Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino Announces New Campaign:

“Latinos Are The Missing Piece”

Washington, D.C.—From the Star Spangled Banner to the desk where the Declaration of Independence was signed, the National Mall serves as the rightful home of important artifacts of our American history. Yet, as majestic as the National Mall and its museums are, it has a significant missing piece: 500 years of U.S. Latino history.

In December 2020, after more than 30 decades of advocacy, Congress authorized the creation of a Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino. Now, the work to identify the most appropriate location takes centerstage. U.S. Latino history belongs on that same main stage through a national museum that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the other iconic Smithsonian museums on the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. That’s why we’ve launched a campaign calling on the Smithsonian, the Secretary and the Board of Regents, to follow the recommendations of the 2011 National Museum of the American Latino Commission (NMALC) report, which identified three locations on the National Mall. With priority given to the undeveloped area between 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, known as the South Monument Site, we feel that now is the time for the Smithsonian to commit to ensuring the National Mall presents a more complete narrative of our shared history.

Beginning April 27th, 2022 through Cinco de Mayo, the 11th Anniversary of the NMALC report, we’re calling on our leaders, influencers and allies to send a message to the Smithsonian that the U.S. Latino stories must be on the National Mall with the rest of our nation’s stories and history. Our campaign will be featured through digital live boards across the D.C. area and partnerships with area restaurants and bars.

“The story of our nation–the story of what it means to be an American–is told on the National Mall. Latinos are a huge part of American history; you can’t tell the story without us. We’re currently the missing piece on the National Mall, and we’re calling on the Smithsonian Board of Regents to change that by designating one of the three recommended locations on the National Mall as the future home of the National Museum of the American Latino.” - Estuardo V. Rodriguez, President & CEO of FRIENDS

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About Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino

The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino strives to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories by highlighting the contributions made by Latino leaders, pioneers and communities to the American way of life.