firstMexican-born woman to serve in the House, but would go on to lose in the2022 General election to DemocratVicente Gonzalez.[287][288][289]
(2).jpg)
Hispanic voters in the United States have traditionally leaned toward the Democratic Party, but recent elections reveal a significant shift toward the Republican Party, particularly in key battleground states. In the 2024 election, Republican candidate Donald Trump garneredover 46% of the Hispanic vote, surpassing the 44% support[clarify][290] that George W. Bush received in 2004. This shift continues a trend that began in 2020, when Trump made notable inroads among Latino voters, especially in states like Florida and Texas, where Hispanic voters played a crucial role in his victories. Trump's support among Hispanic men has grown particularly strong, with 55% of Latino men voting for him in 2024, a significant increase from 2020. InCentral California, a region with a sizable Latino population, there is also a noticeable trend toward the Republican Party. This trend allowed Trump to flip several Hispanic Counties, rural ones such as Starr and Imperial, and urban ones such as Riverside and Miami. Many Latino voters in this area feel neglected by the Democrats and increasingly courted by Republicans.
While the majority of Hispanic voters still align with the Democratic Party, the growing rightward shift is increasingly evident among certain demographic groups. Economic concerns—such asinflation,healthcare costs, andhousing affordability—have become more central to many Latino voters, especiallyolder generations, rather than the social issues like immigration orreproductive rights that were focal points in Democratic campaigns.[291]
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary decline in immigration to the U.S., but as restrictions have eased, immigration has surged, particularly from Latin America and parts ofAsia. Currently,Chinese,Indians, andFilipinos are the three largest Asian ethnic groups immigrating to the United States. Asians in the U.S. are a highly diverse group that is growing fast.[292] Asian immigrants constitute 6% of the United States population and are estimated to rise to 10% by 2050.[293] In 2023, border encounters reached record highs, driven by a combination of economic instability, violence, and natural disasters in countries likeVenezuela,Honduras, andEl Salvador. Additionally, the U.S. has seen an influx ofrefugees fromconflict-ridden regions, includingAfghanistan,Syria, andUkraine, as ongoing wars and political instability continue to displace millions. Additionally, ideological factors played a significant role, particularly amongCuban andPuerto Rican communities, in response to the backlash following a comedian's offensive remark at a Trump rally, where Puerto Rico was described as an "island of garbage". Despite these gains for the GOP, the Democratic Party retains a substantial advantage, particularly among younger, urban, and more progressive Hispanic voters. As Professor Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond noted, Trump's hardline stance on immigration resonated more with some Latino voters than the approach advocated by Vice President Kamala Harris. This trend was especially evident in areas along the Mexican-American border and communities affected by recent immigration patterns.[294]
Hispanic Americans have made distinguished contributions to the United States in all major fields, such aspolitics, themilitary,music,film,literature,sports,business andfinance, andscience.[295]
In 1995, the American Latino Media Arts Award, orALMA Award was created. It is a distinction given to Hispanic performers (actors, film and television directors and musicians) by theNational Council of La Raza. The number of Latin nominees at the Grammy Awards lag behind. Talking toPeople magazine ahead of music's biggest night in 2021, Grammy nomineesJ Balvin andRicky Martin reflected on what it is mean to continue to represent Hispanics at awards shows like the Grammys. Martin, who served as a pioneer for the "Latin crossover" in the '90s told "When you get nominated, it's the industry telling you, 'Hey Rick, you did a good job this year, congratulations.' Yes, I need that", the 49-year-old says. "When you walk into the studio, you say, 'This got a Grammy potential.' You hear the songs that do and the ones that don't. It's inevitable." LikeSelena Gomez tapping into her roots, the influence Hispanics and reggaetón are having on the mainstream is undeniable.[296]
There are many Hispanic American musicians that have made a significant impact on the music industry and achieved fame within the United States and internationally, such asChristopher Rios better known by his stage name Big Pun,Jennifer Lopez,Joan Baez,Selena Gomez,Demi Lovato,Fergie,Pitbull,Pop Smoke,Victoria Justice,Linda Ronstadt,Zack de la Rocha,Gloria Estefan,Héctor Lavoe,Celia Cruz,Tito Puente,Kat DeLuna,Selena,Ricky Martin,Marc Anthony,Miguel,Carlos Santana,Christina Aguilera,Bruno Mars,Mariah Carey,Jerry García,Dave Navarro,Santaye,Elvis Crespo,Romeo Santos,Tom Araya,Sonny Sandoval,the Mars Volta,Los Lobos,Villano Antillano,South Park Mexican,Cuco,Yeat,Malo,OhGeesy,Malu Trevejo,Ice Spice,Young M.A,Lloyd Banks,Kay Flock,Exposé,Sweet Sensation,Jellybean,Immortal Technique,Brujeria,Fuerza Regida,Xavi,Aventura,Lunay,Myke Towers,Jay Wheeler,J.I.,Amara La Negra,Joseline Hernandez,Lele Pons,Snow Tha Product,the Marías,Ángela Aguilar,Tego Calderón,Prince Royce,Don Omar,Eddie Palmieri,Wisin & Yandel,Melanie Martinez,Paloma Mami,Mariah Angeliq,That Mexican OT,MC Magic,TKA,La India,George Lamond,Sa-Fire,Cynthia,Lisa Lisa,Julieta Venegas,Intocable,Marisela,Pepe Aguilar,Jon Secada,Chayanne,DannyLux,Eslabon Armado,Iván Cornejo,Grupo Frontera,Yahritza y su Esencia,Herencia de Patrones,Omar Apollo,Eladio Carrión,Kid Frost,Cypress Hill,N.O.R.E.,Fat Joe,Mellow Man Ace,Chicano Batman,Delinquent Habits,Lil Rob,Ritchie Valens,Ozomatli,BIA,Plan B,Chencho Corleone,Maye,Kap G,Tha Mexakinz,Brownside,Psycho Realm,A Lighter Shade of Brown,Gilberto Santa Rosa,Noriel,Baby Rasta,Brytiago,Farruko,J Álvarez,Darell,Nicky Jam,Ñengo Flow,Luis Fonsi,José Feliciano,Daddy Yankee,Lil Suzy,Judy Torres,Nayobe,Willie Colón,Jenni Rivera,Baby Bash,Frankie J,Larry Hernandez,Arcángel,De la Ghetto,Giselle Bellas,Juan Luis Guerra,Residente,Anuel AA,Ozuna,Lil Pump,Lil Xan,6ix9ine,Becky G,Ivy Queen,Cardi B,Kali Uchis,Bad Bunny,Rauw Alejandro, all of the members of all-female bandGo Betty Go,Camila Cabello, two members of girl groupFifth Harmony:Lauren Jauregui andAlly Brooke, and two members of thenu metal bandNonpoint.
