Hispanic and Latino Americans - wikipedia Hispanic and Latino Americans For other uses, see Latina ( disambiguation ) and Latino ( disambiguation ). Not to be confused with Latin Americans or the inhabitants of Hispanic America. Hispanic and Latino Americans Total population c. 57,470,287 17.79 % of the total U.S. population ( 2016 ) Regions with significant populations Across the country, especially in the Southwestern United States, the New York City metropolitan area, and Florida, as well as in other urban areas. Languages American English, Spanish, Spanglish, Portuguese, and Amerindian languages. Religion Predominantly Roman Catholic ; minority of Protestants. Minorities in numerous other religions. Related ethnic groups Latin Americans, White Latin Americans, Amerindian, Afro - Latin Americans, Asian Hispanic and Latino Americans, Mestizos, Zamboes, Mulattoes, Pardos, Castizos, Tejanos, Louisiana Creole people, Chicanos, Nuyoricans, Hispanic Americans and Latin Americans ( Spanish : hispanos ; ( isˈpanos ) ) are people in the United States of America who are descendants of the Spanish - speaking and Portuguese - speaking countries of Latin America and Spain. It is the largest population of Latino Americans and Hispanics outside of Latin America. More generally, it includes all persons in the United States who self - identify as Hispanic or Latino, whether of full or partial ancestry. For the 2010 United States Census, people counted as `` Hispanic '' or `` Latino '' were those who identified as one of the specific Hispanic or Latino categories listed on the census questionnaire ( `` Mexican, '' `` Puerto Rican, '' or `` Cuban '' ) as well as those who indicated that they were `` other Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino. '' The national origins classified as Hispanic or Latino by the United States Census Bureau are the following : Spanish, Argentine, Cuban, Colombian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Dominican, Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Salvadoran, Bolivian, Chilean, Ecuadorian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Uruguayan, and Venezuelan. Other U.S. government agencies have slightly different definitions of the term, including Brazilians and other Portuguese - speaking groups. The Census Bureau uses the terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably. `` Origin '' can be viewed as the ancestry, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person 's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. People who identify as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino may be of any race. As the only specifically designated category of ethnicity in the United States ( other than non-Hispanic / Latino ), Hispanics form a pan-ethnicity incorporating a diversity of inter-related cultural and linguistic heritages. Most Hispanic Americans are of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Dominican, Guatemalan, or Colombian origin. The predominant origin of regional Hispanic populations varies widely in different locations across the country. Hispanic Americans are the second fastest - growing ethnic group by percentage growth in the United States after Asian Americans. Hispanic / Latinos overall are the second - largest ethnic group in the United States, after non-Hispanic Whites ( a group which, like Hispanics and Latinos, is composed of dozens of sub-groups of differing national origin ). Hispanics have lived within what is now the United States continuously since the founding of St. Augustine by the Spanish in 1565. After Native Americans, Hispanics are the oldest ethnic group to inhabit much of what is today the United States. Many have Native American ancestry. Spain colonized large areas of what is today the American Southwest and West Coast, as well as Florida. Its holdings included present - day California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas, all of which were part of the Republic of Mexico from its independence in 1821 until the end of the Mexican -- American War in 1848. Conversely, Hispanic immigrants to the New York City metropolitan area derive from a broad spectrum of Latin American states. A study published in 2015 in the American Journal of Human Genetics, based on 23andMe data from 8,663 self - described Latinos, estimated that Latinos in the United States carried a mean of 65.1 % European ancestry, 18.0 % Native American ancestry, and 6.2 % African ancestry. The study found that self - described Latinos from the Southwest, especially those along the Mexican border, had the highest mean levels of Native American ancestry, while self - described Latinos from the South, Midwest, and Atlantic Coast had the highest mean levels of African ancestry. Contents 1 Terminology 2 History 2.1 16th and 17th centuries 2.2 18th and 19th centuries 2.3 20th and 21st centuries 3 Demographics 3.1 Geographic distribution 3.2 National origin 3.3 Race 4 Youth 4.1 Identity Post-migration 4.1. 1 Transnationalism 4.1. 2 Gender Roles 4.1. 3 Sexuality 5 Notable contributions 5.1 Arts and entertainment 5.1. 1 Music 5.1. 2 Film, radio, television, and theatre 5.2 Business and finance 5.3 Fashion 5.4 Government and politics 5.5 Literature and journalism 5.6 Military 5.6. 1 American Revolution 5.6. 2 American Civil War 5.6. 3 World War I 5.6. 4 World War II 5.6. 5 Korean War 5.6. 6 Medal of Honor 5.6. 7 National intelligence 5.7 Science and technology 5.8 Sports 5.8. 1 Baseball 5.8. 2 Basketball and football 5.8. 3 Tennis 5.8. 4 Football ( Soccer ) 5.8. 5 Other sports 6 Education 6.1 Hispanic or Latino K - 12 Education 6.1. 1 English Language Learners 6.1. 2 Poverty 6.1. 3 Immigration Status 6.2 Hispanic or Latino Higher Education 6.2. 1 Hispanic university enrollments 6.3 Health 6.4 Median income 6.5 Poverty 7 Cultural influence 7.1 Language 7.1. 1 Spanish 7.1. 2 American Spanish dialects 7.1. 3 Spanglish and English dialects 7.2 Religion 7.3 Media 7.4 Cuisine 7.5 Family life and values 7.6 Intermarriage 8 Politics 8.1 Political affiliations 8.2 Election results 8.2. 1 Elections of 1996 - 2006 8.2. 2 2008 election 8.2. 3 2012 election 8.3 Hispanic vote 9 Cultural issues 9.1 Hispanophobia 9.2 Relations with other minority groups 10 See also 11 Footnotes 12 Further reading 12.1 Surveys and historiography 12.2 Pre 1965 12.3 Culture and politics, post 1965 12.4 Women 12.5 Regional and local 12.5. 1 California 12.5. 2 Texas and Southwest 12.5. 3 Other regions 12.6 Primary sources 13 External links Terminology Main article : Hispanic / Latino naming dispute Hispanic and Latino Americans National origin groups Argentine Americans Bolivian Americans Brazilian Americans Chilean Americans Colombian Americans Costa Rican Americans Cuban Americans Dominican Americans Ecuadorian Americans Guatemalan Americans Honduran Americans Mexican Americans Nicaraguan Americans Panamanian Americans Paraguayan Americans Peruvian Americans Puerto Ricans ( stateside ) Salvadoran Americans Spanish Americanss Uruguayan Americans Venezuelan Americans History History of Hispanic and Latino Americans History of Mexican Americans Colonial casta system castizo cholo criollo mestizo mulato pardo / moreno zambo Political movements Chicano Movement Hispanic and Latino American politics Organizations Association of Hispanic Arts Congressional Hispanic Caucus Congressional Hispanic Conference LULAC MALDEF MEChA NALEO NALFO National Council of La Raza National Hispanic Institute RNHA SHPE UFW USHCC Culture Literature Music Religion Studies Related national groups Belizean Americans Brazilian Americans Filipino Americans Guyanese Americans Haitian Americans Portuguese Americans Spanish Americans Surinamese Americans Languages English Spanglish Spanish Cuban Spanish United States New Mexican Puerto Rican Ethnic groups Californio Chicano Hispano Isleño Nuevomexicano Nuyorican Tejano Lists Communities with Hispanic majority Hispanic and Latino Americans Puerto Rico Related topics The terms `` Hispanic '' and `` Latino '' refer to an ethnicity ; people of this group may be of any race. Hispanic people may share some commonalities in their language, culture, history, and heritage. According to the Smithsonian Institution, the term `` Latino '' includes peoples with Portuguese roots, such as Brazilians, as well as those of Spanish - language origin. In the United States, many Hispanics and Latinos are of both European and Native American ancestry ( mestizo ). Others are wholly or predominately of European ancestry, or wholly or predominantly of Amerindian ancestry. Many Hispanics and Latinos from the Caribbean, as well as other regions of Latin America where African slavery was widespread, may be of sub-Saharan African descent as well. The difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino is confusing to some. The U.S. Census Bureau equates the two terms and defines them as referring to anyone from Spain and the Spanish - speaking countries of the Americas. The term Latino has developed a number of definitions. One definition of Latino is `` a Latin male in the United States ''. This is the oldest and the original definition used in the United States, first used in 1946. This definition encompasses Spanish speakers from both Europe and the Americas. Under this definition, immigrants from Spain and immigrants from Latin America are both Latino. This definition is consistent with the 21st - century usage by the U.S. Census Bureau and OMB, as the two agencies use both terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably. A later definition of Latino is as a condensed form of the term `` Latino - Americano '', the Spanish word for Latin - American, or someone who comes from Latin America. Under this definition a Mexican American or Puerto Rican, for example, is both a Hispanic and a Latino. A Brazilian American is also a Latino by this definition, which includes those of Portuguese - speaking origin from Latin America. An immigrant from Spain, however, would be classified as Hispanic but not Latino by this definition. San Miguel Chapel, built in 1610 in Santa Fe, is the oldest church structure in the U.S. While the U.S. Census Bureau 's definition of `` Hispanic '' is limited to Spain and Spanish - speaking Latin America, other government agencies have slightly different definitions of the term. The US Department of Transportation defines `` Hispanic '' as `` persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race. '' This definition has been adopted by the Small Business Administration as well as by many federal, state, and municipal agencies. Unlike the Census Bureau 's definition, this clearly includes people with origins in Portuguese - speaking countries. Preference of use between the terms among Hispanics and Latinos in the United States often depends on where persons reside. Those in the Eastern United States tend to prefer the term Hispanic, whereas those in the West tend to prefer Latino. Both terms refer to ethnicity, as a person of Latino or Hispanic origin can be of any race. In Spanish, Latina is used for persons of feminine gender ; Latino is used for those of masculine gender, or by default. For example, a group of mixed or unknown gender would be referred to as Latinos. In the 21st century, the neologisms Latinx and Latin @ were coined as a gender - neutral alternative to this traditional usage. The X functions as a variable, encompassing those who identify as male, female, or non-binary. The @ symbol is seen as containing both the masculine ' o ' and feminine ' a ', thus serving a similar purpose. Neither has been widely adopted. History This section needs expansion with : more about the 19th and 20th centuries. You can help by adding to it. ( January 2010 ) Main article : History of Hispanic and Latino Americans See also : Hispanic Heritage Sites ( U.S. National Park Service ) 16th and 17th centuries Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, 16th - century Spanish admiral who founded the first European settlement in North America at Saint Augustine, Florida in 1565. Historical population Census Pop. % ± 1850 116,943 -- 1880 393,555 -- 1900 503,189 -- 1910 797,994 58.6 % 1920 1,286,154 61.2 % 1930 1,653,987 28.6 % 1940 2,021,820 22.2 % 1950 3,231,409 59.8 % 1960 5,814,784 79.9 % 1970 8,920,940 53.4 % 1980 14,608,673 63.8 % 1990 22,354,059 53.0 % 2000 35,305,818 57.9 % 50,477,594 43.0 % Est. 2014 55,387,539 9.7 % Sources : Hispanic / Latinos have been settled continuously in the territory of the United States since the late 16th century, earlier than any other colonial group of European origin. Spanish explorers were pioneers in the territory of the present - day United States. The first confirmed European landing in the continental U.S. was by Juan Ponce de León, who landed in 1513 at a lush shore he christened La Florida. Within three decades of Ponce de León 's landing, the Spanish became the first Europeans to reach the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi River, the Grand Canyon and the Great Plains. Spanish ships sailed along the East Coast, penetrating to present - day Bangor, Maine, and up the Pacific Coast as far as Oregon. From 1528 to 1536, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and three fellows ( including an African named Estevanico ), from a Spanish expedition that foundered, journeyed from Florida to the Gulf of California, 267 years before the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They turned back to the interior, reaching their destination of Mexico City. In 1540 Hernando de Soto undertook an extensive exploration of the present U.S. That same year Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led 2,000 Spaniards and Mexican Indians across today 's Arizona -- Mexico border and traveled as far as central Kansas, close to the exact geographic center of what is now the continental United States. Other Spanish explorers of the US territory include, among others : 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 and Juan de Oñate, and non-Spanish explorers working for the Spanish Crown, such as Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. In all, Spaniards probed half of today 's lower 48 states before the first English colonization effort in 1585 at Roanoke Island off the East Coast. In 1565 the Spanish created the first permanent European settlement in the continental United States, at St. Augustine, Florida. Santa Fe, New Mexico was founded before Jamestown, Virginia ( founded in 1607 ) and the New England Plymouth Colony ( 1620, of Mayflower and Pilgrims fame ). Spanish missionaries and colonists founded settlements in El Paso, San Antonio, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, to name a few. 18th and 19th centuries Castillo de San Marcos in Saint Augustine, Florida. Built in 1672 by the Spanish, it is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. As late as 1783, at the end of the American Revolutionary War ( a conflict in which Spain aided 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 ( through treaties, purchase, diplomacy, and the Mexican -- American War ) increased its area by roughly a third at Spanish and Mexican expense, acquiring three of what are today 's four most populous states -- California, Texas and Florida. 20th and 21st centuries During the 20th and 21st centuries, Hispanic and Latino immigration to the US increased markedly following changes to the immigration law in 1965. Hispanic and Latino contributions in the historical past and present of the United States are addressed in more detail below ( See Notables and their contributions ). To recognize the current and historic contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans, on September 17, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson designated a week in mid-September as National Hispanic Heritage Week, with Congress 's authorization. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan extended the observance to a month, designated Hispanic Heritage Month. Demographics Main article : Demographics of Hispanic and Latino Americans See also : Demographics of the United States and List of U.S. states by Hispanic and Latino population As of 2011, Hispanics accounted for 16.7 % of the national population, or around 52 million people. 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 % ). The growth rate from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006 alone was 3.4 % -- about three and a half times the rate of the nation 's total population growth ( at 1.0 % ). Based on the 2010 census, Hispanics are now the largest minority group in 191 out of 366 metropolitan areas in the US. 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. Geographic distribution Percent of Hispanic and Latino population by state in 2012. The percentage of Hispanic or Latino residents by county. US metropolitan areas with over 1 million Hispanics ( 2011 ) Rank Metropolitan area Hispanic population Percent Hispanic Los Angeles, California 5,804,000 45 % New York, New York 4,317,000 24 % San Juan, Puerto Rico 2,617,089 99 % Houston, Texas 2,105,000 37 % 5 San Bernardino - Riverside, California 2,062,000 48 % 6 Chicago, Illinois 1,971,000 22 % 7 Dallas, Texas 1,809,000 28 % 8 Miami, Florida 1,627,000 65 % 9 Phoenix, Arizona 1,163,000 30 % 10 San Francisco, California 1,114,000 23 % 11 San Antonio, Texas 1,112,000 56 % 12 San Diego, California 1,021,000 33 % States and territories with the highest proportion of Hispanics ( 2010 ) Rank State / Territory Hispanic population Percent Hispanic Puerto Rico 3,688,455 98 % New Mexico 953,403 46 % California 14,013,719 37 % Texas 9,460,921 37 % 5 Arizona 1,895,149 29 % 6 Nevada 716,501 26 % 7 Florida 4,223,806 22 % 8 Colorado 1,038,687 20 % 9 New Jersey 1,555,144 17 % 10 New York 3,416,922 17 % 11 Illinois 2,027,578 15 % Of the nation 's total Hispanic or Latino population, 49 % ( 21.5 million ) live in California or Texas. Over half of the Hispanic / Latino population is concentrated in the Southwest region, mostly composed of Mexican Americans. California and Texas have some of the largest populations of Mexicans and Central American Latinos in the United States. The Northeast region is dominated by Puerto Ricans and Dominican Americans, having the highest concentrations of both in the country. In the Mid Atlantic region, centered on the DC Metro Area, Salvadoran Americans are the largest of Hispanic groups. Florida is dominated by Cuban Americans and Puerto Ricans. In both the Great Lakes States and the South Atlantic States, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans dominate. Mexicans dominate in the rest of the country, including the Western United States, South Central United States and Great Plains states. National origin The Chicano Movement ( Chicanismo ) of the 1960s helped increase cultural awareness, and social empowerment of Mexican Americans ( Chicanos ) in the United States. As of 2007, some 64 % of the nation 's Hispanic population are of Mexican origin ( see table ). Another 9 % are of Puerto Rican origin, with about 3 % each of Cuban, Salvadoran and Dominican origins. The remainder are of other Central American or South American origin, or of origin directly from Spain. 