John Leguizamo Examines Latin American History with New PBS Show

Colombian American actor John Leguizamo has been steadfast in advocating for more Latinx representation in media, always mentioning how despite our community making up 20 percent of the population, we are always underrepresented across media and TV. He received critical acclaim for his one-man Broadway show Latin History for Morons which highlighted 3000 years of Indigenous and Latina history that is rarely discussed or acknowledged. Now he’s back with a similar mission with his latest project, a PBS three-part series, VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, centering on Indigenous history and Latin American contributions throughout history.

“Our creative vision for the series was to create a new visual ‘history book’ that more accurately represents the incredible contributions of Latino people going back hundreds and thousands of years — not just to the birth and success of the United States, but also to many of the technological and scientific advances from the ancient empires that are still pillars in society today,” Leguizamo, who is also executive producer, said in an interview with PBS.

The first part of the show focuses on the Indigenous empires and civilizations of Latin America like the Incas, Aztecs, Maya, and Taínos, which Leguizamo calls “the OG civilizations of Latin America.” In the second part, Latinx roles in the American Revolution and Civil War as well as the building of the United States are examined, and the third part centers on the fight for Latinx civil rights and preserving cultural history. 

“To me, Latin people are the most resilient people on Earth because we came from almost complete genocide,” Leguizamo told the Associated Press. “Our culture was destroyed, our religion, our language. And yet here we are adding $3.6 trillion to the U.S. GDP annually.”

American Historia puts an emphasis on calling out the devastation that Columbus brought when he arrived in the Americas, exploring the genocide, enslavement, and forced displacement of Indigenous people as well as the amount of gold plundered from the Americas. Additionally, the series features various historians, anthropologists, and experts and actors including Rosario Dawson, Edward James Olmos, and Rosie Perez reading source material. 

“Imagine how others would see us if they knew our rich history. Imagine how we would see ourselves if we knew our own stories,” Leguizamo says. “It’s for every single person in this country and outside this country to feel that they’re important, that they matter, that they have self-worth, that their contributions will not be forgotten.” 

The series premiered Sept. 27 and is available to stream on on PBS.org