Hispanic music imported from Cuba (chachachá,mambo, andrhumba) and Mexico (ranchera andmariachi) had brief periods of popularity during the 1950s. Examples of artists includeCelia Cruz, who was a Cuban American singer and the most popular Latin artist of the 20th century, gaining twenty-threegold albums during her career. Bill Clinton awarded her the National Medal of Arts in 1994.
Among the Hispanic American musicians who were pioneers in the early stages ofrock and roll wereRitchie Valens, who scored several hits, most notably "La Bamba" andHerman Santiago, who wrote the lyrics to the iconic rock and roll song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Songs that became popular in the United States and are heard during the holiday/Christmas season include "¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?", a novelty Christmas song with 12-year-old Augie Ríos which was a hit record in 1959 and featured the Mark Jeffrey Orchestra, "Feliz Navidad" byJosé Feliciano; andMariah Carey's 1994 song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which is thebest-selling holiday song by a female artist.Miguel del Aguila wrote 116 works and has three Latin Grammy nominations.
In 1986,Billboard magazine introduced theHot Latin Songs chart which ranks the best-performing songs on Spanish-language radio stations in the United States. Seven years later,Billboard initiated theTop Latin Albums which ranks top-selling Latin albums in the United States.[297] Similarly, theRecording Industry Association of America incorporated "Los Premios de Oro y Platino" (The Gold and Platinum Awards) to certify Latin recordings which contains at least 50% of its content recorded in Spanish.[298]
In 1989, Univision established theLo Nuestro Awards which became the first award ceremony to recognize the most talented performers of Spanish-language music and was considered to be the "HispanicGrammys".[299][300] In 2000,the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS) established theLatin Grammy Awards to recognize musicians who perform in Spanish and Portuguese.[301] UnlikeThe Recording Academy, LARAS extends its membership internationally toHispanophone andLusophone communities worldwide beyond the Americas, particularly theIberian Peninsula.[302]Becky G won favorite female Latin artist, a brand new category at theAMAs in 2020.[303] For the63rd Annual Grammy Awards, the academy announced several changes for different categories and rules: the category Latin Pop Album has been renamedBest Latin Pop or Urban Album, while Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album has been renamedBest Latin Rock or Alternative Album.
American cinema has often reflected and propagatednegative stereotypes of foreign nationals and ethnic minorities. For example, Hispanics are largely depicted as criminal, religious, temperamental, immigrant, low-income, while the women are sexualized.[304] However representation in Hollywood has enhanced in latter times of which it gained noticeable momentum in the 1990s and does not emphasize oppression, exploitation, or resistance as central themes. According to Ramírez Berg, third wave films "do not accentuateChicano oppression or resistance; ethnicity in these films exists as one fact of several that shape characters' lives and stamps their personalities".[305] Filmmakers likeEdward James Olmos andRobert Rodriguez were able to represent the Hispanic American experience like none had on screen before, and actors likeHilary Swank,Michael Peña,Jordana Brewster,Ana de Armas,Jessica Alba,Natalie Martinez andJenna Ortega have become successful. In the last decade, minority filmmakers likeChris Weitz,Alfonso Gomez-Rejon andPatricia Riggen have been given applier narratives. Portrayal in films of them includeLa Bamba (1987),Selena (1997),The Mask of Zorro (1998),Nothing like the Holidays (2008),Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019),Being the Ricardos (2001),Father of the Bride (2022) andJosefina López'sReal Women Have Curves, originallya play which premiered in 1990 and was later released as a film in 2002.[305]
Hispanics have also contributed some prominent actors and others to thefilm industry. OfPuerto Rican origin:José Ferrer (the first Hispanic actor to win an actingAcademy Award for his role inCyrano de Bergerac),Auliʻi Cravalho,Rita Moreno,Chita Rivera,Raul Julia,Rosie Perez,Rosario Dawson,Esai Morales,Aubrey Plaza,Jennifer Lopez, andBenicio del Toro. OfMexican origin:Emile Kuri (the first Hispanic to win an Academy Award – for Best Production Design – in 1949),Dolores del Río,Ramon Novarro,Lupe Vélez,Anthony Quinn,Ricardo Montalbán,Katy Jurado,Adrian Grenier,Jay Hernandez,Salma Hayek,Danny Trejo,Jessica Alba,Tessa Thompson, andKate del Castillo. OfCuban origin:Cesar Romero,Mel Ferrer,Andy García,Cameron Diaz,María Conchita Alonso,William Levy, andEva Mendes. OfArgentine origin:Fernando Lamas,Carlos Thompson,Alejandro Rey,Anya Taylor-Joy,Camila Morrone,Maia Reficco,Julie Gonzalo,Stephanie Beatriz,Alexis Bledel,Ignacio Serricchio,Lorenzo Lamas andLinda Cristal. OfDominican origin:Maria Montez andZoe Saldana. Of partialSpanish origin:Rita Hayworth,Martin Sheen. Other outstanding figures are:Anita Page (ofSalvadoran origin),Raquel Welch (ofBolivian origin),John Leguizamo (ofColombian origin),Oscar Isaac (ofGuatemalan origin),John Gavin andPedro Pascal (both ofChilean origin).
