Hispanic American History

The term Hispanic American refers broadly to persons of Spanish descent living in the United States. It is not in itself an ethnic designation as it encompasses peoples of diverse national backgrounds, histories, and cultural traditions. Nor is it a racial category—Hispanic peoples may trace their forebears to Caucasian antecedents or to a blend of Caucasian, Indian, and black populations. Hispanic Americans comprise one of the nation’s largest minority groups, second only to African Americans.

Latinos is also used to designate this general population, and several terms refer to a specific Hispanic ethnic group; for example, people of Mexican descent may speak of themselves as Chicanos or La Raza (the race), while Puerto Ricans may use the Arawak Indian word boricuas (brave lords).