60.2 % of all Hispanic and Latino Americans were born in the United States. There are few immigrants directly from Spain, since Spaniards have historically emigrated to Latin America rather than English - speaking countries. In the 2000 Census, 299,948 Americans, of whom 83 % were native - born, specifically reported their ancestry as Spaniard. However a larger number of people, in the 2000 Census some 2,187,144 Americans reported `` Spanish '' as their ancestry, whether directly from Spain or not. Ricky Martin at the annual Puerto Rican parade in Manhattan. In northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, there is a large portion of Hispanics who trace their ancestry to Spanish settlers of 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 Amerindians, creating a Mestizo population. Likewise, southern Louisiana is home to communities of people of Canary Islands descent, known as Isleños, in addition to other people of Spanish ancestry. Chicanos, Californios, Nuevomexicanos, and Tejanos are Americans of Spanish and or Mexican descent. Chicanos live in the Southwest, Nuevomexicanos in New Mexico, and Tejanos in Texas. Nuevomexicanos and Tejanos are distinct cultures with their own cuisines, dialects and musical traditions. The term `` Chicano '' became popular amongst Mexican Americans in the 1960s during the Chicano nationalism and Chicano Movement, and is today seen as an ethnic and cultural identity by some. Political activist César Chávez and novelist José Antonio Villarreal are famous Chicanos. Nuyoricans are Americans of Puerto Rican descent from the New York City area. There are close to two million Nuyoricans in the US. Famous Nuyoricans include US Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor and singer Jennifer Lopez. Population by national origin ( 2010 ) ( self - identified ethnicity, not by birthplace ) Hispanic ancestry Population % of Hispanics Mexican 31,798,258 63.0 Puerto Rican 4,623,716 9.2 Cuban 1,785,547 3.5 Salvadoran 1,648,968 3.3 Dominican 1,414,703 2.8 Guatemalan 1,044,209 2.1 Colombian 908,734 1.8 New Mexican 750,000 1.4 Spanish 635,253 1.3 Honduran 633,401 1.3 Ecuadorian 564,631 1.1 Peruvian 531,358 1.1 Nicaraguan 348,202 0.7 Argentine 224,952 0.4 Venezuelan 215,023 0.4 Panamanian 165,456 0.3 Chilean 126,810 0.3 Costa Rican 126,418 0.3 Bolivian 99,210 0.2 Uruguayan 56,884 0.1 Paraguayan 20,023 - All other 3,505,838 6.9 Total 50,477,594 100 Race Hispanic and Latino Americans by race ( 2010 ) Race Population % of all Hispanic and Latino Americans White 26,735,713 53.0 Some other race 18,503,103 36.7 Two or more races 3,042,592 6.0 Black 1,243,471 2.5 American Indian and Alaska Native 685,150 1.4 Asian 209,128 0.4 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 58,437 0.1 Total 50,477,594 100.0 See also : Race and ethnicity in Latin America and Race and ethnicity in the United States Hispanic or Latino origin is independent of race and is termed `` ethnicity '' by the United States Census Bureau. According to the 2007 American Community Survey, 42 % of Hispanic and Latinos were White. The largest numbers of White Hispanics come from within the Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and Colombian, communities. Actress Alexis Bledel is a White Hispanic of Argentine heritage. Bledel grew up in a Spanish speaking household and did not learn English until she began school. A significant percentage of the Hispanic and Latino population self - identifies as Mestizo, particularly the Mexican and Central American community. Mestizo is not a racial category in the U.S. Census, but signifies someone who has both European and American Indian Ancestry. According to the 2010 United States Census, 36.7 % of Hispanic / Latino Americans identify as `` some other race '' as these Hispanic / Latinos may feel the U.S. census does not describe their European or American Indian ancestry as they understand it to be. Half of the Hispanic / Latino population in the United States self - identifies as white. Most of the multi-racial population in the Mexican, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan communities are of European and Native American ancestry ( Mestizo ), while most of the multiracial population in the Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban communities are of European and African ancestry ( Mulatto ). Costa Rican - American actor Harry Shum, Jr. was born in Limón, Costa Rica to Chinese immigrants. His first language was Spanish. He subsequently learned Cantonese and English. The largest numbers of Black Hispanics are from the Spanish Caribbean islands, including the Cuban, Dominican, Panamanian, and Puerto Rican, communities. Hispanic and Latinos are racially diverse, although different `` races '' are usually the majority of each Hispanic group. For example, of Hispanic Americans deriving from northern Mexico, most are White or bi-racial having White / Native American Ancestry, while of those deriving from southern Mexican ancestry, the majority are Native American or of Native American and European Ancestry. In Guatemala, Native American and bi-racial people of Native American and European descent make the majority, while in El Salvador, whites and Bi-racial people of Native American / European descent are the majority. In the Dominican Republic the population are largely made up of people with inter-mixed ancestries, in which there are even levels of African and European ancestry, with smaller numbers of Whites and Blacks as well. In Puerto Rico, people with European ancestry are the majority. There are also populations of predominantly of African descent as well as populations of American Indian descent as well as those with inter-mixed ancestries. Cubans are mostly of White Latin American ancestry, however there are also populations of Blacks and multi-racials as well. The race and culture of each Hispanic / Latino country and their United States diaspora differs by history and geography. Mexicans represent the bulk of the US Hispanic / Latino population, and most Mexican Americans that migrate to the United States are of Native American and White descent, which causes many non-Hispanics to equate being Hispanic with being of mestizo or Native American ancestry. Official sources report the racial makeup of these Hispanic subgroups as follows, Argentina, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Chile, having the highest percentage of Hispanics self - identifying as white in their respective countries. As a result of their racial diversity, Hispanics form an ethnicity sharing a language ( Spanish ) and cultural heritage, rather than a race. The phenomenon of bi-racial people who are predominantly of European descent identifying as white is not limited to Hispanics or Spanish speakers but is also common among English speakers as well : researchers found that most White Americans with less than 28 percent African - American ancestry say they are White ; above that threshold, people tended to describe themselves as African - American. Youth As of 2014, one third, or 17.9 million, of the Hispanic population was younger than 18 and a quarter, 14.6 million were Millennials. This makes them more than half of the Hispanic population within the United States. Identity post-migration As Latino 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. '' 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 Latino in the global sphere. Transnationalism Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao was born in Cojimar, Habana del Este, Cuba, to Sinuhe Estrabao and Alejandro Cabello. For most of her early life, she and her family moved back and forth between Havana and Mexico City, Mexico ( her father 's native country ), before relocating to Miami, Florida at age. The term agringados is a term for immigrants who have gone to America and allowed themselves to be Americanized, thus losing their Latino identity. This is the identity struggle youth and families face because they are forced to choose how much American culture they can adopt without having their Latino peers looking down on them for being `` too American ''. Another way in which identity is compromised is shown through youth. Families who bring their young children into the U.S. allow them to be more exposed and vulnerable to adopting American identity. This becomes a problem for the parents because they struggle to understand their children and how to teach them, having grown up in their original country. 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 called latinidad. 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 of latinidad '' which establishes a `` sense of cultural affinity and identity deeply rooted in what many Latinos 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. '' This unites Latinos as one, creating cultural kin with other Latino ethnicities. Gender roles One of the many ways that migration to the United States changes identity for Latino youth is the way that they carry their gendered identities. Traditionally in Latino households it would be common to find women and young girls to be homebodies or una muchacha de la casa because this means she abides `` by the cultural norms and respectability, chastity, and family honor valued by the community. '' However when Latina women come to the United States or are for there, they tend to adapt to the social norms of this new country. When they do this their social location changes as they become more independent and able to live without the financial support of their families or partners. These women are then viewed as being de la calle which is to be transgressive and sexually promiscuous. When Latino families are in the United States, they `` 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 Puerto Rico with family members, regardless of whether or not they are sexually active. '' Along with the increase in independence amongst these young women, the concept of vergüenza in many of the dynamics between gender relations begins to diminish. To have vergüenza is to assert male dominance in all spheres, especially in his relationship with his feminine partner. It is enforced through shaming males into fitting a macho archetype in order to establish respect, dominance and in turn manliness in their social worlds. While there are many Latina women in the homeland as well as older Latina women in the United States who often reinforce this dynamic by not wanting a man who is a sinvergüenza ( one without shame ), the Latinx youth are taking sinvergüenza and wearing it with honor. Often being in the middle of these two worlds makes for the youth to `` meditate between the two cultures and ( their ) ambivalence toward feeling a lack of vergüenza '' resulting in a group of youth who celebrate being sinvergüenza while still acknowledging the concept of vergüenza within a part of their culture. Sexuality Sofía Vergara a Colombian actress and model. With the Catholic Church remaining a large influence on the Latino culture, the subject of promiscuity and sexuality is often considered taboo. It is taught in many Latino cultures that best way to remain pure of sin and not become pregnant is to remain celibate and heterosexual. All are to be straight and women are to be virgins and must carry herself like a Madonna in order to receive respect and have the family 's honor remain. However, despite being told that they should essentially suppress any natural feeling of sexual curiosity, through the globalization of encouraging sexual liberation, many young Latina women take their sexuality into their own hands and do not listen to the Madonna ideal. Despite the this oppressive nature, `` women are neither passive nor one - dimensional individuals who automatically adapt to these culturally and socially defined moral prescriptions shaping their sex lives in some way '' but instead `` sophisticated, multidimensional, and active social agents who react to these prescriptions in multiform and complicated ways. '' Latino youth are also taking control of their sexuality through migration, globalization, and tourism in places like Acapulco, Cancun, Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Veracruz, all cities in Mexico. These cities are becoming popularized by gay youth, both Mexican and American, and have become somewhat of a safe haven for homosexual people as well as those whom have been labeled gay, not for their sexual preferences but because of the way that they 're gender is perceived by others. Due to the persecution for presenting as homosexual that is faced in Mexico along with the difficulty to immigrate north of the border, `` many queer Mexican men and women migrating to urban areas within Mexico has proved to be a better alternative. '' The creation of this ambiente, is due to the not only globalization of queerness but as well as the way harsh immigration laws in the United States makes these cities one of their only options. Notable contributions Hispanic and Latino Americans have made distinguished contributions to the United States in all major fields, such as politics, the military, music, literature, philosophy, sports, business and economy, and science. Arts and entertainment In 1995, the American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award was created. It 's a distinction given to Latino performers ( actors, film and television directors, and musicians ) by the National Council of La Raza. Music Main article : Latin music in the United States Jennifer Lopez performing during the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Brazil There are many Hispanic American musicians that have achieved international fame, such as Christopher Rios better known by his stage name Big Pun, Mariah Carey, Jennifer López, Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Zack de la Rocha, Fergie, Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Kat DeLuna, Selena, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, Selena Gomez, Jerry García, Demi Lovato, Dave Navarro, Romeo Santos, Tom Araya, Becky G, Camila Cabello, all members of all - girl band Go Betty Go and two members of girl group, Fifth Harmony : Lauren Jauregui and Ally Brooke. Enrique Iglesias performing with Pitbull at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, 2015 Among the Hispanic American musicians who were pioneers in the early stages of rock and roll were Ritchie Valens, who scored several hits, most notably `` La Bamba '' and Herman Santiago 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 are `` ¿ Dónde Está Santa Claus ? '' is a novelty Christmas song with 12 - year - old ( Augie Ríos ) was a record hit in 1959 which featured the Mark Jeffrey Orchestra. `` Feliz Navidad '' by José Feliciano. Miguel del Aguila, wrote 116 works and has three Latin Grammy nominations In 1986, Billboard magazine introduced the Hot Latin Songs chart which ranks the best - performing songs on Spanish - language radio stations in the United States. Seven years later, Billboard initiated the Top Latin Albums which ranks top - selling Latin albums in the United States. Similarly, the Recording 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. In 1989, Univision established the Lo Nuestro Awards which became the first award ceremony to recognize the most talented performers of Spanish - language music and was considered to be the `` Hispanic Grammys ''. In 2000, the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences ( LARAS ) established the Latin Grammy Awards to recognize musicians who perform in Spanish and Portuguese. Unlike The Recording Academy, LARAS extends its membership internationally to Spanish - and Portuguese - speaking communities worldwide in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. Film, radio, television, and Theatre Antonio Banderas an American actor. He has starred in many films. Hispanics and Latinos have also contributed some prominent actors and others in the film industry. Of Puerto Rican origin : José Ferrer ( the first Hispanic actor to win an Academy Award for his role in Cyrano de Bergerac ), Rita Moreno, Chita Rivera, Raul Julia, Rosie Perez, Rosario Dawson, Esai Morales, Jennifer Lopez and Benicio del Toro. Of Mexican origin : Ramón Novarro, Dolores del Río, Lupe Vélez, Anthony Quinn, Ricardo Montalbán, Katy Jurado, Edward James Olmos, Salma Hayek, Danny Trejo, and Becky G. Of Cuban origin : Cesar Romero, Andy García, Cameron Diaz and Eva Mendes. Of Dominican origin : Maria Montez and Zoe Saldana. Of Brazilian origin : Carmen Miranda, Sonia Braga, and Rodrigo Santoro. Of Spanish origin : Rita Hayworth, Martin Sheen, and Antonio Banderas. Other outstanding figures are : Anita Page ( of Salvadoran origin ), Fernando Lamas ( of Argentine origin ), Raquel Welch ( of Bolivian origin ), Maria Conchita Alonso ( of Venezuelan origin ), John Leguizamo ( of Colombian origin ) and Oscar Isaac ( of Guatemalan origin ). Jessica Marie Alba is an American actress and businesswoman. In standup comedy, 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 or Latino actors who achieved notable success in U.S. television include Desi Arnaz, Lynda Carter, Jimmy Smits, Charo, Selena Gomez, Carlos Pena Jr., Eva Longoria, Sofía Vergara, Benjamin Bratt, Ricardo Montalbán, America Ferrera, Karla Souza, Diego Boneta, Erik Estrada, Cote de Pablo, Freddie Prinze, Lauren Vélez, and Charlie Sheen. Kenny Ortega is an Emmy Award - winning producer, director, and choreographer who has choreographed many major television events such as Super Bowl XXX, the 72nd Academy Awards, and Michael Jackson 's memorial service. Hispanics and Latinos are underrepresented in U.S. television, radio, and film. This is combatted by organizations such as the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors ( HOLA ), founded in 1975 ; and National Hispanic Media Coalition ( NHMC ), founded in 1986. Together with numerous Latino civil rights organizations, the NHMC led a `` brownout '' of the national television networks in 1999, after discovering that there were no Latinos in any of their new prime time shows that year. This resulted in the signing of historic diversity agreements with ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC that have since increased the hiring of Hispanic and Latino 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. Business and finance See also : Hispanic 500 U.S. Century Bank is one of the largest Hispanic - owned banks in the United States. 