One of the first Latina actresses to achieve success in Hollywood wasDolores del Río. She was born in Mexico, where she started her film career before moving to the US, where she rose to fame in American and international cinema. During the earlysound era of film, del Río became well known for her roles and lively personality. In 1927, she began her career insilent cinema.[306]The Gaucho, starringDouglas Fairbanks and directed byF. Richard Jones in 1928, is one of her well-known films.[306] Being a Latina actress in Hollywood in the early 1900s, she was often cast in roles that reflected the image of Latina women as hostile and seductive. Hollywood's perception of Latinx identities frequently impacted these roles, and del Río portrayals were typically limited to these stereotypical representations of Latina women. Despite her adjustment andassimilation to Hollywood's expectations, del Río was proud of her Mexican background.
In stand-up comedy,Cristela Alonzo,Anjelah Johnson,Paul Rodríguez,Greg Giraldo,Cheech Marin,George Lopez,Freddie Prinze,Jade Esteban Estrada,Carlos Mencia, John Mendoza,Gabriel Iglesias and others are prominent.
Some of the Hispanic actors who achieved notable success in U.S. television includeDesi Arnaz,Lynda Carter,Jimmy Smits,Charo,Jencarlos Canela,Christian Serratos,Carlos Pena Jr.,Eva Longoria,Sofía Vergara,Ricardo Antonio Chavira,Jacob Vargas,America Ferrera,Benjamin Bratt,Ricardo Montalbán,Hector Elizondo,Mario Lopez,America Ferrera,Karla Souza,Diego Boneta,Erik Estrada,Cote de Pablo,Freddie Prinze,Lauren Vélez,Isabella Gomez,Justina Machado,Tony Plana,Stacey Dash, andCharlie Sheen.Kenny Ortega is anEmmy Award-winning producer, director and choreographer who has choreographed many major television events such asSuper Bowl XXX, the72nd Academy Awards andMichael Jackson'smemorial service.
Hispanics are underrepresented in U.S. television, radio, and film. This is combatted by organizations such as theHispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), founded in 1975; andNational Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), founded in 1986.[307] Together with numerous Hispanic civil rights organizations, the NHMC led a "brownout" of the national television networks in 1999, after discovering that there were no Hispanic on any of their newprime time series that year.[308] This resulted in the signing of historic diversity agreements withABC,CBS,Fox andNBC that have since increased the hiring of Hispanic talent and other staff in all of the networks.
Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) funds programs of educational and cultural significance to Hispanic Americans. These programs are distributed to various public television stations throughout the United States.
The72nd Primetime Emmy Awards was criticized by Hispanics; there were no major nominations for Hispanic performers, despite theAcademy of Television Arts & Sciences publicizing their improved diversity in 2020. While there was a record number of Black nominees, there was only one individual Hispanic nomination. Hispanic representation groups said the greater diversity referred only to more African American nominees.[309][310] When theLos Angeles Times reported the criticism using the term "Black", it was itself criticized for erasingAfro-Hispanics, a discussion that then prompted more investigation into this under-represented minority ethnic group in Hollywood.[311]John Leguizamo boycotted the Emmys because of its lack of Hispanic nominees.[312]
In the world of fashion, notable Hispanic designers includeOscar de la Renta,Carolina Herrera,Narciso Rodriguez,Manuel Cuevas,Maria Cornejo,[313] among others.Christy Turlington,Lais Ribeiro,Adriana Lima,Gisele Bündchen andLea T achieved international fame as models.
Notable Hispanic artists includeJean-Michel Basquiat,Judith Baca,Carmen Herrera,Patssi Valdez,Gronk,Luis Jiménez,Félix González-Torres,Ana Mendieta,Ester Hernandez,Joe Shannon,Richard Serra,Abelardo Morell,Bill Melendez,María Magdalena Campos Pons,Sandra Ramos,Myrna Báez,Soraida Martinez andYolanda Gonzalez.
The total number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002 was 1.6 million, having grown at triple the national rate for the preceding five years.[66]
Hispanic business leaders include Cuban immigrantRoberto Goizueta, who rose to head ofThe Coca-Cola Company.[314] Advertising Mexican-American magnateArte Moreno became the first Hispanic to own amajor league team in the United States when he purchased theLos Angeles Angels baseball club.[315] Also a major sports team owner is Mexican-AmericanLinda G. Alvarado, president and CEO of Alvarado Construction, Inc. and co-owner of theColorado Rockies baseball team.
