Inspired by his quest to uncover Latino and Latina heroes and their contributions, this new three-part series brings acclaimed Broadway and film actor John Leguizamo’s passion from the stage to the screen.
VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos airs Saturdays, September 13-27 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD and streams on PBS.org and the PBS App.
In this series, Leguizamo takes viewers on a captivating journey, delving into both well-known and lesser-known stories of Latino history and contributions, spanning thousands of years from the Ancient Empires to the early 1970s. Through this exploration, he aims to shine a light on the rich and often overlooked history of Latinos while showcasing how Latino history is American history.
Filmed on location in Mexico and throughout the U.S., American Historia features Leguizamo in conversation with over a dozen leading historians, anthropologists, authors and experts. The series also features actors, including Benjamin Bratt, Bryan Cranston, Rosario Dawson, Laurence Fishburne, Ethan Hawke, Edward James Olmos, Rosie Perez, Liev Schreiber, reading original source materials.
Episode 1: Echoes of Empires: Join host John Leguizamo as he examines the accomplishments and rise of the Great Empires and civilizations in Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, from the Taino to the Olmec, Inca, Maya, Aztec, and more. Although they were ultimately decimated by the conquistadors, these societies had an enduring influence on culture, agriculture, and the sciences.
Episode 2: Threads in the American Tapestry: Explore how Latino DNA has been woven into the identity of the United States since before her inception, and has been pivotal all along the way. Despite facing severe discrimination and violence, Latinos were present and contributed in pivotal ways to the fabric of this nation. Highlighting key figures and events, host John Leguizamo shows how Latinos helped build the United States we know today.
Episode 3: Solidarity in a New Era: Host John Leguizamo explores the rise of the new empire, the United States. While Latinos were often relegated to the fringes of mainstream society, they made profound contributions to the fabric of the U.S. and beyond. Reflecting on his journey, John learns that Latinos were not just an asterisk in history, but that Latino history is the history of the United States.
“If our contributions were written back into history textbooks, can you imagine how America would see us?’ says Leguizamo. “More importantly, can you imagine how we would see ourselves?”
Photo: Creator and host John Leguizamo on the set of AMERICAN HISTORIA./ Credit: NGL Studios