Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Saturday and continues through October 15.  Hispanos have been an important part of Colorado history since the sixteenth century, when Spanish explorers roamed the Southwest in search of gold.  Ever since, the Hispanic community has made many contributions to the history of our state.  If you are researching Hispanic history in Colorado, our library has many resources that can help you.  Some of these include:

• Colorado Hispanic Studies Resource Guide, Center for Colorado and the West, University of Colorado Denver.
• Hispanic History Resources, History Colorado.
• Enduring Legacies:  Ethnic Histories and Cultures of the Colorado Border Lands.  University Press of Colorado, 2011.
• Colorado Review of Hispanic Studies journal, University of Colorado at Boulder.
• The Life and Times of Richard Castro, Colorado Historical Society, 2007.
• El Pueblo History Museum, a Capsule History and Guide.  Colorado Historical Society, 2006.
• The Culebra River Villages of Costilla County, Colorado Historical Society, 2002.
• The San Luis Valley:  Land of the Six-Armed Cross.  University Press of Colorado, 1999.
• La Gente:  Hispano History and Life in Colorado, Colorado Historical Society, 1998.
• The Architecture and Art of Early Hispanic Colorado, University Press of Colorado, 1998.
• Race and Hispanic Origin for Colorado Counties and Regions, Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs, 1990.
• Confluencia journal, University of Northern Colorado
• The Status of Spanish-Surnamed Citizens in Colorado: Report to the Colorado General Assembly, 1967.

We also have much more, so be sure to check our web catalog for additional resources, including information on the contemporary Hispanic community. 

Finally, check out the Colorado Virtual Library, a project of the Colorado State Library, for biographies on famous Hispanic Coloradans, including:

• Felipe Baca, rancher and town founder
• Casimiro Barela, state legislator
• Rudolfo "Corky" Gonzalez, activitst
• Federico Peña, Mayor of Denver
• Teresita Sandoval, early settler
• Juana Suaso Simpson, early settler