There are several Hispanics on theForbes 400 list of richest Americans.Alejandro Santo Domingo and his brother Andres Santo Domingo inherited their fathers stake inSABMiller, now merged withAnheuser-Busch InBev. The brothers are ranked No. 132 and are each worth $4.8bn.[316]Jorge Perez founded and runs The Related Group. He built his career developing and operating low-income multifamily apartments across Miami.[317][318] He is ranked No. 264 and is worth $3bn.[316]
The largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States isGoya Foods, because of World War II heroJoseph A. Unanue, the son of the company's founders.[319]Angel Ramos was the founder ofTelemundo, Puerto Rico's first television station[320] and now the second largest Spanish-language television network in the United States, with an average viewership over one million in primetime.Samuel A. Ramirez Sr. madeWall Street history by becoming the first Hispanic to launch a successful investment banking firm, Ramirez & Co.[321][322]Nina Tassler is president ofCBS Entertainment since September 2004. She is the highest-profile Hispanic innetwork television and one of the few executives who has the power to approve the airing or renewal of series.
Since 2021, magazineHispanic Executive has released a list of 30 under 30 executives in the United States.[323] Members include financial analyst Stephanie Nuesi, fashion entrepreneur Zino Haro, andObama scholar Josue de Paz.[324]
As of 2007, there were more than five thousand elected officeholders in the United States who were of Hispanic origin.[325]
In theHouse of Representatives,Hispanic representatives have includedLadislas Lazaro,Antonio M. Fernández,Henry B. Gonzalez,Kika de la Garza,Herman Badillo,Romualdo Pacheco and Manuel Lujan Jr., out of almost two dozen former representatives. Current representatives includeIleana Ros-Lehtinen,Jose E. Serrano,Luis Gutiérrez,Nydia Velázquez,Xavier Becerra,Lucille Roybal-Allard,Loretta Sanchez,Rubén Hinojosa,Mario Díaz-Balart,Raul Grijalva,Ben R. Lujan,Jaime Herrera Beutler,Raul Labrador andAlex Mooney—in all, they number thirty. Formersenators areOctaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo,Mel Martinez,Dennis Chavez,Joseph Montoya andKen Salazar. As of January 2011, the U.S. Senate includes Hispanic membersBob Menendez, a Democrat and RepublicansTed Cruz andMarco Rubio, all Cuban Americans.[326]
Numerous Hispanics hold elective and appointed office instate andlocal government throughout the United States.[327] Current Hispanic Governors include RepublicanNevada GovernorBrian Sandoval and RepublicanNew Mexico GovernorSusana Martinez; upon taking office in 2011, Martinez became the first Hispanic woman governor in the history of the United States.[328] Former Hispanic governors include DemocratsJerry Apodaca,Raul Hector Castro, andBill Richardson, as well as RepublicansOctaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo,Romualdo Pacheco andBob Martinez.
Since 1988,[329] whenRonald Reagan appointedLauro Cavazos theSecretary of Education, the first HispanicUnited States Cabinet member, Hispanic Americans have had an increasing presence in presidential administrations. Hispanics serving in subsequent cabinets includeKen Salazar, formerSecretary of the Interior;Hilda Solis, formerUnited States Secretary of Labor;Alberto Gonzales, formerUnited States Attorney General;Carlos Gutierrez,Secretary of Commerce;Federico Peña, formerSecretary of Energy;Henry Cisneros, formerSecretary of Housing and Urban Development;Manuel Lujan Jr., former Secretary of the Interior; and Bill Richardson, former Secretary of Energy andAmbassador to the United Nations.Rosa Rios is the currentUS Treasurer, including the latest three, were Hispanic women.
In 2009,Sonia Sotomayor became the firstSupreme CourtAssociate Justice of Hispanic origin.
In 2022,Robert Santos became the first Director of theU.S. Census Bureau of Hispanic origin (Mexican American).[330]
TheCongressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, and theCongressional Hispanic Conference (CHC), founded on March 19, 2003, are two organizations that promote policy of importance to Americans of Hispanic descent. They are divided into the two major American political parties: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is composed entirely ofDemocratic representatives, whereas the Congressional Hispanic Conference is composed entirely ofRepublican representatives.
Groups like the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) work to achieve the promises and principles of the United States by "promoting education, research, and leadership development, and empowering Hispanics and similarly disenfranchised groups by maximizing their civic awareness, engagement, and participation".[331]
Hispanics have participated in themilitary of the United States and in every majormilitary conflict from theAmerican Revolution onward.[334][335][336] 11% to 13% military personnel now are Hispanics and they have been deployed in theIraq War, theAfghanistan War, and U.S. military missions and bases elsewhere.[337] Hispanics have not only distinguished themselves in the battlefields but also reached the high echelons of the military, serving their country in sensitive leadership positions on domestic and foreign posts. Up to now, 43 Hispanics have been awarded the nation's highest military distinction, theMedal of Honor (also known as theCongressional Medal of Honor). The following is a list of some notable Hispanics in the military:
HstMilitOccNM.jpg)
The following 43 Hispanics were awarded the Medal of Honor:
Philip Bazaar,Joseph H. De Castro,John Ortega,France Silva,David B. Barkley,Lucian Adams,Rudolph B. Davila,Marcario Garcia,Harold Gonsalves,David M. Gonzales,Silvestre S. Herrera,Jose M. Lopez,Joe P. Martinez,Manuel Perez Jr.,Cleto L. Rodriguez,Alejandro R. Ruiz,Jose F. Valdez,Ysmael R. Villegas,Fernando Luis García,Edward Gomez,Ambrosio Guillen,Rodolfo P. Hernandez,Baldomero Lopez,Benito Martinez,Eugene Arnold Obregon,Joseph C. Rodriguez,John P. Baca,Roy P. Benavidez,Emilio A. De La Garza,Ralph E. Dias,Daniel Fernandez,Alfredo Cantu "Freddy" Gonzalez,Jose Francisco Jimenez,Miguel Keith,Carlos James Lozada,Alfred V. Rascon,Louis R. Rocco,Euripides Rubio,Hector Santiago-Colon,Elmelindo Rodrigues Smith,Jay R. Vargas,Humbert Roque Versace andMaximo Yabes.