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. Hispanic and Latino business leaders include Cuban immigrant Roberto Goizueta, who rose to head of The Coca - Cola Company. Advertising Mexican - American magnate Arte Moreno became the first Hispanic to own a major league team in the United States when he purchased the Los Angeles Angels baseball club. Also a major sports team owner is Mexican - American Linda G. Alvarado, president and CEO of Alvarado Construction, Inc and co-owner of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. The largest Hispanic - owned food company in the US is Goya Foods, because of World War II hero Joseph A. Unanue, the son of the company 's founders. Angel Ramos was the founder of Telemundo, Puerto Rico 's first television station 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. made Wall Street history by becoming the first Hispanic to launch a successful investment banking firm, Ramirez & Co. Nina Tassler is president of CBS Entertainment since September 2004. She is the highest - profile Latina in network television and one of the few executives who has the power to approve the airing or renewal of series. Fashion In the world of fashion, notable Hispanic and Latino designers include Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, and Narciso Rodríguez among others. Christy Turlington, Gisele Bündchen and Lea T achieved international fame as models. Government and Politics Main article : List of Hispanic Americans in the United States Congress Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Governor and former Congressman, Cabinet member, Ambassador, and U.S. Presidential candidate Bill Richardson As of 2007 there were more than five thousand elected officeholders in the United States who were of Latino origin. In the House of Representatives, Hispanic and Latino representatives have included Ladislas 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 include Ileana Ros - Lehtinen, Jose E. Serrano, Luis Gutiérrez, Nydia Velázquez, Xavier Becerra, Lucille Roybal - Allard, Loretta Sanchez, Rubén Hinojosa, Mario Diaz - Balart, Raul Grijalva, Ben R. Lujan, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Raul Labrador, and Alex Mooney -- in all, they number thirty. Former senators are Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, Mel Martinez, Dennis Chavez, Joseph Montoya, and Ken Salazar. As of January 2011, the U.S. Senate includes Hispanic members Bob Menendez, a Democrat, and Republicans Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, all Cuban Americans. Numerous Hispanics and Latinos hold elective and appointed office in state and local government throughout the United States. Current Hispanic Governors include Republican Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Republican New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez ; upon taking office in 2011, Martinez became the first Latina governor in the history of the United States. Former Hispanic governors include Democrats Jerry Apodaca, Raul Hector Castro, and Bill Richardson, as well as Republicans Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, Romualdo Pacheco, and Bob Martinez. Marco Rubio suspended his campaign for President on March 15, 2016. Catherine Cortez Masto, first Latina U.S. Senator Since 1988, when Ronald Reagan appointed Lauro Cavazos the Secretary of Education, the first Hispanic United States Cabinet member, Hispanic Americans have had an increasing presence in presidential administrations. Hispanics serving in subsequent cabinets include Ken Salazar, current Secretary of the Interior ; Hilda Solis, current United States Secretary of Labor ; Alberto Gonzales, former United States Attorney General ; Carlos Gutierrez, Secretary of Commerce ; Federico Peña, former Secretary of Energy ; Henry Cisneros, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ; Manuel Lujan, Jr., former Secretary of the Interior ; and Bill Richardson, former Secretary of Energy and Ambassador to the United Nations. Rosa Rios is the current US Treasurer, including the latest three, were Hispanic women. In 2009, Sonia Sotomayor became the first Supreme Court Associate Justice of Hispanic or Latino origin. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus ( CHC ), founded in December 1976, and the Congressional 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 of Democratic representatives, whereas the Congressional Hispanic Conference is composed entirely of Republican representatives. Literature and journalism Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, reporter, author, and talk show host. Jorge Ramos has won eight Emmy Awards and the Maria Moors Cabot Award for excellence in journalism. In 2015, Ramos was one of fiveselected as Times Magazine 's World 's Most Influential People. See also : Category : Hispanic and Latino American writers and National Association of Hispanic Journalists Among the distinguished Hispanic and Latino authors and works are : Isabel Allende ( The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts ) Sandra Cisneros ( The House on Mango Street and Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories ) Julia Álvarez ( `` How the García Girls Lost Their Accents '' ) Jorge Majfud ( Crisis ) Rudolfo Anaya ( Bless Me, Ultima and Heart of Aztlan ) Giannina Braschi ( Empire of Dreams, Yo - Yo Boing !, and ' United States of Banana ) Junot Díaz ( The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ) Frank X Gaspar ( Leaving Pico ) Rigoberto González ( Butterfly Boy : Memories of a Chicano Mariposa ) Jovita González de Mireles ( Caballero, cowritten with Eve Raleigh, and Dew On The Thorn ) Oscar Hijuelos ( The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love ) Micol Ostow ( `` Mind Your Manners, Dick and Jane '', `` Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa '' Benito Pastoriza Iyodo ( A Matter of Men and September Elegies ) Tomas Rivera (... And the Earth did Not Devour Him ) Richard Rodríguez ( Hunger of Memory ) Rubén Salazar ( journalist ) George Santayana ( novelist and philosopher : `` Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it '' ) Sergio Troncoso ( From This Wicked Patch of Dust and The Last Tortilla and Other Stories ) Alisa Valdes - Rodriguez ( Haters ) Victor Villaseñor ( Rain of Gold ) Oscar Zeta Acosta ( The Revolt of the Cockroach People ) Guadalupe Baca - Vaughn ( The Souls in Purgatory ) Alberto Alvaro Rios ( Capirotada, Elk Heads on the Wall and The Iguana Killer ) John Quiñones Military See also : Spain in the American Revolutionary War, Hispanics in the American Civil War, Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps, and Hispanic Americans in World War II Major General Luis R. Esteves, the first Hispanic to graduate from the United States Military Academy ( `` West Point '' ). Antonia Novello is the first woman and first Hispanic to serve as Surgeon General. Four Star Gen. Richard E. Cavazos became the U.S. Army 's first Hispanic Four Star General Rear Admiral Ronald J. Rábago, the first Hispanic to be promoted to Rear Admiral ( lower half ) in the United States Coast Guard Hispanics and Latinos have participated in the military of the United States and in every major military conflict from the American Revolution onward. 11 % to 13 % military personnel now are Latinos and they have been deployed in the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War, and U.S. military missions and bases elsewhere. Hispanics and Latinos 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 and Latinos have been awarded the nation 's highest military distinction, the Medal of Honor ( also known as the Congressional Medal of Honor ). The following is a list of some notable Hispanics / Latinos in the military : American Revolution Bernardo de Gálvez ( 1746 -- 1786 ) was a Spanish military leader and colonial administrator who aided the American Thirteen Colonies in their quest for independence and led Spanish forces against Britain in the Revolutionary War. Since 2014 he is a posthumous Honorary citizen of the United States. Lieutenant Jorge Farragut Mesquida ( 1755 -- 1817 ) -- Participated in the American Revolution as a lieutenant in the South Carolina Navy. American Civil War Main article : Hispanics in the American Civil War Admiral David Farragut -- Farragut was promoted to vice admiral on December 21, 1864, and to full admiral on July 25, 1866, after the war, thereby becoming the first person to be named full admiral in the Navy 's history. Colonel Ambrosio José Gonzales -- Gonzales was active during the bombardment of Fort Sumter and because of his actions was appointed Colonel of artillery and assigned to duty as Chief of Artillery in the department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Brigadier General Diego Archuleta ( 1814 -- 1884 ) -- was a member of the Mexican Army who fought against the United States in the Mexican -- American War. During the American Civil War he joined the Union Army ( US Army ) and became the first Hispanic to reach the military rank of Brigadier General. He commanded The First New Mexico Volunteer Infantry in the Battle of Valverde. He was later appointed an Indian ( Native Americans ) Agent by Abraham Lincoln. Colonel Carlos de la Mesa -- Grandfather of Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen, Sr. commanding general of the First Infantry Division in North Africa and Sicily, and later the commander of the 104th Infantry Division during World War II. Colonel Carlos de la Mesa was a Spanish national who fought at Gettysburg for the Union Army in the Spanish Company of the `` Garibaldi Guard '' of the 39th New York State Volunteers. Colonel Federico Fernández Cavada -- Commanded the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry regiment when it took the field in the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg. Colonel Miguel E. Pino -- Commanded the 2nd Regiment of New Mexico Volunteers, which fought at the Battle of Valverde in February and the Battle of Glorieta Pass and helped defeat the attempted invasion of New Mexico by the Confederate Army. Colonel Santos Benavides -- Commanded his own regiment, the `` Benavides Regiment. '' He was the highest ranking Mexican - American in the Confederate Army. Major Salvador Vallejo -- Officer in one of the California units that served with the Union Army in the West. Captain Adolfo Fernández Cavada -- Cavada served in the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteers at Gettysburg with his brother, Colonel Federico Fernandez Cavada. He served with distinction in the Army of the Potomac from Fredericksburg to Gettysburg and was a `` special aide - de-camp '' to General Andrew A. Humphreys. Captain Roman Anthony Baca -- Member of the Union forces in the New Mexico Volunteers. He also served as a spy for the Union Army in Texas. Lieutenant Augusto Rodriguez -- A Puerto Rican native who served as an officer in the 15th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, of the Union Army. Rodríguez served in the defenses of Washington, D.C. and led his men in the Battles of Fredericksburg and Wyse Fork. Lola Sánchez -- Sánchez was a Cuban born woman who became a Confederate spy who helped the Confederates obtain a victory against the Union Forces in the `` Battle of Horse Landing ''. Loreta Janeta Velázquez, also known as `` Lieutenant Harry Buford '' -- She was a Cuban woman who donned Confederate garb and served as a Confederate officer and spy during the American Civil War. World War I. Major General Luis R. Esteves, U.S. Army -- In 1915, Esteves became the first Hispanic to graduate from the United States Military Academy ( `` West Point '' ). Esteves also organized the Puerto Rican National Guard. Private Marcelino Serna -- Serna was an undocumented Mexican immigrant who joined the United States Army and became the most decorated soldier from Texas in World War I. Serna was the first Hispanic to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. World War II Lieutenant General Pedro del Valle -- the first Hispanic to reach the rank of Lieutenant General. He played an instrumental role in the seizure of Guadalcanal and Okinawa as Commanding General of the U.S. 1st Marine Division during World War II. Lieutenant General Elwood R. Quesada ( 1904 -- 1993 ) -- Commanding general of the 9th Fighter Command, where he established advanced headquarters on the Normandy beachhead on D - Day plus one, and directed his planes in aerial cover and air support for the Allied invasion of the European continent during World War II. He was the foremost proponent of `` the inherent flexibility of air power '', a principle he helped prove during the war. Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen, Sr. ( 1888 -- 1969 ) -- was the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa and Sicily during World War II, and was made commander of the 104th Infantry Division. Colonel Virgil R. Miller -- was the Regimental Commander of the 442d Regimental Combat Team, a unit that was composed of `` Nisei '' ( second generation Americans of Japanese descent ), during World War II. He led the 442nd in its rescue of the Lost Texas Battalion of the 36th Infantry Division, in the forests of the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France. Captain Marion Frederic Ramírez de Arellano ( 1913 -- 1980 ) -- served in World War II and was the first Hispanic submarine commander. First Lieutenant Oscar Francis Perdomo, of the 464th Fighter Squadron, 507th Fighter Group was the last `` Ace in a Day '' for the United States in World War II. CWO2 Joseph B. Aviles, Sr. -- a member of the United States Coast Guard and the first Hispanic - American to be promoted to Chief Petty Officer, received a war - time promotion to Chief Warrant Officer ( November 27, 1944 ), thus becoming the first Hispanic American to reach that level as well. Sergeant First Class Agustín Ramos Calero -- was the most decorated Hispanic soldier in the European Theatre of World War II. PFC Guy Gabaldon, USMC -- captured over a thousand prisoners during the World War II Battle of Saipan. Tech4 Carmen Contreras - Bozak -- the first Hispanic woman to serve in the U.S. Women 's Army Corps where she served as an interpreter and in numerous administrative positions. Korean War Major General Salvador E. Felices, U.S. Air Force -- In 1953, Felices flew in 19 combat missions over North Korea, during the Korean War. In 1957, he participated in `` Operation Power Flite '', a historic project that was given to the Fifteenth Air Force by the Strategic Air Command headquarters. Operation Power Flite was the first around the world non-stop flight by an all - jet aircraft. First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez -- is the only Hispanic graduate of the United States Naval Academy ( `` Annapolis '' ) to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Sergeant First Class Modesto Cartagena -- was a member of the 65th Infantry Regiment, an all - Puerto Rican regiment also known as `` The Borinqueneers '', during World War II and the Korean War. He was the most decorated Puerto Rican soldier in history. Cuban Missile Crisis Admiral Horacio Rivero, Jr. -- second Hispanic four - star admiral, was the commander of the American fleet sent by President John F. Kennedy to set up a quarantine ( blockade ) of the Soviet ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Vietnam War Sergeant First Class Jorge Otero Barreto a.k.a. `` The Puerto Rican Rambo '' - was the most decorated Hispanic American soldier in the Vietnam War After Vietnam Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez -- top commander of the Coalition forces during the first year of the occupation of Iraq, 2003 -- 2004, during the Iraq War Lieutenant General Edward D. Baca -- In 1994, Baca became the first Hispanic Chief of the National Guard Bureau. Vice Admiral Antonia Novello, M.D., Public Health Service Commissioned Corps -- In 1990, Novello became the first Hispanic ( and first female ) U.S. Surgeon General. Vice Admiral Richard Carmona, M.D., Public Health Service Commissioned Corps -- Carmona served as the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, under President George W. Bush. Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina, USMC, made history by becoming the first Marine Corps officer to take command of a naval flotilla. Rear Admiral Ronald J. Rábago is the first person of Hispanic American descent to be promoted to rear admiral ( lower half ) in the United States Coast Guard. Captain Linda Garcia Cubero, United States Air Force -- in 1980 became the first Hispanic woman graduate of the United States Air Force. Major General Erneido Oliva. He was appointed to the position of Deputy Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard. Brigadier General Carmelita Vigil - Schimmenti, United States Air Force - in 1985 became the first Hispanic female to attain the rank of Brigadier General in the Air Force. On August 2, 2006, Brigadier General Angela Salinas, made history when she became the first Hispanic female to obtain a general rank in the Marines. Chief Master Sergeant Ramón Colón - López is pararescueman who in 2007, was the only Hispanic among the first six airmen to be awarded the newly created Air Force Combat Action Medal. Medal of honor Main article : List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients 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, and Maximo Yabes. National Intelligence In the spy arena, José Rodríguez, a native of Puerto Rico, was the Deputy Director of Operations and subsequently Director of the National Clandestine Service ( D / NCS ), two senior positions in the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ), between 2004 and 2007. Lieutenant Colonel Mercedes O. Cubria ( 1903 -- 1980 ), a.k.a. La Tía ( The Aunt ), was the first Cuban - born female officer in the U.S. Army. She served in the Women 's Army Corps during World War II and in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and was recalled into service during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1988, she was posthumously inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. Science and technology See also : Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Luis Walter Álvarez, experimental physicist, inventor, and professor. Awarded the Nobel Prize of Physics in 1968. Laser physicist and author Francisco Javier Duarte Among Hispanic Americans who have excelled in science are Luis Walter Álvarez, Nobel Prize -- winning physicist, and his son Walter Alvarez, a geologist. They first proposed that an asteroid impact on the Yucatán Peninsula caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Mario J. Molina won the Nobel Prize in chemistry and currently works in the chemistry department at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Victor Manuel Blanco is an astronomer who in 1959 discovered `` Blanco 1 '', a galactic cluster. F.J. Duarte is a laser physicist and author ; he received the Engineering Excellence Award from the prestigious Optical Society of America for the invention of the N - slit laser interferometer. Alfredo Quiñones - Hinojosa is the Director of the Pituitary Surgery Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Director of the Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Physicist Albert Baez made important contributions to the early development of X-ray microscopes and later X-ray telescopes. His nephew John Carlos Baez is also a noted mathematical physicist. Francisco J. Ayala is a biologist and philosopher, former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has been awarded the National Medal of Science and the Templeton Prize. Peruvian - American biophysicist Carlos Bustamante has been named a Searle Scholar and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow. Luis von Ahn is one of the pioneers of crowdsourcing and the founder of the companies reCAPTCHA and Duolingo. Colombian - American Ana Maria Rey received a MacArthur 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. Fermín Tangüis was an agriculturist and scientist who developed the Tangüis Cotton in Peru and saved that nation 's cotton industry. Severo Ochoa, born in Spain, was a co-winner of the 1959 Nobel 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 the National 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 the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton, and was the first Latina president of the American Public Health Association. Joseph Acaba, Puerto Rican - American NASA astronaut. Mexican American Astronaut Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in the world to go into space. Some Hispanics and Latinos have made their names in astronautics, including several NASA astronauts : Franklin Chang - Diaz, the first Latin American NASA astronaut, is co-recordholder for the most flights in outer space, and is the leading researcher on the plasma engine for rockets ; France A. Córdova, former NASA chief scientist ; Juan R. Cruz, NASA aerospace engineer ; Lieutenant Carlos 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 's Goddard 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 