Rutgers University Libraries have received a competitive Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA). The Libraries are partnering with campus units and public libraries across the state to foster understanding of New Jersey Latino history and culture through presentation of the PBS film series accompanied by discussion with scholars, exhibits, concerts, and lectures.
Beginning October 10, the New Brunswick Free Public Library (NBFPL) will air all six episodes of the Latino Americans series, one per week, with scholars from Rutgers and elsewhere leading community discussions. The Rutgers Center for Latino Arts and Culture (CLAC) will also air the 6 episodes on campus biweekly in the fall semester with discussions led by Rutgers scholars. In Camden, the Nilsa I. Cruz-Perez branch of the Camden Public Library (CPL) at Rutgers will air the series weekly starting September 12 with three Rutgers-Camden scholars leading those discussions. And, finally, the Newark Public Library will air one of the episodes on October 17 in conjunction with talks by several Rutgers and other scholars, focusing on the Cuban and Puerto Rican experience in New Jersey. Each of the project participants, including the Libraries, will also sponsor a number of related activities about Latinos in New Jersey, ranging from book talks to art exhibits and music productions to children’s story hours. For a schedule of the film showings, related events, and location-specific, click on the highlighted links below.
For a more extensive guide about the Latino Americans 500 PBS series click here
Schedule of Activities
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch
with Rutgers University Robeson Library-Camden
New Brunswick Free Public Library
Newark Public Library
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Time, & Location Forthcoming
September 2015 – June 2016
PBS FILM VIEWING/DISCUSSION
Foreigners in their Own Land (1565-1880)
Saturday, September 12, 2015, 2:00 pm
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Saturday, October 10, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
1:00 English Language; 2:00 Spanish Language
3:00 Discussion Led by Danilo Figueredo, Bloomfield College
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Time, & Location Forthcoming
Empire of Dreams (1880-1942)
Tuesday, September 15, 5:00 PM
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden,
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Discussion Led by Dr. Lorrin Thomas, Rutgers-Camden
Saturday, October 17, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
1:00 Introduction by TBA
2:00 English Language; 3:00 Spanish Language
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Location, & Time Forthcoming
War and Peace (1942-1954)
Tuesday, September 22, 5:00 pm
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Discussion Led by Dr. Lorrin Thomas, Rutgers-Camden
Saturday, October 24, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
1:00 Introduction by Dr. Aldo Lauria Santiago, Rutgers University--NB
2:00 English Language; 3:00 Spanish Language
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Location, & Time Forthcoming
The New Latinos (1946-1965)
Tuesday, September 29, 5:00 pm
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Newark Public Library
Cuban-Americans: Exile, Memory and Change
Discussion Led by Danilo Figueredo
Saturday, November 7, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room, 2:00 English Language; 1:00 English Language; 2:00 Spanish Language
3:00 Reading by Danilo Figueredo of Children’s Book
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Time, & Location Forthcoming
Prejudice and Pride (1965-1980)
Tuesday, October 6, 5:00 pm
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Saturday, November 14, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
1:00 Introduction by Dr. Aldo Lauria Santiago, Rutgers University--NB
2:00 English Language; 3:00 Spanish Language
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Location, & Time Forthcoming
Peril and Promise (1980-2000)
Tuesday, October 13, 2015, 5:00 pm
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers Camden Multi-Purpose Room
Discussion Led by Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, Rutgers-Camden
Saturday, November 14, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
1:00 Introduction by Rutgers University Scholars:
Dr. Peter Guarnaccia and Carolina Alonso Bejarano
2:00 English Language; 3:00 Spanish Language
Rutgers University—New Brunswick
Date, Location, & Time Forthcoming
LATINO AMERICANS: 500 YEARS OF HISTORY
Lectures, Exhibits, Concerts
Caribbean and Pacific Dialogues by Fidalis Buehler and Juana Valdes
September 9 – December 6, 2015
Rutgers University Art Library
Sponsored by Rutgers University Center for Cultural Analysis in conjunction with Brigham Young University Humanities Center’s Archipelagoes, Oceans and Americas Research Group and the Rutgers University Libraries
Latino American Art Exhibit
September 13 – October 31, 2015
New Brunswick Free Public Library
Featuring award winning Dominican Artist Sigfrido Duarte, Guest Artists Ines M. Almeida (Colombia), German Perez (El Salvador), and Esperanza Galindo (El Salvador)
Revolvers and Pistolas, Vaqueros and Caballeros:
DebuFrom Islannking the Old West
Thursday, September 17, 7 pm
Barnes and Noble—Rutgers University, 126 College Avenue, New Brunswick
Book Discussion with Author Danilo Figueredo
Beyond Exile: Cubans in New Jersey Exhibit
Opening Reception Thursday, September 17, 2015 6:00 PM
Newark Public Library
Exhibit describing the Cuban American experience in Northern New Jersey
Newark Citizen Historian Initiative
Dates, Locations and Times to be Announced
8 Lectures
Newark Public Library, Newark History Society, Rutgers University-
Newark Dana Library
The History of Cuba in 12 Songs
La Historia de Cuba en 12 Cancione
Featuring Gema Corredera, Cuban Vocalist
Saturday, September 26, 2 pm
Newark Public Library, Centennial Hall
Ray Suarez, Author and Former PBS Commentator
Author of Latino-Americans: 500 Years of History
Thursday, October 22, 2015, 10 am – 12 noon
Rutgers University Libraries, Alexander Library, 4th Floor Lecture Hall
Dia De Los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebration
Monday, October 19, 6 – 8 pm
New Brunswick Free Public Library Community Room
Discussion led by Dr. Regina Marchi, author of Day of the Dead in the USA: The Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon
The Lost Child—Film Screening
Operation Pedro Pan exodus of 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children to the U.S.
Saturday, November 17, 2015, 2:00 pm
Newark Public Library
Discussion with Filmmaker Gabriela Figueredo
Personal commentary from members of the Pedro Pan generation, and discussion with one of the refugees brought to the U.S. under this program, Yvonne Massip Figueredo
Julia Alvarez, Author
Reading and Other Activities
March 3 – 4, 2016
Times and Locations to be announced
Photographs of the Cuban Revolution 50 Years Later
March 2016
Rutgers University Art Library
Ilya Genin Photographer
For more information:
Camden County Library, Nilsa L. Cruz-Perez Branch at Rutgers-Camden:
http://www.camdencountylibrary.org/camden-county-library-branch-rutgers
Newark Public Library’s 2015 Hispanic Heritage Celebration schedule of free public programs and events:
In English -- http://www.npl.org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/hh15/hh15.html
En español -- http://www.npl.org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/hh15/hh15esp.html
New Brunswick Free Public Library events: http://www.nbfpl.org/events.html#LA500
Rutgers University Center for Latino Arts and Culture (CLAC): http://clac.rutgers.edu/news-and-events/
Rutgers University Libraries: www.libraries.rutgers.edu
Latino Americans: 500 Years of History has been made possible through a grant to the Rutgers University Libraries from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.