Among Hispanic Americans who have excelled in science areLuis Walter Álvarez,Nobel Prize–winning physicist of Spanish descent, and his sonWalter Alvarez, a geologist. They first proposed that an asteroid impact on theYucatán Peninsula caused theextinction of the dinosaurs.Mario J. Molina won theNobel Prize in chemistry and currently works in the chemistry department at theUniversity of California, San Diego. Dr.Victor Manuel Blanco is an astronomer who in 1959 discovered "Blanco 1", agalactic cluster.[360]F. J. Duarte is a laser physicist and author; he received theEngineering Excellence Award from the prestigiousOptical Society of America for the invention of theN-slit laser interferometer.[361]Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa is the director of the Pituitary Surgery Program atJohns Hopkins Hospital and the director of the Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory atJohns Hopkins School of Medicine. PhysicistAlbert Baez made important contributions to the early development ofX-ray microscopes and laterX-ray telescopes. His nephewJohn Carlos Baez is also a noted mathematical physicist.Francisco J. Ayala is a biologist and philosopher, former president of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science, and has been awarded theNational Medal of Science and theTempleton Prize. Peruvian-American biophysicistCarlos Bustamante has been named aSearle Scholar andAlfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow.Luis von Ahn is one of the pioneers ofcrowdsourcing and the founder of the companiesreCAPTCHA andDuolingo. Colombian-AmericanAna Maria Rey received aMacArthur Fellowship for her work in atomic physics in 2013.
Dr.Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas discovered the bacteria that cause dental cavity. Dr.Gualberto Ruaño is a biotechnology pioneer in the field of personalized medicine and the inventor of molecular diagnostic systems, Coupled Amplification and Sequencing (CAS) System, used worldwide for the management of viral diseases.[362]Fermín Tangüis was an agriculturist and scientist who developed the Tangüis Cotton in Peru and saved that nation's cotton industry.[363]Severo Ochoa, born in Spain, was a co-winner of the 1959Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Dr.Sarah Stewart, a Mexican-American microbiologist, is credited with the discovery of the Polyomavirus and successfully demonstrating that cancer causing viruses could be transmitted from animal to animal. Mexican-American psychiatrist Dr.Nora Volkow, whose brain imaging studies helped characterize the mechanisms of drug addiction, is the current director of theNational Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr.Helen Rodríguez Trías, an early advocate for women's reproductive rights, helped drive and draft U.S. federal sterilization guidelines in 1979. She was awarded thePresidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton, and was the first Hispanic president of the American Public Health Association.
Some Hispanics have made their names inastronautics, including several NASA astronauts:[364]Franklin Chang-Diaz, the first Hispanic NASA astronaut, is co-recordholder for the most flights in outer space, and is the leading researcher on theplasma engine for rockets;France A. Córdova, former NASA chief scientist;Juan R. Cruz,NASA aerospace engineer;LieutenantCarlos I. Noriega, NASA mission specialist and computer scientist; Dr.Orlando Figueroa, mechanical engineer and director of Mars exploration in NASA;Amri Hernández-Pellerano, engineer who designs, builds and tests the electronics that will regulate the solar array power in order to charge the spacecraft battery and distribute power to the different loads or users inside various spacecraft at NASA'sGoddard Space Flight Center.
Olga D. González-Sanabria won an R&D 100 Award for her role in the development of the "Long Cycle-Life Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries" which help enable theInternational Space Station power system.Mercedes Reaves, research engineer and scientist who is responsible for the design of a viable full-scalesolar sail and the development and testing of a scale model solar sail at NASALangley Research Center. Dr.Pedro Rodríguez, inventor and mechanical engineer who is the director of a test laboratory at NASA and of a portable, battery-operated lift seat for people suffering from knee arthritis. Dr.Felix Soto Toro, electrical engineer and astronaut applicant who developed the Advanced Payload Transfer Measurement System (ASPTMS) (Electronic 3D measuring system);Ellen Ochoa, a pioneer of spacecraft technology and astronaut;Joseph Acaba,Fernando Caldeiro,Sidney Gutierrez,José M. Hernández,Michael López-Alegría,John Olivas andGeorge Zamka, who are current or former astronauts.
