Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Primary Sources

This post is by Kathleen Rowley, a high school English teacher and a 2024 Library of Congress Junior Fellow.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and with the new school year beginning, get to know your students with images depicting Hispanic heritage and culture. Engaging students with historical images can connect classroom learning to students’ lives and experiences, and the Library of Congress offers topical sets of free-to-use visual primary sources.

One fascinating image from the Library of Congress collections is the mural on the side of La Chiquita Bakery depicting Mexican-American family life in San Antonio, Texas, and showcasing the vibrant cultural life of the community. Use the Primary Source Analysis Tool and the Teacher’s Guide: Photographs and Prints to analyze the image. Then, delve deeper into its context and significance.

Ask students:

• What do you notice about the activities the family is engaged in? What makes the people in the image a “family”?
• How does language build the feeling of community in this image? What languages does your family speak at home?
• Are any traditions or activities in your family or community important to you? What would you share about your family in a mural?

Encourage students to share their family traditions and personal stories, fostering a connection between their lives and the cultural significance depicted in the mural.

Another compelling image is the mural of Dolores Del Rio by artist Alfredo de Batuc in Hollywood, California. Dolores Del Rio was a pioneering Mexican actress who became one of the first Latin American stars in Hollywood. She is celebrated for her roles in both silent and sound films, and her career spanned several decades. The mural includes four scenes from her most famous films, highlighting her impact on the film industry.

Ask students:

• What films or actors do you love?
• What positive elements do you notice in the art?
• How might people feel when they see this mural?

Discussing these questions can help students connect their personal experiences with broader historical and cultural contexts, fostering empathy and understanding.

Deepening the Discussion

For each image, consider the possibility that visual representations both influence and reflect events. Ask students to consider how these images might have shaped public perceptions and cultural narratives.

Extend the discussion:

• How do images like these help us understand others?
•  Who was the original audience? How has the audience changed now that these images are part of the Library of Congress archives?
• What images do you have on your phone or at home that show your hobbies and talents? What images would you add to an archive?
• Research one of the leaders or events portrayed in the Hispanic Heritage free-to-use set. What did you learn?

Using historical images from the Library of Congress can enrich culturally relevant teaching by connecting past and present, fostering empathy, and encouraging critical thinking. The beginning of a new school year is a great opportunity to help students get to know each other and build a strong classroom community.

Please take a moment to comment below: How do you build classroom community and celebrate students’ cultural experiences?

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