the International Space Station power system. Mercedes Reaves, research engineer and scientist who is responsible for the design of a viable full - scale solar sail and the development and testing of a scale model solar sail at NASA Langley 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, Jose Hernández, Michael López - Alegría, John Olivas, and George Zamka, who are current or former astronauts. Sports Baseball Alex Rodriguez The large number of Hispanic and Latino American stars in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) includes players like Ted Williams ( considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time ), Alex Rodriguez, Alex Rios, Miguel Cabrera, Lefty Gómez, Iván Rodríguez, Carlos González, Roberto Clemente, Adrian Gonzalez, Jose Fernandez, David Ortiz, Fernando Valenzuela, Nomar Garciaparra, Albert Pujols, Omar Vizquel, managers Al López, Ozzie Guillén, and Felipe Alou, and General Manager Omar Minaya. Basketball and Football Tony Romo, Mexican American quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. There have been far fewer football and basketball players, let alone star players, but Tom Flores was the first Hispanic head coach and the first Hispanic quarterback in American professional football, and won Super Bowls as a player, as assistant coach and as head coach for the Oakland Raiders. Anthony Múñoz is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, ranked # 17 on Sporting News 's 1999 list of the 100 greatest football players, and was the highest - ranked offensive lineman. Jim Plunkett won the Heisman Trophy and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and Joe Kapp is inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. Steve Van Buren, Martin Gramatica, Victor Cruz, Tony Gonzalez, Marc Bulger, Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez can also be cited among successful Hispanics and Latinos in the National Football League ( NFL ). Puerto Rican NBA Allstar Carmelo Anthony Trevor Ariza, Mark Aguirre, Carmelo Anthony, Manu Ginóbili, Carlos Arroyo, Gilbert Arenas, Rolando Blackman, Pau Gasol, Jose Calderon, José Juan Barea and Charlie Villanueva can be cited in the National 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 ) ) and Olympic basketball and played professionally in the Women '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 the Harlem Globetrotters. Tennis Tennis players includes legend Pancho Gonzales and Olympic tennis champions and professional players Mary Joe Fernández and Gigi Fernández and 2016 Puerto Rican Gold Medalist Monica Puig. Football ( Soccer ) Bocanegra with the United States men 's national soccer team in 2010 Hispanics are present in all major American sports and leagues, but have particularly influenced the growth in popularity of soccer in the United States. Soccer is the most popular sport across Latin America and Spain, and Hispanics brought the heritage of soccer playing to the US. Major League Soccer teams such as Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, and the Houston Dynamo, for example, have a fanbase composed primarily of Mexican Americans. Association football players in the Major League Soccer ( MLS ) includes several like Tab Ramos, Claudio Reyna, Omar Gonzalez, Marcelo Balboa and Carlos Bocanegra. Other sports De La Hoya in 2008 Boxing 's first Hispanic world champion was Panama Al Brown. Some other champions include Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Bobby Chacon, Brandon Ríos, Michael Carbajal, John Ruiz, and Carlos Ortiz. Ricco Rodriguez, Tito Ortiz, Diego Sanchez, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Dominick Cruz, Frank Shamrock, Gilbert Melendez, Roger Huerta, Carlos Condit, Kelvin Gastelum, and UFC Heavy Weight Champion Cain Velasquez have been competitors in the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) of mixed martial arts. In 1991 Bill Guerin whose mother is Nicaraguan became the first Hispanic player in the National Hockey League ( NHL ). He was also selected to four NHL All - Star Games. In 1999 Scott Gomez won the NHL Rookie of the Year Award. Figure skater Rudy Galindo ; golfers Chi Chi Rodríguez, Nancy López, and Lee Trevino ; softball player Lisa Fernández ; and Paul Rodríguez Jr., X Games professional skateboarder, are all Hispanic or Latino Americans who have distinguished themselves in their sports. In sports entertainment we find the professional wrestlers Alberto Del Rio, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Tyler Black and Melina Pérez, and executive Vickie Guerrero. Education See also : Hispanic - serving institution Hispanic or Latino K - 12 Education Lauro Cavazos Secretary of Education from August 1988 to December 1990. With the increasing Hispanic population in the United States, Latinos have had a considerable impact on the K - 12 system. In 2011 - 12, Latina / os comprised 24 % of all enrollments in the United States, including 52 % and 51 % of enrollment in California and Texas, respectively. Further research shows the Latino population will continue to grow in the United States, implicating that more Latinos will populate U.S schools. The state of Latina / o education shows some promise. First, Hispanic students attending pre-K or kindergarten were more likely to attend full - day programs. Second, Latinos in elementary education were the second largest group represented in gifted and talented programs. Third, Hispanics ' average NAEP math and reading scores have consistently increased over the last 10 years. Finally, Latina / os were more likely than other groups, including whites, to go to college. However, their academic achievement in early childhood, elementary, and secondary education lag behind other groups. For instance, their average math and reading NAEP scores were lower than every other group, except African Americans, and have the highest dropout rate of any group, 13 % despite decreasing from 24 %. To explain these disparities, some scholars have suggested there is a Latino `` Education Crisis '' due to failed school and social policies. To this end, scholars have further offered several potential reasons including language barriers, poverty, and immigrant / nativity status resulting in Latinos not performing well academically. English language Learners Hispanics have revived the use of Spanish in the United States, originally brought to North America during the Spanish colonial period in the 16th century. Today, there are almost 40 million Spanish speakers in the United States. Spanish is also the most popular language taught in the United States. Currently, 80 % of Hispanic students in the U.S. are English Language Learners. In 2008 - 9, 5.3 million students were classified as English Language Learners ( ELLs ) in pre-K to 12th grade. This is a result of many students entering the education system at different ages, although the majority of ELLs are not foreign born. In order to provide English instruction for Latino students there have been a multitude of English Language programs. However, the great majority of these programs are English Immersion, which arguably undermines the students ' culture and knowledge of their primary language. As such, there continues to be great debate within schools as to which program can address these language disparities. Poverty 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. '' In the case of Latinos the poverty rate for Hispanic Children in 2004 was 28.6 percent. 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. Immigration status Immigrants have not always had access to compulsory education in the United States. However, due to the Landmark Supreme Court Plyler v. Doe in 1982, immigrants are allowed access to K - 12 education. This significantly impacted all immigrant groups, including Latina / os. However, their academic achievement is dependent upon several factors including, but not limited to time of arrival and schooling in country of origin. Moreover, Latinos ' immigration / nativity status plays a major role regarding their academic achievement. For instance, first - and second - generation Latinos outperform their later generational counterparts. Additionally, their aspirations appear to decrease as well. This has major implications on their postsecondary futures. Hispanic or Latino higher Education University of Texas at El Paso is the number one graduate engineering school for Latinos. 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 Cuban Americans, 16 % of Puerto Ricans, 15 % of Dominicans, and 11 % for Mexican Americans. Over 21 % of all second - generation Dominican Americans have college degrees, slightly below the national average ( 28 % ) but significantly higher than U.S. - born Mexican Americans ( 13 % ) and U.S. - born Puerto Rican Americans ( 12 % ). Hispanic and Latinos make up the second or third largest ethnic group in Ivy League universities, considered to be the most prestigious in the United States. Hispanic and Latino enrollment at Ivy League universities has gradually increased over the years. Today, Hispanics make up between 8 % of students at Yale University to 15 % at Columbia University. For example, 18 % of students in the Harvard University Class of 2018 are Hispanic. Hispanics have significant enrollment in many other top universities such as University of Texas at El Paso ( 70 % of students ), Florida International University ( 63 % ), University of Miami ( 27 % ), and MIT, UCLA, & UC - Berkeley at 15 % each. At Stanford University, Hispanics are the third largest ethnic group behind non-Hispanic Whites and Asians, at 18 % of the student population. Hispanic University enrollments Hispanics study in universities around the country, but can also attend to Hispanic - serving institution, institutions that are part of a federal program designed to assist colleges or universities in the United States that attempt to assist first generation, majority low income Hispanic students. There are over 250 schools that have been designated as an HSI. Universities with the largest Hispanic undergraduate enrollment ( 2013 ) Rank University Hispanic enrollment % of student body Florida International University 24,105 67 % University of Texas at El Paso 15,459 81 % University of Texas Pan American 15,009 91 % University of Texas at San Antonio 11,932 47 % 5 California State University at Northridge 11,774 38 % 6 California State University at Fullerton 11,472 36 % 7 Arizona State University 11,465 19 % 8 California State University at Long Beach 10,836 35 % 9 California State University at Los Angeles 10,392 58 % 10 University of Central Florida 10,255 20 % Universities with the largest Hispanic graduate enrollment ( 2013 ) Rank University Hispanic enrollment % of student body Nova Southeastern University 4,281 20 % Florida International University 3,612 42 % University of Southern California 2,358 11 % University of Texas Pan American 2,120 78 % 5 University of Texas at El Paso 2,083 59 % 6 CUNY Graduate Center 1,656 30 % 7 University of New Mexico 1,608 26 % 8 University of Texas at San Antonio 1,561 35 % 9 University of Florida 1,483 9 % 10 Arizona State University 1,400 10 % Hispanic student enrollment in university and college systems ( 2012 - 2013 ) Rank University system Hispanic enrollment % of student body California Community College System 642,045 41 % California State University 149,137 33 % Florida College System 118,821 26 % University of Texas System 84,086 39 % 5 State University System of Florida 79,931 24 % 6 City University of New York 77,341 30 % 7 State University of New York 43,514 9 % 8 University of California 42,604 18 % 9 Texas A&M University System 27,165 25 % 10 Nevada System of Higher Education 21,467 21 % - Ivy League 11,562 10 % Health Hispanic and Latino Americans are the longest - living Americans, according to official data. Their life expectancy is more than two years longer than for non-Hispanic whites and almost eight years longer than for African Americans. Median income Median Household Income ( 2011 ) Ethnicity or nationality Income Argentinean $55,000 Peruvian $50,000 Venezuelan $50,000 Ecuadorian $48,600 Colombian $48,000 Nicaraguans $46,700 Salvadoran $40,000 Cubans $38,600 Mexicans $38,000 Guatemalans $36,400 Puerto Ricans $36,000 Dominicans $32,300 Hondurans $31,000 Sources : In 2011, the median household income among Hispanic and Latino Americans was highest for Argentinean Americans ( $55,000 ), and lowest for Honduran Americans ( $31,000 ). For other large Hispanic groups, the incomes were as follows : Salvadoran Americans ( $40,000 ), Cuban Americans ( $38,600 ), Mexican Americans ( $38,000 ), Guatemalan Americans ( $36,400 ), Puerto Ricans ( $36,000 ) and Dominican Americans ( $32,300 ). Poverty According to the U.S. Census, the poverty rate among the six largest Hispanic groups during the period of 2007 - 2011 was : Dominican Americans ( 26.3 percent ), Puerto Ricans ( 25.6 ), Guatemalan Americans ( 25.1 ), Mexican Americans ( 24.9 percent ), Salvadoran Americans ( 18.9 ) and Cuban Americans ( 14.2 ). In comparison, the average poverty rates for non-Hispanic White Americans ( 12.8 percent ) and Asian Americans ( 11.3 percent ) were lower than those of any Hispanic group. African Americans ( 25.8 percent ) had a higher poverty rate than Cuban Americans, Salvadoran Americans, Mexican Americans, Guatemalan Americans and Puerto Ricans, but had a lower poverty rate than Dominican Americans. Cultural influence Main articles : American culture and Hispanic culture See also : National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations The geographic, political, social, economic, and racial diversity of Hispanic and Latino Americans makes all Hispanics very different depending on their family heritage and / or national origin. Yet several features tend to unite Hispanics from these diverse backgrounds. Spanish speakers in the United States Year Number of Spanish speakers Percent of US population 1980 11 million 5 % 1990 17.3 million 7 % 2000 28.1 million 10 % 37 million 13 % 2012 38.3 million 13 % 2020 ( projected ) 40 million 14 % Sources : Language See also : Spanish language in the United States and Languages of the United States Spanish Spanish colonial architecture in Los Angeles ' Plaza Historic District. The Spanish language in the Southwestern United States spans many centuries. 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 Hispanic adults said `` it 's important that future generations of Hispanics speak Spanish. '' Given the United States ' proximity to other Spanish - 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. Hispanics have revived the Spanish language in the United States. First brought to North America by the Spanish during the Spanish colonial period in the 16th century, Spanish was the first European language spoken in the Americas. Spanish is the oldest European language in the United States, spoken uninterruptedly for four and a half centuries, since the founding of Saint Augustine, Florida in 1565. Today, 90 % of all Hispanics and Latinos speak English, and at least 78 % speak fluent Spanish. Additionally, 2.8 million non-Hispanic Americans also speak Spanish at home for a total of 41.1 million. With 40 % of Hispanic and Latino Americans being immigrants, and with many of the 60 % who are U.S. - 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. American Spanish dialects See also : Isleño and New Mexican Spanish The Spanish dialects spoken in the United States differ depending on the country of origin of the person or the person 's family heritage. Generally, however, Spanish spoken in the Southwest is Mexican Spanish ( or Chicano Spanish ). An old, colonial variety of Spanish is spoken by descendants of the early Spanish colonists in New Mexico and Colorado, which is New Mexican Spanish. One of the major distinctions of New Mexican Spanish is its heavy use of colonial vocabulary and verb tenses that make New Mexican Spanish uniquely American amongst Spanish dialects. The Spanish spoken in Florida and in the Northeast is Caribbean Spanish and is heavily influenced by the Spanish of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Canarian Spanish is the historic Spanish dialect spoken by the descendants of the earliest Spanish colonists beginning in the 18th century in Louisiana. Spanish spoken elsewhere throughout the country varies, although is generally Mexican Spanish. Spanglish and English dialects Main articles : Chicano English, Spanglish, Miami § Dialect, and New York Latino English See also : List of English words of Spanish origin Hispanics have influenced the way Americans speak with the introduction of many Spanish words into the English language. Amongst younger generations of Hispanics, Spanglish, or a mix of Spanish and English, may be a common way of speaking. Although they are fluent in both languages, speakers will switch between Spanish and English throughout the conversation. Spanglish is particularly common in Hispanic - majority cities and communities such as Miami, Hialeah, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and New York City. Hispanics have also influenced the way English is spoken in the United States. In Miami, for example, the Miami 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 of Cuban Americans in Miami. Today, it is commonly heard everywhere throughout the city. Gloria Estefan and Enrique Iglesias are examples of people who speak with the Miami dialect. Another major English dialect, is spoken by Chicanos and Tejanos in the Southwestern United States, called Chicano English. George Lopez and Selena are examples of speakers of Chicano English. An English dialect spoken by Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic groups is called New York Latino English. Religion José Horacio Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles. Hispanics are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. The most methodologically rigorous study of Hispanic or Latino religious affiliation to date was the Hispanic Churches in American Public Life ( HCAPL ) National Survey, conducted between August and October 2000. This survey found that 70 % of all Hispanic and Latino Americans are Catholic, 20 % are Protestant, 3 % are `` alternative Christians '' ( such as Mormons or Jehovah 's Witnesses ), 1 % identify themselves with a non-Christian religion ( including Islam, Judaism, Buddhism... ), and 6 % have no religious preference ( with only 0.37 % claiming to be either atheist or agnostic ). The results of this study suggest that Hispanics / Latinos are not only a highly religious, but also a highly Christian constituency. It also suggests that Hispanic / Latino Protestants are a more sizable minority than is sometimes realized. Catholic affiliation is much higher among first - generation than it is among second - or third - generation Hispanic or Latino immigrants, who exhibit a fairly high rate of defection to Protestantism. Also Hispanics and Latinos in the Bible Belt, which is mostly located in the South, are more likely to shift to Protestantism than those in other regions, as it is all around them. Protestant denominations that have attracted Hispanic / Latino converts are Pentecostalism, Southern Baptist, and the Episcopal Church. According to Andrew Greeley, as many as 600,000 American Latinos leave Catholicism for Protestant churches every year. Hispanic or Latino Catholics are developing youth and social programs to retain members, as well as the spread of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Media Univisión is the country 's largest Spanish language