.JPG)
Hispanic and Latino American women have left an indelible mark on sports in the US, showcasing exceptional talent, resilience, and cultural diversity. Some notable figures includeMonica Puig, tennis player hailing from Puerto Rico, Monica Puig achieved historic success by winning the gold medal in women's singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, marking Puerto Rico's first-ever Olympic gold medal in any sport.Laurie Hernandez, gymnastics athlete also of Puerto Rican descent, Laurie Hernandez secured a gold medal with the US gymnastics team at the 2016 Rio Olympics and added a silver medal on the balance beam, captivating audiences with her grace and skill.Jessica Mendoza, softball/baseball player of Mexican heritage, is celebrated as a former professional softball player and Olympic gold medalist (2004). She continues to inspire as a groundbreaking baseball analyst for ESPN, breaking barriers in sports broadcasting.Giselle Juarez, softball player of Mexican descent, emerged as a standout pitcher, leading theUniversity of Oklahoma to victory in the 2021 NCAA Women's College World Series championship, showcasing her dominance on the mound.Linda Alvarado, made history as the first Hispanic woman to co-own a Major League Baseball team, the Colorado Rockies, breaking barriers and paving the way for diversity in professional sports ownership.Brenda Villa, water polo of Mexican descent, is a trailblazer in women's water polo, earning four Olympic medals (gold in 2012, silver in 2000 and 2008, bronze in 2004) and inspiring a generation with her leadership and achievements.Nancy Lopez, golf a Hall of Fame golfer of Mexican heritage, amassed an impressive 48 LPGA Tour victories, including three major championships, during her illustrious career, solidifying her legacy as one of golf's all-time greats.Sofia Huerta, player of Mexican and American descent, has excelled in professional soccer, showcasing her versatility and skill as a midfielder and forward in the NWSL and internationally with Mexico's national team, inspiring young athletes with her talent and determination.
There have been far fewerfootball andbasketball players, let alone star players, butTom Flores was the first Hispanic head coach and the first Hispanicquarterback in American professional football, and wonSuper Bowls as a player, as assistant coach and as head coach for theOakland Raiders.Anthony Múñoz is enshrined in thePro Football Hall of Fame, ranked No. 17 onSporting News's 1999 list of the 100 greatest football players, and was the highest-ranked offensive lineman.Jim Plunkett won theHeisman Trophy and was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame, andJoe Kapp is inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame andCollege Football Hall of Fame.Steve Van Buren,Martin Gramatica,Victor Cruz,Tony Gonzalez,Ted Hendricks,Marc Bulger,Tony Romo andMark Sanchez can also be cited among successful Hispanics in theNational Football League (NFL).
Hispanics have played in the Major Leagues since the very beginning of organized baseball, with Cuban playerEsteban Bellán being the first (1873).[365][366] The large number of Hispanic American stars inMajor League Baseball (MLB) includes players likeTed Williams (considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time),Sammy Sosa,Alex Rodriguez,Alex Rios,Miguel Cabrera,Lefty Gómez,Adolfo Luque,Iván Rodríguez,Carlos González,Roberto Clemente,Adrián González,Jose Fernandez,David Ortiz,Juan Marichal,Fernando Valenzuela,Nomar Garciaparra,Albert Pujols,Omar Vizquel, managersMiguel Angel Gonzalez (the first Hispanic Major League manager),[367][368]Al López,Ozzie Guillén andFelipe Alou, and General ManagerOmar Minaya. Hispanics in theMLB Hall of Fame includeRoberto Alomar,Luis Aparicio,Rod Carew,Orlando Cepeda,Juan Marichal,Pedro Martínez,Tony Pérez,Iván Rodríguez, Ted Williams,Reggie Jackson,Mariano Rivera,Edgar Martinez andRoberto Clemente.Afro-Hispanic playersMartin Dihigo,Jose Mendez andCristóbal Torriente are Hispanic Hall of Famers who played in theNegro leagues.[369]
Trevor Ariza,Mark Aguirre,Carmelo Anthony,Manu Ginóbili,Carlos Arroyo,Gilbert Arenas,Rolando Blackman,Pau Gasol,Jose Calderon,José Juan Barea andCharlie Villanueva can be cited in theNational Basketball Association (NBA).Dick Versace made history when he became the first person of Hispanic heritage to coach an NBA team.Rebecca Lobo was a major star and champion of collegiate (National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)) andOlympic basketball and played professionally in theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA).Diana Taurasi became just the seventh player ever to win an NCAA title, a WNBA title and as well an Olympic gold medal.Orlando Antigua became in 1995 the first Hispanic and the first non-Black in 52 years to play for theHarlem Globetrotters.
Notable Hispanic and Latino Americantennis players include legendary playerPancho Gonzales, as well as Olympic tennis championsMary Joe Fernández andGigi Fernández.Monica Puig, a Puerto Rican-born player, achieved significant recognition by winning thegold medal in women's singles at the2016 Rio Olympics.[370]
.jpg)
Hispanics have made significant contributions to all major American sports and leagues, with a particularly notable impact on the growth of soccer in the United States. Soccer, being the most popular sport in the Spanish-speaking world, has been profoundly influenced by Hispanic heritage. This influence is evident inMajor League Soccer (MLS), where teams such asLA Galaxy,Los Angeles FC,Houston Dynamo andColumbus Crew have substantial fan bases comprising primarily Mexican Americans.[371][372][373] Notable Hispanic players in MLS includeTab Ramos,Claudio Reyna,Omar Gonzalez,Marcelo Balboa,Roger Espinoza, andCarlos Bocanegra.
SwimmersRyan Lochte (the second-most decorated swimmer in Olympic history measured by total number of medals)[374] andDara Torres (one of three women with the most Olympic women's swimming medals), both of Cuban ancestry,[375] have won multiple medals at various Olympic Games over the years. Torres is also the first American swimmer to appear in five Olympic Games.[376]Maya DiRado, of Argentine ancestry, won four medals at the 2016 games, including two gold medals.[370]
Boxing's first Hispanic American world champion wasSolly Smith. Some other champions includeOscar De La Hoya,Miguel Cotto,Bobby Chacon,Brandon Ríos,Michael Carbajal,John Ruiz,Andy Ruiz Jr. andMikey Garcia.
Ricco Rodriguez,Tito Ortiz,Diego Sanchez,Nick Diaz,Nate Diaz,Dominick Cruz,Frank Shamrock,Gilbert Melendez,Roger Huerta,Carlos Condit,Tony Ferguson,Jorge Masvidal,Kelvin Gastelum,Henry Cejudo and UFC Heavy Weight ChampionCain Velasquez have been competitors in theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ofmixed martial arts.
In 1991,Bill Guerin whose mother isNicaraguan became the first Hispanic player in theNational Hockey League (NHL). He was also selected to fourNHL All-Star Games. In 1999,Scott Gomez won theNHL Rookie of the Year Award.[377]
Figure skaterRudy Galindo;golfersChi Chi Rodríguez,Nancy López andLee Trevino;softball playerLisa Fernández; andPaul Rodríguez Jr.,X Games professional skateboarder, are all Hispanic Americans who have distinguished themselves in their sports.
In gymnastics, Laurie Hernandez, who is of Puerto Rican ancestry, was a gold medalist at the 2016 Games.[370]
Insports entertainment we find theprofessional wrestlersHulk Hogan,Alberto Del Rio,Rey Mysterio,Eddie Guerrero,Tyler Black andMelina Pérez and executiveVickie Guerrero.
.jpg)
In countries where the majority of the population is descended from immigrants, such as theUnited States,opposition to immigration sometimes takes the forms ofnativism,racism,religious intolerance andxenophobia.[378] ThroughoutUS history,anti-Latino sentiment has existed to varying degrees at different times, and it was largely based onethnicity,race,culture,Anti-Catholicism (seeAnti-Catholicism in the United States),xenophobia (seeXenophobia in the United States), economic and social conditions inHispanic America, and opposition to the use of theSpanish language.[379][380][381][382] In 2006,Time magazine reported that the number ofhate groups in the United States increased by 33 percent since 2000, primarily as a result of anti-illegal immigration and anti-Mexican sentiment.[383] According toFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statistics, the number of anti-Hispanichate crimes increased by 35 percent since 2003 (albeit from a low level). In California, the state with the largest Hispanic population, the number of hate crimes which were committed against Hispanics almost doubled.[384]
In 2009, the FBI reported that 483 of the 6,604 hate crimes which were recorded in the United States were anti-Hispanic, constituting 7.3% of all recorded hate crimes, the highest percentage of all of the hate crimes which were recorded in 2009. This percentage is contrasted by the fact that 34.6% of all of the hate crimes which were recorded in 2009 were anti-Black, 17.9% of them wereanti-homosexual, 14.1% of them wereanti-Jewish, and 8.3% of them were anti-White.[385]
It is reported that 31% of Hispanics have reported personal experiences withdiscrimination whilst 82% of Hispanics believe that discrimination plays a crucial role in whether or not they will find success while they are living in the United States.[141] The current legislation on immigration policies also plays a crucial role in creating a hostile and discriminatory environment for immigrants. In order to measure the discrimination which immigrants are being subjected to, researchers must take into account the immigrants' perception that they are being targeted for discrimination and they must also be aware that instances of discrimination can also vary based on: personal experiences, social attitudes and ethnic group barriers. The immigrant experience is associated with lower self-esteem, internalized symptoms and behavioral problems amongst Mexican youth. It is also known that more time which is spent living in the United States is associated with increased feelings of distress,depression andanxiety.[141] Like many other Hispanic groups that migrate to the United States, these groups are often stigmatized. An example of this stigmatization occurred after9/11, when people who were considered threats to national security were frequently described with terms like migrant and the "Hispanic Other" along with other terms like refugee and asylum seeker.[386]
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), enacted in 1952, serves as a foundational piece of US immigration law by consolidating and reorganizing various provisions into a unified framework. Since its enactment, the INA has undergone numerous amendments, reflecting its evolving role in immigration policy. It is codified in Title 8 of the United States Code (USC), which is the comprehensive collection of US laws. Title 8 specifically addresses "Aliens and Nationality," and the INA's sections are aligned with corresponding US Code sections for clarity. For accuracy, the official U.S. Code is provided by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the US House of Representatives, with links available through USCIS.[387]
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), detailed in House Report 99–1000, introduced significant changes to US immigration law. Title I of the Act focused on controlling illegal immigration by making it unlawful for employers to hire or continue employing unauthorized aliens without verifying their work status.[388] It established an employment verification system requiring employers to attest to and maintain records of employees' work eligibility. The Act also set up procedures for monitoring the verification system and addressing violations, while explicitly prohibiting the use of such verification for national identity purposes. Additionally, Title I outlined employer sanctions, including a public education period and a phased enforcement approach. Title II of the Act provided a legalization program for certain undocumented aliens who met specific criteria, including continuous residence in the U.S. since January 1, 1982.[388] It authorized adjustment from temporary to permanent resident status under certain conditions and required the Attorney General to manage and disseminate information about the program. Title III addressed the reform of legal immigration, including provisions for temporary agricultural workers and adjustments to visa programs. The Act also established various commissions and reports to assess and improve immigration policies and enforcement measures.