network, followed by Telemundo. It is the country 's fourth - largest network overall. El Rey Network ( Spanish for The King ) is an English language American television channel targeting Latino audiences. LATV `` Latino Alternative Television '' The United States is home to thousands of Spanish - language media outlets, which range in size from giant commercial and some non-commercial broadcasting networks and major magazines with circulations numbering in the millions, to low - power AM radio stations with listeners numbering in the hundreds. There are hundreds of Internet media outlets targeting U.S. Hispanic consumers. Some of the outlets are online versions of their printed counterparts and some online exclusively. Among the most notable Hispanic / Latino - oriented media outlets are : Univisión, the largest Spanish - language television network in the United States, with affiliates in nearly every major U.S. market, and numerous affiliates internationally ; Telemundo, the second - largest Spanish - language television network in the United States, with affiliates in nearly every major U.S. market, and numerous affiliates internationally ; Azteca América, a Spanish - language television network in the United States, with affiliates in nearly every major U.S. market, and numerous affiliates internationally ; La Opinión, a Spanish - language daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the six counties of Southern California. It is the largest Spanish - language newspaper in the United States ; El Nuevo Herald and Diario Las Américas, Spanish - language daily newspapers serving the greater Miami, Florida market ; El Rey Network, is an English television channel targeting Latino audiences with 40 million homes of reaching capacity. Its headquarters are in Austin, Texas ; Hispanic Business, an English - language business magazine about Hispanics ; mun2, a cable network that produces content for U.S. - born Hispanic and Latino audiences ; People en Español, a Spanish - language magazine counterpart of People ; ConSentido TV, a television, radio, and newspaper network in North Texas ; TBN Enlace USA, a Spanish - language Christian television network based in Tustin, California ; 3ABN Latino, a Spanish - language Christian television network based in West Frankfort, Illinois ; V - me, a Spanish - language television network, a sister network of PBS ; CNN en Español, a Spanish - language all - news television network based in Atlanta, Georgia ; Vida Latina, a Spanish - language entertainment magazine distributed throughout the Southern United States. ESPN Deportes and Fox Deportes, two Spanish - language sports television networks. Cuisine Mexican food has become part of the mainstream American market just as Italian food did so decades before. Latino food, particularly Mexican food, has influenced American cuisine and eating habits. Mexican cuisine has become so mainstream in American culture that many no longer see it as an ethnic food. Across the US, tortillas and salsa are arguably becoming as common as hamburger buns and ketchup. Tortilla chips have surpassed potato chips in annual sales, and plantain chips popular in Caribbean cuisines have continued to increase sales. Tropical fruit, such as mango, guava, and passion fruit ( maracuyá ), have become more popular and are now common flavors in desserts, candies, and food dishes in the US. Due to the large Mexican - American population in the Southwestern United States, and its proximity to Mexico, Mexican food there is believed to be some of the best in the US. Cubans brought Cuban cuisine to Miami, and today, cortaditos, pastelitos de guayaba, and empanadas are common mid-day snacks in the city. Cuban culture has changed Miami 's coffee drinking habits, and today a café con leche or a cortadito is commonly had, often with a pastelito ( pastry ), at one of the city 's numerous coffee shops. The Cuban sandwich developed in Miami, and is now a staple and icon of the city 's cuisine and culture. Family life and values A Quinceañera after a Catholic Mass, celebrating a daughter 's 15th birthday, common amongst Hispanic families. Hispanic and Latino 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 US. The role of grandparents is believed to be very important in the upbringing of children. 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, particularly Roman Catholic sacraments : such as baptisms, birthdays, First Holy Communions, quinceañeras, Confirmations, graduations, and weddings are all popular moments of family gatherings and celebrations in Hispanic families. Education is another important priority for Hispanic families. Education is seen as the key towards continued upward mobility in the US 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. Latin American 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. Intermarriage Hispanic Americans, like immigrant groups before them, are out - marrying at high rates. Out - marriages comprised 17.4 % of all existing Hispanic marriages in 2008. 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 whites, 17.1 % of blacks, 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. 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. In 2008, 81 % of Hispanics who married out married non-Hispanic Whites, 9 % married non-Hispanic Blacks, 5 % non-Hispanic Asians, and the remainder married non-Hispanic, multi-racial partners. Of the 275,500 new intermarried pairings 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, multi-racial people, and American Indians ). Unlike those for marriage to Blacks and Asians, intermarriage rates of Hispanics to Whites 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. Attitudes among non-Hispanics toward intermarriage with Hispanics are mostly favorable, with 81 % of Whites, 76 % of Asians, and 73 % of Blacks `` being fine '' with a member of their family marrying a Hispanic and an additional 13 % of Whites, 19 % of Asians, and 16 % of Blacks `` being bothered but accepting of the marriage. '' Only 2 % of Whites, 4 % of Asians, and 5 % of Blacks would not accept a marriage of their family member to a Hispanic. Hispanic attitudes toward intermarriage with non-Hispanics are likewise favorable, with 71 % `` being fine '' with marriages to Whites and 81 % `` being fine '' with marriages to Blacks. A further 22 % admitted to `` being bothered but accepting '' of a marriage of a family member to a White and 16 % admitted to `` being bothered but accepting '' of a marriage of a family member to a Black. Only 3 % of Hispanics objected outright marriage of a family member to a non-Hispanic Black and 3 % to a non-Hispanic White. Unlike intermarriage with other racial groups, intermarriage with non-Hispanic Blacks varies by nationality of origin. Puerto Ricans and Dominicans have by far the highest rates of intermarriage with blacks, of all major Hispanic national groups. Cubans have the highest rate of intermarriage with non-Hispanic Whites, of all major Hispanic national groups, and are the most assimilated into White American culture. Mexican Americans, who are the majority of the US Hispanic population, are most likely to intermarry with Whites and Asians when marrying out. Politics Main article : Hispanic and Latino American politics See also : List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress Current Hispanics and Latinos in United States government Political party State Term Ancestry Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor N / A N / A 2009 -- Present Puerto Rican State Governors Brian Sandoval Republican Nevada 2011 -- Present Mexican Susana Martínez Republican New Mexico 2011 -- Present Mexican US Senate Bob Menéndez Democrat New Jersey 2006 -- Present Cuban Marco Rubio Republican Florida 2011 -- Present Cuban Ted Cruz Republican Texas 2013 -- Present Cuban Catherine Cortez Masto Democrat Nevada 2017 -- present Mexican US House of Representatives Ileana Ros - Lehtinen Republican Florida 1989 -- Present Cuban José E. Serrano Democrat New York 1990 -- Present Puerto Rican Luis Gutiérrez Democrat Illinois 1993 -- Present Puerto Rican Lucille Roybal - Allard Democrat California 1993 -- Present Mexican Nydia Velázquez Democrat New York 1993 -- Present Puerto Rican Rubén Hinojosa Democrat Texas 1997 -- Present Mexican Grace Napolitano Democrat California 1999 -- Present Mexican Mario Díaz - Balart Republican Florida 2003 -- Present Cuban Raúl Grijalva Democrat Arizona 2003 -- Present Mexican Linda Sánchez Democrat California 2003 -- Present Mexican Henry Roberto Cuellar Democrat Texas 2005 -- Present Mexican Albio Sires Democrat New Jersey 2006 -- Present Cuban Ben Ray Luján Democrat New Mexico 2009 -- Present Mexican Bill Flores Republican Texas 2011 -- Present Mexican Jaime Herrera Republican Washington 2011 -- Present Mexican Raúl Labrador Republican Idaho 2011 -- Present Puerto Rican Tony Cárdenas Democrat California 2013 -- Present Mexican Joaquín Castro Democrat Texas 2013 -- Present Mexican Pete Gallego Democrat Texas 2013 -- Present Mexican José Antonio García Democrat Florida 2013 -- Present Cuban Michelle Lujan Grisham Democrat New Mexico 2013 -- Present Mexican Raúl Ruiz Democrat California 2013 -- Present Mexican Juan Vargas Democrat California 2013 -- Present Mexican Filemon Vela, Jr. Democrat Texas 2013 -- Present Mexican Pete Aguilar Democrat California 2015 -- Present Mexican Norma Torres Democrat California 2015 -- Present Guatemalan Ruben Gallego Democrat Arizona 2015 -- Present Mexican Nanette Barragán Democrat California 2017 -- Present Mexican Salud Carbajal Democrat California 2017 -- Present Mexican Lou Correa Democrat California 2017 -- Present Mexican Jimmy Gomez Democrat California 2017 -- Present Mexican Political affiliations The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, circa 1984 Hispanics and Latinos differ on their political views depending on their location and background. The majority ( 57 % ) either identify as or support the Democrats, and 23 % identify as Republicans. This 34 - point gap as of December 2007 was an increase from the gap of 21 points 16 months earlier. Cuban Americans and Colombian Americans tend to favor conservative political ideologies and support the Republicans. Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominican Americans tend to favor liberal views and support the Democrats. However, because the latter groups are far more numerous -- as, again, Mexican Americans alone are 64 % of Hispanics and Latinos -- the Democratic Party is considered to be in a far stronger position with the ethnic group overall. Election results The presidency of George W. Bush had a significant influence on the political leanings of Hispanics and Latinos, as he attracted new supporters. As a former Governor of Texas, Bush regarded this growing community as a potential source of growth for the conservative movement and the Republican Party. He made some gains for the Republicans among the group. Elections of 1996 - 2006 President Bill Clinton and his Hispanic appointees in 1998 In the 1996 presidential election, 72 % of Hispanics and Latinos backed President Bill Clinton. In 2000 the Democratic total fell to 62 %, and went down again in 2004, with Democrat John Kerry winning Hispanics 58 -- 40 against Bush. Hispanics in the West, especially in California, were much stronger for the Democratic Party than in Texas and Florida. California Latinos voted 63 -- 32 for Kerry in 2004, and both Arizona and New Mexico Latinos by a smaller 56 -- 43 margin. Texas Latinos were split nearly evenly, favoring Kerry 50 -- 49 over their favorite son candidate, and Florida Latinos ( who are mostly Cuban American ) backed Bush, by a 54 -- 45 margin. In the 2006 midterm election, however, due to the unpopularity of the Iraq War, the heated debate concerning illegal Hispanic immigration, and Republican - related Congressional scandals, Hispanics and Latinos 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 Latinos for the first time split evenly. The runoff election in Texas ' 23rd congressional district was seen as a bellwether of Latino politics. Democrat Ciro Rodriguez 's unexpected ( and unexpectedly decisive ) defeat of Republican incumbent Henry Bonilla was seen as proof of a leftward lurch among Latino voters ; majority - Latino counties overwhelmingly backed Rodriguez, and majority European - American counties overwhelmingly backed Bonilla. 2008 election Hispanic Vote in US Presidential Elections since 1980 Election year Candidate of the plurality Political party % of Hispanic vote Result 1980 Jimmy Carter Democratic 56 % Lost 1984 Walter Mondale Democratic 61 % Lost Michael Dukakis Democratic 69 % Lost Bill Clinton Democratic 61 % Won Bill Clinton Democratic 72 % Won 2000 Al Gore Democratic 62 % Lost John Kerry Democratic 58 % Lost 2008 Barack Obama Democratic 67 % Won 2012 Barack Obama Democratic 71 % Won 2016 Hillary Clinton Democratic 79 % Lost In the 2008 Presidential election 's Democratic primary Hispanics and Latinos participated in larger numbers than before, with Hillary Clinton receiving most of the group 's support. Pundits discussed whether a large percentage of Hispanics and Latinos would vote for an African - American candidate, in this case Barack Obama, Clinton 's opponent. Hispanics / Latinos voted 2 to 1 for Mrs. Clinton, even among the younger demographic. In other groups, younger voters went overwhelmingly for Obama. Among Hispanics, 28 % said race was involved in their decision, as opposed to 13 % for ( non-Hispanic ) whites. Obama defeated Clinton. In the matchup between Obama and Republican candidate John McCain for the presidency, Hispanics and Latinos supported Obama with 59 % to McCain 's 29 % in the Gallup tracking poll as of June 30, 2008. This surprised some analysts, since a higher than expected percentage of Latinos and Hispanics favored Obama over McCain, who had been a leader of the comprehensive immigration reform effort. However, McCain had retreated during the Republican primary, saying that he would not support the bill if it came up again. Some analysts believed that this shift damaged his standing among Hispanics and Latinos. Obama took advantage of the situation by running ads in Spanish to appeal to this ethnic group, in which he mentioned McCain 's about - face. In the general election, 67 % of Hispanics and Latinos voted for Obama and 31 % voted for McCain, with a relatively stronger turnout than in previous elections in states such as Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Virginia, 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 changing state demographics, in which the non-Cuban Hispanic community is increasing in number, also contributed to his carrying Florida 's Latinos with 57 % of the vote. Hispanics and Latinos also offset Republican gains in traditional red states ; for example, Obama carried 63 % of Texas Latinos, when the overall vote of the state was for McCain by 55 %. Although during 2008 the economy and employment were top concerns for Hispanics and Latinos, immigration was `` never far from their minds '' : almost 90 % of Latino voters rated immigration as `` somewhat important '' or `` very important '' in a poll taken after the election. There is `` abundant evidence '' that the heated Republican opposition to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 has done significant damage to the party 's appeal to Hispanics and Latinos in the years to come, especially in the swing states such as Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico. In a Gallup poll of 4,604 registered Hispanic voters taken in the final days of June 2008, only 18 % of participants identified as Republicans. Some political organizations associated with Hispanic and Latino Americans are League of United Latin American Citizens ( LULAC ), the National Council of La Raza ( NCLR ), the United Farm Workers, the Cuban American National Foundation, and the National Institute for Latino Policy. 2012 election Hispanic and Latinos voted even more heavily for Democrats in the 2012 election with the Democratic incumbent Barack Obama receiving 71 % and the Republican challenger Mitt Romney receiving about 27 % of the vote. Hispanic vote United States has a population of 50 million of Hispanic and Latino Americans, of them, 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 %. Cultural issues Hispanophobia Main articles : Hispanophobia and Anti-Mexican sentiment Hispanophobia has existed in various degrees throughout U.S. history, based largely on ethnicity, race, culture, Anti-Catholicism, economic and social conditions in Latin America, and use of the Spanish language. In 2006, Time Magazine reported that the number of hate groups in the United States increased by 33 percent since 2000, primarily due to anti-illegal immigrant and anti-Mexican sentiment. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics, the number of anti-Latino hate crimes increased by 35 percent since 2003 ( albeit from a low level ). In California, the state with the largest Latino population, the number of hate crimes against Latinos almost doubled. For the year 2009, the FBI reported that 483 of the 6,604 hate crimes committed in the United States were anti-Hispanic comprising 7.3 % of all hate crimes. This compares to 34.6 % of hate crimes being anti-Black, 17.9 % being anti-Homosexual, 14.1 % being anti-Jewish, and 8.3 % being anti-White. Relations with other minority groups As a result of the rapid growth of the Hispanic population, there has been some tension with other minority populations, especially the African American population, as Hispanics have increasingly moved into once exclusively Black areas. There has also been increasing cooperation between minority groups to work together to attain political influence. A 2007 UCLA study reported that 51 % of Blacks felt that Hispanics were taking jobs and political power from them and 44 % of Hispanics said they feared African - Americans identifying them ( African Americans ) with high crime rates. That said, large majorities of Hispanics credited American blacks and the civil rights movement with making life easier for them in the US. A Pew Research Center poll from 2006 showed that Blacks overwhelmingly felt that Hispanic immigrants were hard working ( 78 % ) and had strong family values ( 81 % ) but also that they believed that immigrants took jobs from Americans ( 34 % ) with a significant minority of Blacks ( 22 % ) believing that they had directly lost a job to an immigrant and 34 % of Blacks wanting immigration to be curtailed. The report also surveyed three cities : Chicago ( with its well - established Latino community ) ; Washington DC ( with a less - established but quickly growing Hispanic community ) ; and Raleigh - Durham ( with a very new but rapidly growing Hispanic community ). The results showed that a significant proportion of Blacks in those cities wanted immigration to be curtailed : Chicago ( 46 % ), Raleigh - Durham ( 57 % ), and Washington DC ( 48 % ). Per a 2008 University of California, Berkeley Law School research brief, a recurring theme to Black / Hispanic tensions is the growth in `` contingent, flexible, or contractor labor, '' which is increasingly replacing long term steady employment for jobs on the lower - rung of the pay scale ( which had been disproportionately filled by Blacks ). The transition to this employment arrangement corresponds directly with the growth in the Latino immigrant population. The perception is that this new labor arrangement has driven down wages, removed benefits, and rendered temporary, jobs that once were stable ( but also benefiting consumers who receive lower - cost services ) while passing the costs of labor ( healthcare and indirectly education ) onto the community at large. A 2008 Gallup poll indicated that 60 % of Hispanics and 67 % of blacks believe that good relations exist between US blacks and Hispanics while only 29 % of blacks, 36 % of Hispanics, and 43 % of whites, say Black -- Hispanic relations are bad. In 2009, in Los Angeles County, Latinos committed 77 % of the hate crimes against black victims and blacks committed half of the hate crimes against Latinos. See also Hispanic and Latino Americans portal Places of settlement in United States : List of U.S. communities with Hispanic majority populations in the 2010 census List of U.S. cities with large Hispanic population List of U.S. cities by Spanish - speaking population Hispanic and Latino Americans in California Hispanic and Latino Americans in Arizona Hispanic and Latino Americans in New Mexico Hispanic and Latino Americans in Texas Hispanic and Latino Americans in Nevada Hispanic and Latino Americans in Florida Diaspora : Latino diaspora Hispanidad Latin Americans Latin American Australian Latin American Canadian Latin Americans in the United Kingdom Latin American Asian Hispanics and Latins in Europe Individuals : List of Hispanic and Latino Americans Hispanics in the American Civil War Hispanic Americans in World War II Hispanics in the United States Air Force Hispanics in the United States Coast Guard Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps Hispanics in the United States Navy Hispanic Admirals in the United States Navy Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy Other Hispanic and Latino Americans topics : National Alliance for Hispanic Health White Hispanic and Latino Americans List of U.S. place names of Spanish origin Latino National Survey, 2006 General : Demographics of the United States Footnotes ^ Jump up to : `` Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States, States, and Counties : 2016 Population Estimates ''. United States Census Bureau. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Supplemental Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Leading Core Based Statistical Areas ( CBSAs ) of Residence and Region and Country of Birth : Fiscal Year 2014 ''. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved July 3, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Gallup, Inc. `` U.S. Catholic Hispanic Population Less Religious, Shrinking ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Growing number of Latinos have no religious affiliation ''. NBC Latino. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin : 2010 '' ( PDF ). U.S. Census Bureau. March 2011. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on April 29, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Luis Fraga ; John A. Garcia ( 2010 ). Latino Lives in America : Making It Home. Temple University Press. p. 145. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4399 - 0050 - 5. Jump up ^ Nancy L. Fisher ( 1996 ). Cultural and Ethnic Diversity : A Guide for Genetics Professionals. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 19. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8018 - 5346 - 3. Jump up ^ Robert H. Holden ; Rina Villars ( 2012 ). Contemporary Latin America : 1970 to the Present. John Wiley & Sons. p. 18. ISBN 978 - 1 - 118 - 27487 - 3. Jump up ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_diaspora Jump up ^ `` 49 CFR Part 26 ''. Retrieved 2012 - 10 - 22. ' Hispanic Americans, ' which includes European - descended persons of Mexican -, Puerto Rican -, Cuban, Dominican -, Central or South American Jump up ^ `` US Small Business Administration 8 ( a ) Program Standard Operating Procedure '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2006 - 09 - 25. Retrieved 2012 - 10 - 22. 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, Mexico, or the Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Portugal. Jump up ^ Humes, Karen R. ; Jones, Nicholas A. ; Ramirez, Roberto R. `` Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin : 2010 '' ( PDF ). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2011 - 04 - 29. Retrieved 2011 - 03 - 28. `` Hispanic or Latino '' refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder Help : Hispanic or Latino origin ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 05. Jump up ^ `` PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY Universe : Total population, 2014 American Community Survey 1 - Year Estimates ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 14 October 2015. This page of the US Census bureau is about the reported ethnicities of United States in 2014. The page indicates the number of American people ( or residents in United States ) identifying as of different national origins. ^ Jump up to : Office of Management and Budget. `` Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997 ''. Archived from the original on January 17, 2017. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 01. ^ Jump up to : Grieco, Elizabeth M. ; Rachel C. Cassidy. `` Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin : 2000 '' ( PDF ). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 27. Jump up ^ `` B03001. Hispanic or Latino origin by specific origin ''. 2009 American Community Survey 1 - Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2016 - 04 - 17. Retrieved 2010 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` CIA -- The World Factbook -- Field Listing : : Ethnic groups ''. Retrieved 2010 - 11 - 18. Jump up ^ `` T4 - 2007. Hispanic or Latino By Race ( 15 ) ''. 2007 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ `` B03002. Hispanic or Latino origin by race ''. 2007 American Community Survey 1 - Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010 - 09 - 02. Jump up ^ Tafoya, Sonya ( 2004 - 12 - 06 ). `` Shades of Belonging '' ( PDF ). Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 07. Jump up ^ The Contested Homeland - A Chicano History of New Mexico Jump up ^ `` Hispanics Were Not The Fastest - Growing Minority Group Last Year ''. MarketingCharts. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ F. Lennox Campello. `` Hispanics or Latinos : A Culture -- Not a Race ! ''. Tripod.com. Retrieved 9 January 2016. ^ Jump up to : Small, Lawrence M ( 2002 - 08 - 01 ). `` Latino Legacies ''. Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 28. 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... ^ Jump up to : `` A Brief History of St. Augustine ''. City of St. Augustine. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 28. 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. ^ Jump up to : `` A Spanish Expedition Established St. Augustine in Florida ''. America 's Library. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on May 24, 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 28. 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. ^ Jump up to : Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales. `` The Founding of St. Augustine, 1565 ''. Modern History Sourcebook. Fordham University. Archived from the original on 2010 - 09 - 26. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Oldest U.S. City -- Infoplease.com ''. Retrieved 2008 - 11 - 21. Jump up ^ The Encyclopedia Americana. Encyclopedia Americana Corp. 1919. p. 151. Jump up ^ `` Documents in Mexican American History ''. University of Houston. Archived from the original on 2012 - 01 - 21. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Cuartocentennial of Colonization of New Mexico ''. New Mexico State University. Archived from the original on 2011 - 11 - 15. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 11. Jump up ^ Katarzyna Bryc, Eric Y. Durand, J. Michael Macpherson, David Reich & Joanna L. Mountain, The Genetic Ancestry of African Americans, Latinos, and European Americans across the United States, American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 96, Issue 1, pp. 37 - 53 ( 2015 ). ^ Jump up to : `` Mexican America : Glossary ''. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. 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. Jump up ^ `` ( T ) he term ' Latino '... may be more inclusive than the term ' Hispanic. ' '' Deborah A. Ramirez, `` Excluded Voices : The Disenfranchisement of Ethnic Groups From Jury Service '', 1993 Wis. L. Rev. 761, 806 ( 1993 ). Jump up ^ Carlos Dejud ( 2007 ). The Relationship Among Ethnic Identity, Psychological Well - being, Academic Achievement, and Intergroup Competence of School - age Hispanic / Latino Youth. ProQuest. p. 21. ISBN 978 - 0 - 549 - 29853 - 3. ^ Jump up to : `` Online Etymology Dictionary ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Timothy Ready ( 1991 ). Latino Immigrant Youth : Passages from Adolescence to Adulthood. Taylor & Francis. p. 14. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8153 - 0057 - 1. Jump up ^ `` Latino : People with roots in the Spanish - and Portuguese - speaking Americas. '' http://csuchico-dspace.calstate.edu/handle/10211.4/222 Jump up ^ Anderson, Kevin ( 2008 - 10 - 18 ). `` The complexity of race in New Mexico ''. The Guardian. London. Jump up ^ `` AP Stylebook Twitter ''. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 06. Jump up ^ `` Herald Style Guide ''. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 06. Jump up ^ `` Newsroom 101 : Recent Changes to AP Style ''. Newsroom 101. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 06. Jump up ^ `` What is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ( DBE ) ? ''. US Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights. Archived from the original on January 9, 2010. Jump up ^ United States Census Bureau. `` U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin Data ''. Retrieved 2007 - 03 - 18. Race and Hispanic origin are two separate concepts in the federal statistical system. People who are Hispanic may be of any race. People in each race group may be either Hispanic or not Hispanic. Each person has two attributes, their race ( or races ) and whether or not they are Hispanic / Latino. Jump up ^ `` DICCIONARIO PANHISPÁNICO DE DUDAS - GÉNERO 2.2 ''. Real Academia Española. Retrieved 12 July 2014. Jump up ^ Black, Rosalind ( September 22, 2014 ). `` Oberlin Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month ''. Oberlin College. Retrieved October 2, 2014. Jump up ^ `` ' Latin @ ' Offers A Gender - Neutral Choice ; But How To Pronounce It ? ''. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 29. Jump up ^ Campbell Gibson ; Kay Jung ( September 2002 ). `` Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States '' ( PDF ). Population Division. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2010 - 03 - 27. ^ Jump up to : `` US Census Press Releases ; Hispanic Heritage Month 2009 : Sept. 15 -- Oct. 15 ''. Archived from the original on 2010 - 02 - 23. Retrieved 2010 - 01 - 26. Jump up ^ US Census Bureau Public Information Office. `` Most Children Younger Than Age 1 are Minorities, Census Bureau Reports - Population - Newsroom - U.S. Census Bureau ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` T1. Population Estimates ( 10 ) ; Data Set : 2007 Population Estimates ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 30. Jump up ^ `` US Census Press Releases ''. United States Census Bureau. 2008 - 07 - 16. Archived from the original on 2007 - 09 - 14. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 30. Jump up ^ USA Today : `` Census : Hispanics surpass blacks in most U.S. metros '' April 14, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Table 4. Projections of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States : 2010 to 2050 ''. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original ( Excel ) on 2010 - 03 - 27. Retrieved 2010 - 10 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic Population in Select U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 2011 ''. Pew Research Center 's Hispanic Trends Project. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic Population by State : 2006 '' ( PDF ). Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Detailed Hispanic Origin : 2007 '' ( PDF ). Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved 2009 - 05 - 30. Jump up ^ `` United States -- Selected Population Profile in the United States ( Spaniard ) ''. 2007 American Community Survey 1 - Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 05. Jump up ^ Brittingham, Angela ; G. Patricia de la Cruz ( June 2004 ). `` Ancestry : 2000. Census 2000 Brief '' ( PDF ). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2004 - 09 - 20. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 13. Jump up ^ `` New Mexico CultureNet -- Cuartocentenario ''. New Mexico CultureNet. Archived from the original on 2007 - 10 - 06. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 13. Jump up ^ United States Census Bureau : `` The Hispanic Population 2010 Census Brief : Table 1. `` Hispanic or Latino Origin Population by Type : 2000 and 2010 '' May 2011 ^ Jump up to : `` Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin : 2010 '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2011 - 04 - 29. Retrieved 2013 - 05 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Technical Documentation for the Census 2000 Modified Race Data Summary File ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2004 - 09 - 18. Jump up ^ `` B03002. Hispanic or Latino origin by race ''. 2007 American Community Survey 1 - Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. while the ratio rises to 92 % in the Population Estimates Program, which are the official estimates. `` T4 - 2007. Hispanic or Latino By Race ( 15 ) ''. 2007 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ Latina Magazine `` A native of Phoenix, Nanette moved with her family at age 8 to Guadalajara ( and later to Mexico City ), where she developed `` a Mexican soul, '' she says... It 's a legacy Alexis feels strongly connected to -- and proud of. `` In general I think Latinos know how to live and eat and sleep and spend time with their families, '' she says. '' Jump up ^ `` A Chat With Alexis Bledel '' February 19, 2003, DVDTown.com Archived August 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Mara Loveman ; Jeronimo Muniz ( 2006 ). How Puerto Rico Became White - University of Wisconsin. ^ Jump up to : `` Cuba : Exploring the History of Admixture and the Genetic Basis of Pigmentation Using Autosomal and Uniparental Markers ''. PLoS Genetics. 10 : e1004488. doi : 10.1371 / journal. pgen. 1004488. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Republic of Cuba - Country Profile ''. nationsonline.org. Retrieved January 10, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` The World Factbook ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Carl Zimmer ( 2014 ). The New York Times : White ? Black ? A Murky Distinction Grows Still Murkier. Jump up ^ Patten, Eileen ( 2016 - 04 - 20 ). `` The Nation 's Latino Population Is Defined by Its Youth ''. Pew Research Center 's Hispanic Trends Project. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 17. ^ Jump up to : Hondagneu - Sotelo, Pierrette. 2004. Gender and the Latino experience in Late - Twentieth - Century America. In The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States since 1960. D.G. Gutiérrez, ed. New York : Columbia University Press. Jump up ^ Souza, Caridad ( 2002 ) `` The Sexual Identities of Young Puerto Rican Mothers, '' Diálogo : Vol. 6 : No. 1, Article 10. Jump up ^ Pérez, Gina. ( 2003 ), ' Puertorriqueñas Rencorosas y Mejicanas Sufridas ' : Gendered Ethnic Identity Formation in Chicago 's Latino Communities. Journal of Latin American Anthropology 8 ( 2 ) : 96 -- 124. Jump up ^ Barriga, Miguel Díaz. 2001. Vergüenza and Changing Chicano and Chicana Narratives. Men and Masculinities 3 ( 1 ) 278 - 298. Jump up ^ González - López, Gloria. 2007. ' Confesiones de Mujer ' : The Catholic Church and Sacred Morality in the Sex Lives of Mexican Immigrant Women. In Sexual Inequalities and Social Justice. N. Teunis and G.H. Herdt, eds. Berkeley : University of California Press. Jump up ^ Cantú, Lionel. 2002. De Ambiente : Queer Tourism and the Shifting Boundaries of Mexican Male Sexualities. GLQ : 2002 8 ( 1 - 2 ) : 139 - 166. Jump up ^ Suzanne Oboler and Deena J. González, eds. The Oxford Encyclopedia Of Latinos & Latinas In The United States ( 4 vol. 2006 ) Jump up ^ `` Billboard 's Latin Charts Switch To SoundScan ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media : 4, 71. July 10, 1993. Retrieved January 19, 2013. Jump up ^ `` RIAA Launches `` Los Premios de Oro y De Platino '' to Recognize Top Latin Artists ``. Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Historia : Premios Lo Nuestro ''. Terra ( in Spanish ). Terra Networks, Inc. February 6, 2006. Retrieved June 10, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Univision Announces the Nominees for Spanish - language Music 's Highest Honors Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina ''. Univision. March 27, 1996. Retrieved June 11, 2013. Jump up ^ Valdes - Rodriguez, Alisa ( September 12, 2000 ). `` One Little Word, Yet It Means So Much ''. Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved December 25, 2013. Jump up ^ Garza, Agustin ( May 18, 2002 ). `` Latin Grammys Struggle With Loss of Momentum ''. Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved December 25, 2013. Jump up ^ `` National Hispanic Media Coalition : About Us ''. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 12. Jump up ^ Noriega, Chon. `` Politics and Culture : Making a Difference ''. Connecticut College. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 12. Jump up ^ http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/research/500/list.asp?ListYear=2012&States=All&City=&RawText=&Conjunction=AND&Submit1=Find+companies Jump up ^ `` 04 / 13 / 1998 I 'd like the world to by a coke ''. The McGraw - Hill Companies Inc. Archived from the original on 2008 - 05 - 17. Retrieved 2008 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Arturo Moreno ''. Time. Retrieved 2008 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Joseph Unanue ''. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2008 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Biografía de Ángel Ramos Torres ''. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc. Introduces The Ramirez Hispanic Index Equally - Weighted Portfolio ''. Archived from the original on 2008 - 10 - 12. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Making Wall Street History '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2 March 2006. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 16. Scan of cover story in Hispanic Trends, issue of December, 2005 -- January 2006. Jump up ^ `` Directory of Latino Elected Officials ''. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved 2010 - 01 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Latino clout in Congress appears to stay consistent ''. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` History of NALEO ''. Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved 2010 - 01 - 27. Jump up ^ `` First Latina Governor 's Historic Inauguration Gets Little National News Coverage ''. Fox News. 2011 - 01 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Lauro F. Cavazos : An Inventory of His Papers 1943 - 1991 and undated, at the Southwest Collection / Special Collections Library ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Princeton 's Children 's Book Festival ''. Princeton Library. September 15, 2007. Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Army.mil Archived 2007 - 03 - 25 at the Wayback Machine., Senate.gov Archived 2007 - 03 - 08 at the Wayback Machine., Houstonculture.org Archived March 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ NBC http://nbclatino.com/2013/01/01/u-s-military-a-growing-latino-army/ Jump up ^ `` David Farragut ''. NNDB. Retrieved 2007 - 04 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Hispanics Firsts '' ; by : Nicolas Kanellos ; pp. 210 -- 211 ; Publisher : Visible Ink Press ; ISBN 0 - 7876 - 0519 - 0 Jump up ^ `` Arlington National Cemetery - Home ''. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` The Civil War, 1840s - 1890s '' ; by Roger E. Hernandez, Roger E. Hernndez ; ISBN 978 - 0 - 7614 - 2939 - 5 ; ISBN 0 - 7614 - 2939 - 5 ^ Jump up to : `` Hispanics in America 's Defense '' ( PDF ). Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Manpower and Personnel Policy. Retrieved January 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Civil War Stories - Immigrants ''. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` The Puerto Rican Diaspora : historical perspectives '' ; By Carmen Teresa Whalen, Víctor Vázquez - Hernandez ; page 176 ; Publisher : Temple University Press ; ISBN 978 - 1 - 59213 - 413 - 7 ; ISBN 1 - 59213 - 413 - 0 Jump up ^ Collection of the U.S. Military Academy Library, Pages 132 -- 133 ; Publication : Assembly ; Summer 1969 Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Patriots under Fire : Japanese Americans in world War II ''. Retrieved June 1, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic - Americans and the U.S. Coast Guard : A Historical Chronology ''. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Katie Kennon ( February 17, 1996 ). `` US Latinos and Latinas and WWII : Young woman 's life defined by service in Women 's Army Corp ''. University of Texas. Archived from the original on February 17, 2006. Jump up ^ `` Outpost Kelly ''. Retrieved October 10, 2006. Jump up ^ `` Univision.com -- Últimas Noticias, Farándula, Novelas, Fútbol, Radio ''. Univision.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ HISPANIC AMERICANS IN THE COAST GUARD Jump up ^ `` Hispanic Military history ''. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Notable Hispanics ''. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Enlisted Commissioning Program ( ECP ) ''. United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2007 - 07 - 04. Retrieved 2006 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ `` HPSCI Chairman Reyes Honors D / NCS Jose Rodriguez -- Central Intelligence Agency ''. Retrieved 2010 - 03 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Diversity, the MI Tradition '' ( PDF ). Fort Huachuca, United States Army. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Exótico Cielo Profundo ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Optics & Photonics News 6 ( 10 ), 12 ( 1995 ). Jump up ^ Genetic Roadmap Targets Drug Therapies from Hartford Business Review 30 November 2009 Jump up ^ Un Modelo de Vida ( A role model in his lifetime ) Archived May 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` HEP@NASA LaRC ; NASA Hispanic Astronauts ''. NASA. Archived from the original on 2001 - 07 - 11. Retrieved 2010 - 02 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic Influence in U.S. Soccer ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Research Study : The Hispanic Influence On American Culture ''. Reuters. PR Newswire. 28 November 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Latino Influence Shapes Action Sports ''. UCF Today - UCF News and Articles - Orlando, FL News. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` NHL.com -- Trophies ''. Archived from the original on 2006 - 04 - 23. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 06. ^ Jump up to : Santiago, D., Galdeano, E.C., & Taylor, M. ( 2015 ). The Condition of Latinos in Education : 2015 Factbook. doi : 10.1016 / S0140 - 6736 ( 02 ) 77934 - 8 Jump up ^ Patricia C. Gandara ; Frances Contreras ( 2009 ). The Latino Education Crisis : The Consequences of Failed Social Policies. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 674 - 03127 - 2. Retrieved 10 January 2016. Jump up ^ Fergus, E ( 2009 ). `` Understanding Latino Students ' Schooling Experiences : The Relevance of Skin Color Among Mexican and Puerto Rican High School Students ''. Teachers College Record. 111 ( 2 ) : 339 -- 375. ^ Jump up to : Gándara, P ( 2015 ). `` With the future on the line : Why studying Latino education is so important ''. American Journal of Education. 121 ( 3 ) : 451 -- 463. doi : 10.1086 / 680411. Jump up ^ `` Languages Spoken and Learned in the United States ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Most Studied Foreign Languages in the U.S. ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Hispanics : Education Issues ''. ^ Jump up to : Becerra, D ( 2012 ). `` Perceptions of educational barriers affecting the academic achievement of Latino K - 12 students ''. Children and Schools. 34 ( 3 ) : 167 -- 177. doi : 10.1093 / cs / cds001. Jump up ^ Gándara, P ( 2015 ). `` With the future on the line : Why studying Latino education is so important ''. American Journal of Education. 121 ( 3 ) : 454. doi : 10.1086 / 680411. Jump up ^ `` By the Numbers : ACE Report Identifies Educational Barriers for Hispanics ''. Jump up ^ Valenzuela, A. ( 1999 ). Subtractive Schooling : U.S. - Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring. SUNY Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books/about/Subtractive_Schooling.html?id=j9FrdWNw5TIC&pgis=1 Jump up ^ Wojtkiewicz, R.A. ; Donato, K.M. ( 1995 ). `` Hispanic Educational Attainment : The Efects of Family Background and Nativiy ''. Social Forces. 74 ( 2 ) : 559 -- 574. doi : 10.1093 / sf / 74.2. 559. Jump up ^ Castro, Max J. ( 2002 ). The Dominican Diaspora Revisited, Dominicans and Dominican - Americans in a New Century. ^ Jump up to : `` Ivy League Schools Do n't Reflect U.S. Minority Ratios ''. www.nationaljournal.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Record Number of African Americans, Latinos Matriculate as Yield Increases ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Stanford University : Common Data Set 2013 - 2014 ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` HO Top 100 Rankings : Colleges & Universities Granting '' ( PDF ). hispanicoutlook.com. May 13, 2013. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on November 2, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` California Community Colleges Chancellor 's Office - Data Mart ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Monica Malhotra. `` CSU - AS - Enrollment by Ethnic Group - Fall 2013 ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` THE FACT BOOK : Report for the Florida College System 2014 '' ( PDF ). Florida Department of Education Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement. 2014. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Facts 2013 '' ( PDF ). The University of Texas System. 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` State University System of Florida - Board of Governors : Resources ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` A Profile of Undergraduates at CUNY Senior and Community Colleges : Fall 2013 '' ( PDF ). CUNY Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. May 14, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ SUNY. `` Fast Facts - SUNY ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Institutional Targets for Closing the Gaps in Participation, Targets One - Four '' ( PDF ). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. February 24, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Texas A&M University System Facts 2013 '' ( PDF ). www.tamus.edu. 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Nevada System Of Higher Education : Diversity : Minority Status '' ( PDF ). NSHE. Jump up ^ Arias, E. United States life tables by Hispanic origin. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2 ( 152 ). 2010. Page 1. Jump up ^ Ferdman, Roberto A. ( 1 July 2014 ). `` The great American Hispanic wealth gap ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 24 November 2015. ^ Jump up to : Suzanne Macartney ; Alemayehu Bishaw ; Kayla Fontenot ( February 2013 ). `` Poverty Rates for Selected Detailed Race and Hispanic Groups by State and Place : 2007 -- 2011 '' ( PDF ). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 9 January 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` What is the future of Spanish in the United States ? ''. Pew Research Center. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Hyon B. Shin ; Rosalind Bruno ( October 2003 ). `` Language Use and English - Speaking Ability : 2000 '' ( PDF ). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Future of Spanish in the United States ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Data Access and Dissemination Systems ( DADS ). `` American FactFinder - Results ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Cindy Y. Rodriguez, CNN ( 20 September 2013 ). `` Fewer Latinos will speak Spanish, more non-Latinos will, report says ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` IV. Language Use ''. Pew Research Center 's Hispanic Trends Project. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` B16006. Language spoken at home by ability to speak English for the population 5 years and over ( Hispanic or Latino ) ''. 2006 American Community Survey. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 12. ( There were 39.5 million Hispanic and Latino Americans aged 5 or more in 2006. 8.5 million of them, or 22 %, spoke only English at home, and another 156,000, or 0.4 %, spoke neither English nor Spanish at home. The other 30.8 million, or 78 %, spoke Spanish at home. Of these, 3.7 million spoke no English, while the overwhelming majority, 27.2 million, did, at these levels : 15.5 million `` very well '', 5.8 million `` well '', and 5.9 million `` not well ''. These 27.2 million bilingual speakers represented 69 % of all ( 39.5 million ) Hispanic and Latino Americans aged five or over in 2006, while the 3.7 million monolingual Spanish - speakers represented 9 %. ) ^ Jump up to : `` Spanish is the most spoken non-English language in U.S. homes, even among non-Hispanics ''. Pew Research Center. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` United States - Selected Population Profile in the United States ( Hispanic or Latino ( of any race ) ) ''. 2006 American Community Survey. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 11. Jump up ^ `` 8 Reasons Spanish Is n't A Foreign Language In The U.S. ( SLIDESHOW ) ''. The Huffington Post. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Do You Speak American. Sea to Shining Sea. American Varieties. Spanglish. Book - PBS ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Patience Haggin. `` Miami Accents : Why Locals Embrace That Heavy `` L '' Or Not ``. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Latinos and the Transformation of american religion '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 2014 - 10 - 11. Jump up ^ Select - a-faith : Latinos are quitting the Catholic church, economist.com. Jump up ^ Kunerth, Jeff ( 2010 - 01 - 02 ). `` Hispanics flock to Pentecostal churches ''. The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ Bradley Hagerty, Barbara ( 2011 - 10 - 19 ). `` U.S. Hispanics Choose Churches Outside Catholicism ''. NPR. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ Dias, Elizabeth. `` The Rise of Evangélicos ''. Retrieved 30 August 2016 -- via nation.time.com. Jump up ^ Carrasquillo, Adrian ( 2012 - 07 - 09 ). `` Latinos fueling growth within an Episcopal Church they feel embraces women, gays and immigrants ''. NBC Latino. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ Lehman, Chris ( 2012 - 09 - 11 ). `` Episcopal Church Woos Latinos To Congregations ''. NPR. Retrieved 2014 - 03 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Faith : Pick and mix ''. The Economist. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015. Jump up ^ Gaston Espinosa, `` Latinos, Religion, and the American Presidency, '' in Religion, Race, and the American Presidency, ed. Gaston Espinosa ( Lanham, Md. : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers ), 242 - 44. Jump up ^ `` As Hispanic Television Market Grows, Univision Reshuffles Executives - Adweek ''. AdWeek. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic influence : Tortillas take over burger buns as fast - food fave ''. The Washingtion Times. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Latino, other ethnic influences changing America 's food choices ''. NBC Latino. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Food in United States Latino Americans - Latino American Food, Latino American Cuisine - traditional, popular, dishes, recipe, diet, history, common, meals, rice, famous, main, people, favorite, types, make, customs, fruits, country, bread, vegetables ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Susan Adcox. `` Grandparents Important in Hispanic Family Structure ''. About.com Parenting. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hispanic Priorities : Marriage, Family and Youth ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cultural Values of Latino Patients and Families ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : Nancy S. Landale. `` Hispanic Families in the United States : Family Structure and Process in an Era of Family Change - Hispanics and the Future of America - NCBI Bookshelf ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Hispanics Place Higher Emphasis On Education, Poll Reports ''. The Huffington Post. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Brown, B. Bradford, Reed W. Larson, and Tharakad Subramanium Saraswathi, eds. The World 's Youth : Adolescence in Eight Regions of the Globe. Cambridge University Press, 2002. ^ Jump up to : Pew Social Trends : `` Marrying Out '' June 15, 2010 ^ Jump up to : Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends : `` The Rise of Intermarriage - Rates, Characteristics Vary by Race and Gender '' by Wendy Wang February 16, 2012 Jump up ^ Sharon M. Lee ; Barry Edmonston ( June 2005 ). `` New Marriages, New Families : U.S. Racial and Hispanic Intermarriage '' ( PDF ). Population Reference Bureau Population Bulletin. 6 ( 2 ). ISSN 0032 - 468X. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Jeffrey S. Passel ; Wendy Wang ; Paul Taylor ( June 4, 2010 ). `` Marrying Out : One - in - Seven New U.S. Marriages is Interracial or Interethnic '' ( PDF ). Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 9, 2016. Jump up ^ We are All Multiculturalists Now. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Multiracial population Orlando grows : Multiracial population grows in Orlando ''. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` How interracial relationships shape the Latino community ''. Being Latino Online Magazine. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Explorations in Black and Tan ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Hilary S. Szot ( 26 February 2014 ). `` Black History Month : New Generation Of Afro - Latinos Tackles Race And Identity ''. Fox News Latino. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Black and Multiracial Politics in America. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Between Melting Pot and Mosaic. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` The case of the white Cubans ''. Gene Expression. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` ' Whitening ' the children : a desire of many Cuban families ''. Iván 's File Cabinet. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ TNO Staff --. `` Interracial Marriages in the US : Facts and Figures ( and Why White People Must Have More Babies ) ''. The New Observer. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Interracial Marriage Hits Record High, Driven by Latino Population Growth ''. Fox News Latino. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Gustavo Arellano ( 20 November 2013 ). `` Why Do College - Educated Mexicans Marry White ? ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : Levenson, Michael ( 2007 - 12 - 10 ). `` GOP hopefuls beckon Hispanics in debate -- The Boston Globe ''. The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 08. Jump up ^ `` The Hispanic Vote in Presidential Elections, 1980 - 2012 '' ( PDF ). Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2013 - 05 - 11. Jump up ^ Pew Hispanic : 2012 Latino vote. Jump up ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/11/in-record-numbers-latinos-voted-overwhelmingly-against-trump-we-did-the-research/ Jump up ^ Daniel Dombey ; Andrew Ward ( 2008 - 03 - 22 ). `` Obama gets another ally -- Politics -- United States -- United Kingdom -- International -- Obama running for the White House -- Africa ''. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 08. Jump up ^ In Obama 's Pursuit of Latinos, Race Plays Role By Adam Nagourney and Jennifer Steinhauer, January 15, 2008, New York Times ^ Jump up to : `` The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries Report, '' 21 February 2008, Pew Hispanic Center ^ Jump up to : `` AFP : Obama dominates McCain among Hispanics : poll ''. Archived from the original on 2010 - 11 - 18. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 09. Jump up ^ `` HispanicTips '' '' McCain Lost Ground with Hispanics, Despite Immigration Stance ``. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2016. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Why John McCain Lost the Latino Vote ''. Alternet. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Video on YouTube ^ Jump up to : Lawrence, Jill ( 2008 - 11 - 06 ). `` Hispanic vote grows, shifts to Democrats -- USATODAY.com ''. USA Today. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Local Exit Polls -- Election Center 2008 -- Elections & Politics from CNN.com ''. CNN. Retrieved 2010 - 05 - 04. Jump up ^ Carroll, Susan ( 2008 - 11 - 06 ). `` In record turnout, Latino voters flip red states to blue ''. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Local Exit Polls -- Election Center 2008 -- Elections & Politics from CNN.com ''. CNN. ^ Jump up to : Ewers, Justin. `` Republicans and Latino Voters : Has the GOP Shifted on Immigration Reform ? - US News and World Report ''. US News. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 08. Page 1 Jump up ^ `` ( OPINION ) The Latino Vote In 2012 and the Depth Of The GOP Problem ''. njtoday.net. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Are Republican immigration reform opponents losing clout ? ''. CBS News. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ http://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/01/19/looking-forward-to-2016-the-changing-latino-electorate/ Jump up ^ http://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/01/19/millennials-make-up-almost-half-of-latino-eligible-voters-in-2016/ Jump up ^ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/03/2016-electorate-will-be-the-most-diverse-in-u-s-history/ Jump up ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/magazine/27-million-potential-hispanic-votes-but-what-will-they-really-add-up-to.html Jump up ^ Lynching and Violence in America : Migrant Workers Archived January 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` press3b ''. 8 December 2006. Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2016. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` History Cooperative ''. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Digital History ''. 22 August 2003. Archived from the original on 22 August 2003. Retrieved 30 August 2016. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ Ressner, Jeffrey ( 29 May 2006 ). `` How Immigration is Rousing the Zealots ''. TIME.com. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ Democracy Now ! FBI Statistics Show Anti-Latino Hate Crimes on the Rise December 5, 2007 Jump up ^ `` Table 1 ''. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Jump up ^ New York Times : `` Survey Points to Tensions Among Chief Minorities '' by JULIA PRESTON December 13, 2007 Jump up ^ Christian Science Monitor : `` Rising black - Latino clash on jobs '' May 25, 2006 Jump up ^ New York Times : `` In Obama 's Pursuit of Latinos, Race Plays Role '' January 15, 2008 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times : `` Roots of anger Longtime prejudices, not economic rivalry, fuel Latino - black tensions '' January 07, 2007 Jump up ^ The Economist : `` Where black and brown collide : The struggle for political dominance '' August 2, 2007 Jump up ^ The Daily Press : `` Hispanic Influx Causes Tensions with Blacks '' February 27, 2011 Jump up ^ FoxNews : `` Alleged Bias Attacks Inflame Tensions in New York City '' August 16, 2010 Jump up ^ Washington Post : `` Jail Riots Illustrate Racial Divide in California '' February 21, 2006 Jump up ^ National Public Radio : `` Racial Tension at Los Angeles High School '' May 16, 2005. Jump up ^ USA Today : `` Blacks, Latinos in the South : Cooperation or confrontation ? '' November 4, 2006 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times : `` Attack on family in Compton latest incident in wave of anti-black violence - A Latino gang is intimidating blacks into leaving the city that was once an African American enclave. It 's part of a violent trend seen in other parts of the L.A. area '' By Sam Quinones, Richard Winton and Joe Mozingo January 25, 2013 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times : `` A Southern accent on day laborers Stereotypes, language skills and the lowest price come into play as black Americans and Latino immigrants compete on an Atlanta street '' By Richard Fausset December 28, 2007 Jump up ^ City Journal : `` The Rainbow Coalition Evaporates - Black anger grows as illegal immigrants transform urban neighborhoods '' by Steven Malanga Winter 2008 Jump up ^ New York Times : `` A Black - Latino Coalition Emerges in Los Angeles '' by JOHN M. BRODER April 24, 2005 Jump up ^ Southern Regional Council : `` Building Black - Brown Coalitions in the Southeast : Four Case Studies of African American - Latino Collaborations '' by Joel Alvarado and Charles Jaret 2009 Jump up ^ Carnegie reporter : `` Blacks and Latinos in the U.S '' by Roberto Suro Spring 2009 Jump up ^ Nagourney, Adam ; Jennifer Steinhauer ( January 15, 2008 ). `` In Obama 's Pursuit of Latinos, Race Plays Role ''. New York Times. Jump up ^ Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report : `` Latino Gang Members in Southern California are Terrorizing and Killing Blacks '' Winter 2006, Issue Number : 124 Archived March 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ New York Times : `` Survey Points to Tensions Among Chief Minorities '' December 13, 2007 Jump up ^ UCLA Center for Communications & Community December 13, 2007 Jump up ^ Pew Research Center : `` Attitudes Toward Immigration : In Black and White '' April 26, 2006 Jump up ^ University of Berkeley Law School : Research Brief `` Labor arrangement corresponds with the growth in the Latino immigrant population '' July 2008 ^ Jump up to : Gallup : `` Whites May Exaggerate Black - Hispanic Tensions '' by Lydia Saad July 17, 2008 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times : `` Hate crimes in L.A. County down overall, but anti-Jewish vandalism rises '' December 21, 2010 Further reading Surveys and historiography Bean, Frank D., and Marta Tienda. The Hispanic Population of the United States ( 1987 ), statistical analysis of demography and social structure Miguel A. De La Torre. Encyclopedia on Hispanic American Religious Culture ( 2 vol. ABC - CLIO Publishers, 2009 ). De Leon, Arnoldo, and Richard Griswold Del Castillo. North to Aztlan : A History of Mexican Americans in the United States ( 2006 ) Garcia, Richard A. `` Changing Chicano Historiography, '' Reviews in American History 34.4 ( 2006 ) 521 - 528 in Project Muse Gomez - Quiñones, Juan. Mexican American Labor, 1790 - 1990. ( 1994 ). Gutiérrez, David G. ed. The Columbia History of Latinos in the United States Since 1960 ( 2004 ) 512pp excerpt and text search Gutiérrez, David G. `` Migration, Emergent Ethnicity, and the ' Third Space ' '' : The Shifting Politics of Nationalism in Greater Mexico '' Journal of American History 1999 86 ( 2 ) : 481 - 517. in JSTOR covers 1800 to the 1980s Leonard, David J. Latino History and Culture : An Encyclopedia ( Sharpe Reference 2009 ) Oboler, Suzanne, and Deena J. González, eds. The Oxford Encyclopedia Of Latinos & Latinas In The United States ( 4 vol. 2006 ) excerpt and text search Rochín, Refugio I., and Denis N. Valdés, eds. Voices of a New Chicana / o History. ( 2000 ). 307 pp. Ruiz, Vicki L. `` Nuestra América : Latino History as United States History, '' Journal of American History, 93 ( 2006 ), 655 -- 72. in JSTOR Ruiz, Vicki L. From Out of the Shadows : Mexican Women in Twentieth - Century America ( 1998 ) Pre 1965 Bogardus, Emory S. The Mexican in the United States ( 1934 ), sociological Gamio, Manuel. The Life Story of the Mexican Immigrant ( 1931 ) Gamio, Manuel. Mexican Immigration to the United States ( 1939 ) García, Mario T. Mexican Americans : Leadership, Ideology and Identity, 1930 -- 1960 ( 1989 ) García, Mario T. Desert Immigrants. The Mexicans of El Paso, 1880 - 1920 ( 1982 ) 348 pp ; excerpt and text search Gomez - Quinones, Juan. Roots of Chicano Politics, 1600 - 1940 ( 1994 ) Grebler, Leo, Joan Moore, and Ralph Guzmán. The Mexican American People : The Nation 's Second Largest Minority ( 1970 ), emphasis on census data and statistics Rivas - Rodríguez, Maggie ed. Mexican Americans and World War II ( 2005 ) Sanchez, George J. Becoming Mexican American : Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900 - 1945 ( 1995 ) excerpt and text search Culture and Politics, Post 1965 Abrajano, Marisa A., and R. Michael Alvarez, eds. New Faces, New Voices : The Hispanic Electorate in America ( Princeton University Press ; 2010 ) 219 pages. Documents the generational and other diversity of the Hispanic electorate and challenges myths about voter behavior. Aranda, José, Jr. When We Arrive : A New Literary History of Mexican America. U. of Arizona Press, 2003. 256 pp. Arreola, Daniel D., ed. Hispanic Spaces, Latino Places : Community and Cultural Diversity in Contemporary America. 2004. 334 pp. Badillo, David A. Latinos and the New Immigrant Church. 2006. 275 pp. excerpt and text search Berg, Charles Ramírez. Latino Images in Film : Stereotypes, Subversion, and Resistance. 2002. 314 pp. Branton, Regina. `` Latino Attitudes toward Various Areas of Public Policy : The Importance of Acculturation, '' Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 60, No. 2, 293 - 303 ( 2007 ) Abstract Cepeda, Raquel. Bird of Paradise : How I Became Latina Atria Books. 2013. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4516 - 3586 - 7. A personal exploration of Dominican American identity via family interviews, travel and genetic genealogy. Synopsis and Excerpt DeGenova, Nicholas and Ramos - Zayas, Ana Y. Latino Crossings : Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and the Politics of Race and Citizenship. 2003. 257 pp. Dolan, Jay P. and Gilberto M. Hinojosa ; Mexican Americans and the Catholic Church, 1900 - 1965 ( 1994 ) Fregoso, Rosa Linda. The Bronze Screen : Chicana and Chicano Film Culture. ( 1993 ) excerpt and text search García, Mario T. Mexican Americans : Leadership, Ideology and Identity, 1930 -- 1960 ( 1989 ) García, María Cristina. Seeking Refuge : Central American Migration to Mexico, The United States, and Canada. ( 2006 ) 290pp Gomez - Quinones, Juan. Chicano Politics : Reality and Promise, 1940 - 1990 ( 1990 ) Gutiérrez, David G. Walls and Mirrors : Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Ethnicity in the Southwest, 1910 - 1986 1995. excerpt and text search Hammerback, John C., Richard J. Jensen, and Jose Angel Gutierrez. A War of Words : Chicano Protest in the 1960s and 1970s 1985. Herrera - Sobek, Maria. Celebrating Latino Folklore : An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions ( 3 vol., 2012 ) excerpt and text search Kanellos, Nicolás, ed. The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Latino Literature ( 3 vol. 2008 ) excerpt and text search Kenski, Kate and Tisinger, Russell. `` Hispanic Voters in the 2000 and 2004 Presidential General Elections. '' Presidential Studies Quarterly 2006 36 ( 2 ) : 189 - 202. ISSN 0360 - 4918 López - Calvo, Ignacio. Latino Los Angeles in Film and Fiction : The Cultural Production of Social Anxiety. University of Arizona Press, 2011. ISBN 0 - 8165 - 2926 - 4 Martinez, Juan Francisco. Sea La Luz : The Making of Mexican Protestantism in the American Southwest, 1829 - 1900 ( 2006 ) Matovina, Timothy. Guadalupe and Her Faithful : Latino Catholics in San Antonio, from Colonial Origins to the Present. 2005. 232 pp. excerpt and text search Meier, Matt S., and Margo Gutierrez, ed. Encyclopedia of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement ( 2000 ) excerpt and text search Nuno, S.A. `` Latino Mobilization and Vote Choice in the 2000 Presidential Election '' American Politics Research, ( 2007 ) ; 35 ( 2 ) : 273 - 293. Abstract Saldívar - Hull, Sonia. Feminism on the Border : Chicana Gender Politics and Literature 2000. excerpt and text search Wegner, Kyle David, `` Children of Aztlán : Mexican American Popular Culture and the Post-Chicano Aesthetic '' ( PhD dissertation State University of New York, Buffalo, 2006 ). Order No. DA3213898. Women Martinez, Elizabeth. 500 Years of Chicana Women 's History / 500 anos de la mujer Chicana, Rutgers University Press ( Bilingual Edition ) 2008. Regional and local Overmyer - Velazquez, Mark. Latino America : A State - by - State Encyclopedia ( 2 vol. 2008 ) excerpt and text search California Hubert Howe Bancroft. The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, vol 18 - 24, History of California to 1890 Bedolla, Lisa García. Fluid Borders : Latino Power, Identity, and Politics in Los Angeles. 2005. 279 pp. Burt, Kenneth C. The Search for a Civic Voice : California Latino Politics ( 2007 ) excerpt and text search Camarillo, Albert. Chicanos in a Changing Society : From Mexican Pueblos to American Barrios in Santa Barbara and Southern California, 1848 -- 1930 ( 1979 ) Camarillo, Albert M., `` Cities of Color : The New Racial Frontier in California 's Minority - Majority Cities, '' Pacific Historical Review, 76 ( Feb. 2007 ), 1 -- 28 ; looks at cities of Compton, East Palo Alto, and Seaside Daniel, Cletus E. Bitter Harvest : A History of California Farmworkers, 1870 - 1941 1981. García, Matt. A World of Its Own : Race, Labor, and Citrus in the Making of Greater Los Angeles, 1900 - 1970 ( 2001 ), Hayes - Bautista, David E. La Nueva California : Latinos in the Golden State. U. of California Press, 2004. 263 pp. excerpt and text search Hughes, Charles. `` The Decline of the Californios : The Case of San Diego, 1846 - 1856 '' The Journal of San Diego History Summer 1975, Volume 21, Number 3 online at ( 1 ) McWilliams, Carey. North from Mexico. ( 1949 ), farm workers in California Pitt, Leonard. The Decline of the Californios : A Social History of the Spanish speaking Californians, 1846 - 1890 ( ISBN 0 - 520 - 01637 - 8 ) Sánchez ; George J. Becoming Mexican American : Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900 - 1945 ( 1993 ) excerpt and text search Valle, Victor M. and Torres, Rodolfo D. Latino Metropolis. 2000. 249 pp. on Los Angeles Texas and Southwest Alonzo, Armando C. Tejano Legacy : Rancheros and Settlers in South Texas, 1734 - 1900 ( 1998 ) Hubert Howe Bancroft. The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, v 15 : History of the North Mexican States and Texas, Volume 1 : 1531 - 1800 v 16 History of the North Mexican States and Texas, Volume 2 : 1801 - 1889 Vol. 17 History of Arizona and New Mexico ( 1530 - 1888 ) ( 1889 ) Blackwelder, Julia Kirk. Women of the Depression : Caste and Culture in San Antonio 1984. excerpt and text search Buitron Jr., Richard A. The Quest for Tejano Identity in San Antonio, Texas, 1913 - 2000 ( 2004 ) excerpt and text search Chávez, John R. The Lost Land : The Chicano Image of the Southwest ( Albuquerque, 1984 ) Chávez - García, Miroslava. Negotiating Conquest : Gender and Power in California, 1770s to 1880s ( 2004 ). De León, Arnoldo. They Called Them Greasers : Anglo Attitudes toward Mexicans in Texas, 1821 -- 1900 ( Austin, 1983 ) De León, Arnoldo. Mexican Americans in Texas : A Brief History, 2nd ed. ( 1999 ) Deutsch, Sarah No Separate Refuge : Culture, Class, and Gender on the Anglo - Hispanic Frontier in the American Southwest, 1880 - 1940 1987 Dysart, Jane. `` Mexican Women in San Antonio, 1830 - 1860 : The Assimilation Process '' Western Historical Quarterly 7 ( October 1976 ) : 365 - 375. in JSTOR Echeverría, Darius V., `` Aztlán Arizona : Abuses, Awareness, Animosity, and Activism amid Mexican - Americans, 1968 -- 1978 '' PhD dissertation ( Temple University, 2006 ). Order No. DA3211867. Fregoso ; Rosa Linda. Mexicana Encounters : The Making of Social Identities on the Borderlands ( 2003 ) Garcia, Ignacio M. Viva Kennedy : Mexican Americans in Search of Camelot, Texas A&M University Press, 2000. 227pp and online search from Amazon.com. García, Richard A. Rise of the Mexican American Middle Class : San Antonio, 1929 - 1941 1991 Getz ; Lynne Marie. Schools of Their Own : The Education of Hispanos in New Mexico, 1850 - 1940 ( 1997 ) Gómez - Quiñones, Juan. Roots of Chicano Politics, 1600 - 1940 ( 1994 ) Gonzales - Berry, Erlinda, David R. Maciel, editors, The Contested Homeland : A Chicano History of New Mexico, 314 pages ( 2000 ), ISBN 0 - 8263 - 2199 - 2 González ; Nancie L. The Spanish - Americans of New Mexico : A Heritage of Pride ( 1969 ) Guglielmo, Thomas A. `` Fighting for Caucasian Rights : Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and the Transnational Struggle for Civil Rights in World War II Texas, '' Journal of American History, 92 ( March 2006 ) in History Cooperative Gutiérrez ; Ramón A. When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away : Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500 - 1846 ( 1991 ) Márquez, Benjamin. LULAC : The Evolution of a Mexican American Political Organization ( 1993 ) Matovina, Timothy M. Tejano Religion and Ethnicity, San Antonio, 1821 - 1860 ( 1995 ) Montejano, David. Anglos and Mexicans in the Making of Texas, 1836 - 1986 ( 1987 ) Muñoz, Laura K., `` Desert Dreams : Mexican American Education in Arizona, 1870 -- 1930 '' ( PhD dissertation Arizona State University, 2006 ). Order No. DA3210182. Quintanilla, Linda J., `` Chicana Activists of Austin and Houston, Texas : A Historical Analysis '' ( University of Houston, 2005 ). Order No. DA3195964. Sánchez ; George I. Forgotten People : A Study of New Mexicans ( 1940 ; reprint 1996 ) on New Mexico Taylor, Paul S. Mexican Labor in the United States. 2 vols. 1930 - 1932, on Texas Stewart, Kenneth L., and Arnoldo De León. Not Room Enough : Mexicans, Anglos, and Socioeconomic Change in Texas, 1850 - 1900 ( 1993 ) de la Teja, Jesús F. San Antonio de Béxar : A Community on New Spain 's Northern Frontier ( 1995 ). Tijerina, Andrés. Tejanos and Texas under the Mexican Flag, 1821 - 1836 ( 1994 ), Tijerina, Andrés. Tejano Empire : Life on the South Texas Ranchos ( 1998 ). Timmons, W.H. El Paso : A Borderlands History ( 1990 ). Trevino, Roberto R. The Church in the Barrio : Mexican American Ethno - Catholicism in Houston. ( 2006 ). 308pp. Weber, David J. The Mexican Frontier, 1821 - 1846 : The American Southwest under Mexico ( 1982 ) Garcia, Richard A. `` Changing Chicano Historiography, '' Reviews in American History 34.4 ( 2006 ) 521 - 528 in Project Muse Other regions Bullock, Charles S., III and Hood, M.V., III. `` A Mile - wide Gap : the Evolution of Hispanic Political Emergence in the Deep South. '' Social Science Quarterly 2006 87 ( special Issue ) : 1117 - 1135. ISSN 0038 - 4941 Fulltext : in Blackwell Synergy García, María Cristina. Havana, USA : Cuban Exiles and Cuban Americans in South Florida, 1959 -- 1994 ( 1996 ) ; excerpt and text search Korrol, Virginia Sánchez. From Colonia to Community : The History of Puerto Ricans in New York City, 1917 -- 1948 ( 1994 ) Fernandez, Lilia. Brown in the Windy City : Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Postwar Chicago ( University of Chicago Press, 2012 ) Millard, Ann V. and Chapa, Jorge. Apple Pie and Enchiladas : Latino Newcomers in the Rural Midwest. 2004. 276 pp. excerpt and text search Murphy, Arthur D., Colleen Blanchard, and Jennifer A. Hill, eds. Latino Workers in the Contemporary South. 2001. 224 pp. Padilla, Felix M. Puerto Rican Chicago. ( 1987 ). 277 pp. Sãnchez Korrol, Virginia E. From Colonia to Community : The History of Puerto Ricans in New York City. ( 1994 ) complete text online free in California ; excerpt and text search Vargas, Zaragosa. Proletarians of the North : A History of Mexican Industrial Workers in Detroit and the Midwest, 1917 - 1933 ( 1993 ) complete text online free in California ; excerpt and text search Whalen, Carmen Teresa, and Victor Vásquez - Hernández, eds. The Puerto Rican Diaspora : Historical Perspectives ( 2005 ), Primary sources Richard Ellis, ed. New Mexico Past and Present : A Historical Reader. 1971. David J. Weber ; Foreigners in Their Native Land : Historical Roots of the Mexican Americans ( 1973 ), primary sources to 1912 External links 2000 Census Hispanic Americans in Congress Library of Congress Hispanic Americans in the U.S. Army Latino - Americans Become Unofficial Face of Politics Abroad by Josh Miller, PBS, April 27, 2007 Latino in America - CNN Mexican American News - Xcano Media Latin American diaspora Australia Belize Canada Israel Trinidad and Tobago ( Cocoa panyols ) United Kingdom United States Hispanic and Latino American groups in the United States Caribbean Cuban Dominican Puerto Rican Nuyorican North American Hispano Californio Nuevomexicano Tejano Creoles of Louisiana Isleño Mexican Chicano Indigenous Mexican Punjabi Central American Costa Rican Guatemalan Honduran Nicaraguan Panamanian Salvadoran South American Argentine Bolivian Brazilian Chilean Colombian Ecuadorian Paraguayan Peruvian Uruguayan Venezuelan European Spanish Asturian Basque Catalan Canarian Galician Jews Racial groups All groups Amerindian Asian Punjabi Black White Multiracial Quadroon Castizo `` Cholo '' Mestizo Mulatto Pardo Zambo Languages Chicano English New York Latino English New Mexican Spanish Spanglish Spanish Portuguese Ethnic and religious groups Christians Garifuna Jews Muslims Related ethnic groups Belizean Filipino Guyanese Haitian Portuguese Surinamese Demographics of the United States Demographic history By economic and social Affluence Educational attainment Emigration Home - 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Question: name the three largest latino groups in the united states
Answer: "Mexican," "Puerto Rican," or "Cuban"