The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 expanded the definition of "qualified alien" under section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (8 USC 1641) to include certain categories of battered aliens. The new provisions added to 8 USC 1641 recognize battered aliens.[389] Those who have experienced battery or extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent, or by a member of their family residing with them. As eligible for benefits if there is a substantial connection between the abuse and the need for assistance. This includes aliens with pending petitions for various statuses under the Immigration and Nationality Act, such as spousal or child status of a US citizen or applications for suspension of deportation. The act extends protections to aliens whose children have been subjected to similar abuse, provided there is no active participation by the alien in the abuse. It also includes alien children who reside with a parent who has been abused. These provisions do not apply if the abuser resides in the same household as the victim. The Attorney General is tasked with issuing guidance on the interpretation of "battery" and "extreme cruelty" and establishing standards for determining the connection between such abuse and the need for benefits.[389]
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a policy established on June 15, 2012, byJanet Napolitano, thenSecretary of Homeland Security, under theObama administration. The policy provides temporary relief from deportation and work authorization to certain young undocumented immigrants who meet specific criteria. DACA does not offer a pathway to permanent legal status. Instead, it grants temporary protection that requires renewal every two years. To be eligible, applicants must have arrived in the United States before the age of 16, be currently under the age of 31, and have continuously resided in the US since June 15, 2007. They must also be enrolled in school, have graduated fromhigh school, or have been honorably discharged from theUS Armed Forces orCoast Guard. Upon its implementation, DACA initially benefited approximately 832,881 individuals. The policy has been associated with various socioeconomic improvements among its recipients. According to a 2019 survey, DACA recipients experienced an 86 percent increase in their average hourly wage. This rise in wages has contributed to enhanced financial independence and increased consumer spending, which in turn has had positive economic effects. Recipients also reported improved job conditions and expanded educational opportunities, reflecting the broader impact of the policy on their quality of life. Overall, DACA has been a significant, though temporary, measure aimed at addressing the status of undocumented young immigrants and has had notable effects on their economic and educational outcomes.[390]
DACA's future has faced legal challenges, including a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that blocked the Trump administration's attempt to end it and a 2021 decision declaring DACA unlawful, though it did not immediately affect current recipients. The Biden administration has since reaffirmed its support and proposed regulatory changes to secure the program's future.
Places of settlement in United States:
Diaspora:
Individuals:
Other Hispanic and Latino Americans topics:
General:
'Hispanic Americans,' which includes persons ofMexican,Puerto Rican,Cuban,Dominican,Central orSouth American, or otherSpanish orPortuguese culture or origin, regardless of race.
SBA has defined 'Hispanic American' as an individual whose ancestry and culture are rooted in South America, Central America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico.
'Hispanic or Latino' refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin.
Race and Hispanic origin are two separate concepts in the federal statistical system. People who are Hispanic may also be members of any race. People in each racial group may either be Hispanic or they may not be Hispanic. Each person has two attributes, their race (or races) and whether or not they are Hispanic/Latino.
Note: It defines "Hispanic" as meaning those with Spanish-speaking roots in the Americas and Spain, and "Latino" as meaning those from both Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking cultures in Latin America.
[T]he term 'Latino' ... may be more inclusive than the term 'Hispanic.'
.jpg)
_(48696670846)_(cropped).jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
_(cropped2).jpg)
.jpg)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)There was a Hispanic presence on the continent for more than 200 years before 13 colonies on the eastern coast declared their independence from England. ... By 1607, when the British established their first successful settlement, at Jamestown, Virginia, writes historian Bernard Bailyn, "Spain's American dominion extended nearly 8,000 miles, from Southern California to the Straits of Magellan"
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin in the United States. Forty-two years before the English colonized Jamestown and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Spanish established at St. Augustine this nation's first enduring settlement.
On September 8, 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed on the shore of what is now called Matanzas Bay and began the founding of the Presidio of San Agustin. Later the settlement would be called St. Augustine, Florida. Built on the site of an ancient Native American village, and near the place where Ponce de León, the European discoverer of Florida, landed in 1513 in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth, it has been continually inhabited since its founding.
The poll found 11% of U.S. Latino adults said they identified as LGBTQ, nearly twice the rate of 6.2% of non-Hispanic white adults and 6.6% of Black adults who said they were queer. The percentage of queer Latino adults was even higher among Gen Zers — the cohort born between 1997 and 2012 — where more than 1 in 5 said they were LGBTQ, the report found.
New data has confirmed that young Hispanic Americans are driving an increase in the LGBTQ+ population.
Studies evaluating racial and ethnic demographic trends suggest that non-white groups are overrepresented in TGNB populations. Flores et al. estimate transgender prevalence among non-Hispanic whites at approximately 480 per 100,000, lower than the 770 per 100,000 for non-Hispanic blacks, 840 per 100,000 for "Hispanic/Latino" and 640 per 100,000 for "other non-Hispanic" categories.
Based on these estimates, we find that adults who identify as transgender are less likely to be White and more likely to be African-American or Black and Hispanic or Latino than the U.S. general population.
Machismo, a socially constructed set of behaviors that reinforces male gender roles in Hispanic culture, may impact identity development and behavior (Arciniega, Anderson, Tovar-Blank, & Tracey, 2008; Basham, 1976; De La Cancela, 1986). Hirai, Winkel, and Popan (2014) reported that higher levels of machismo was positively correlated with prejudice toward lesbians and gay men. In addition, machismo has been correlated with internalized homophobia (Estrada, Rigali-Oiler, Arciniega, & Tracey, 2011), and this, in turn, has been linked to mental health issues and suicidal ideation (Cochran, Sullivan, & Mays, 2003; Hatzenbuehler, McLaughlin, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2008; Newcomb & Mustanski, 2010; Williamson, 2000).
 | This "further reading" sectionmay need cleanup. Please read theediting guide and help improve the section.(August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| North American |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South American | |||||
| European | |||||
| African | |||||
| Ethnic groups | |||||
| Religious groups | |||||
| By region | |||||
| Other | |||||
