On November 16, 2020, Professor Stephen Pitti, Professor of History and Director of Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration (RITM) at Yale University submitted the following letter to the to the Senate Rules Committee on behalf of the 210 signatories.

Dear Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Klobuchar,

We write as historians of Latino communities in the United States to thank you for bringing the National American Latino Museum Act before the Rules Committee. We hope that you will support approval of this important legislation.

We believe that accurate recognition of Latino history is critical to the twenty-first century United States, and that the Smithsonian should take the lead in assuring that educators, policymakers, and others understand the involvement and perspectives, and the visions and contributions, of Latinos.

A new Smithsonian museum on the National Mall should engage broad audiences, collect historical artifacts and stories, gather teachers and researchers, host students of all ages, foreground artistic expressions, and sponsor well-informed public discussions on pressing topics. The museum should be polyphonic, representing many perspectives and experiences, and it should be ambitious, tracing communities from past centuries into our contemporary moment. We feel sure that it will also be grounded in scholarship, drawing from thousands of recent publications that have documented these histories.

The United States must preserve and share ever more accurate stories of its past, and the Smithsonian must play a central role in educating the public about Latinos in American history. We urge the Senate to support the National American Latino Museum Act, and we thank the bipartisan set of Senate co-sponsors who are now working to make this museum a reality.

Sincerely, and on behalf of the group below,

Stephen Pitti
Professor of History and Director of the RITM Center Yale University

1. Grisel Y. Acosta, Associate Professor, City University of New York – BCC
2. Michael Damien Aguirre, Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University
3. Jose Alamillo, Professor, California State University Channel Islands
4. C.J. Alvarez, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
5. Allison Amend, Professor, Lehman College
6. Mike Amezcua, Assistant Professor of History, Georgetown University
7. Lauren Araiza, Associate Professor, Denison University
8. José Aranda, Associate Professor, Rice University
9. Gabriela F. Arredondo, Associate Professor and Chair, UC Santa Cruz
10. Eric Avila, Professor, UCLA
11. Dorothy Baca, Professor, University of New Mexico
12. Octavio Barajas, Professor, College of the Sequoias
13. Llana Barber, Associate Professor, State University of New York at Old Westbury
14. Philis M. Barragán Goetz, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University – San Antonio
15. Lee Bebout, Professor, Arizona State University
16. Daniel Becerra, Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University
17. Brian Behnken, Associate Professor, Iowa State University
18. Maylei Blackwell, Associate Professor, UCLA
19. Eladio Bobadilla, Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky
20. Eddie Bonilla, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh
21. Rick Bonus, Professor and Chair, University of Washington
22. Ralph William Boone, Lecturer, Lehman College (CUNY)
23. Allyson Brantley, Assistant Professor, University of La Verne
24. Laura Briggs, Professor, University of Massachusetts
25. Michael Bustamante, Assistant Professor, Florida International University
26. Katherine Bynum, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
27. Geraldo Cadava, Associate Professor, Northwestern University
28. Albert M. Camarillo, Leon Sloss Jr. Memorial Professor, Stanford University
29. JoAnn Canales, Scholar in Residence Emerita, Council of Graduate Schools
30. Ginetta E.B. Candelario, Professor, Smith College
31. Julio Capo Jr., Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab, Florida International University
32. Matt Caprioli, Lecturer, Lehman College (CUNY)
33. Genevieve Carpio, Assistant Professor, UCLA
34. Maria Raquel Casas, Associate Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
35. Antonia I. Castañeda, Professor Emeritus, St. Mary’s University
36. Melissa Castillo Planas, Assistant Professor, Lehman College
37. Eliana Castro, Assistant Professor, University of Vermont
38. Maria Elena Cepeda, Professor, Williams College
39. Jaime Chahin, Professor and Dean of Applied Arts, Texas State University
40. Robert Chao Romero, Professor, UCLA
41. Ben Chappell, Associate Professor, University of Kansas
42. John R. Chavez, Professor, Southern Methodist University
43. Marisela R. Chávez, Professor, California State University, Dominguez Hills
44. Miroslava Chavez-Garcia, Professor, UC Santa Barbara
45. Deborah Cohen, Associate Professor, University of Missouri – St. Louis
46. Eduardo Contreras, Associate Professor, Hunter College and The Graduate Center (CUNY)
47. Cary Cordova, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin
48. Raúl Coronado, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley
49. Maria Cotera, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin
50. Jorge E. Cuéllar, Assistant Professor, Dartmouth College
51. Arlene Davila, Professor and Director, New York University
52. Jesús F. de la Teja, Regents’ Professor Emeritus, Texas State University
53. Maritza De La Trinidad, Associate Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
54. George Diaz, Associate Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
55. Maggie Elmore, Assistant Professor, Sam Houston State University
56. Cindy Ermus, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
57. Stacey Engels, Adjunct Lecturer, Lehman College (CUNY)
58. Sandra I. Enríquez, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Kansas City
59. Edward Escobar, Emeritus Associate Professor, Arizona State University
60. Elizabeth R. Escobedo, Associate Professor, University of Denver
61. Jesus Jesse Esparza, Assistant Professor, Texas Southern University
62. Dionne Espinoza, Professor, California State University Los Angeles
63. Eileen J. Findlay, Professor, American University
64. Lori Flores, Associate Professor, Stony Brook University (SUNY)
65. Neil Foley, Robert and Nancy Dedman Endowed Chair in History, Southern Methodist University
66. Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
67. Claire F. Fox, Professor, University of Iowa
68. Benjamin Francis-Fallon, Professor, Western Carolina University
69. Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Professor, UCLA
70. Lorena Gauthereau, Lecturer and Manager, University of Houston
71. Maia Gil’Adí, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell
72. Mark A. Goldberg, Associate Professor, University of Houston
73. Trinidad Gonzales, President, Refusing to Forget
74. David-James Gonzales, Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University
75. Cynthia I. Gonzales, Associate Professor, Texas State University
76. Jerry Gonzalez, Associate Professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
77. John Morán González, J. Frank Dobie Regents Professor, University of Texas at Austin
78. Dr. Tiffany Gonzalez, Postdoctoral Fellow, Tulane University
79. Gabriela Gonzalez, Associate Professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
80. Adam Goodman, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
81. Sarah Zenaida Gould, Interim Executive Director, Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
82. Lillian Guerra, Professor, University of Florida
83. Frank Guridy, Professor, Columbia University
84. Ramón A. Gutiérrez, Professor, University of Chicago
85. Romeo Guzman, Professor, Claremont Graduate University
86. Lisbeth Haas, Professor Emeritus, UC Santa Cruz
87. Michelle Habell-Pallan, Professor, University of Washington
88. Ian Haney-Lopez, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor, UC Berkeley
89. Lori Harris, Dean, University of Cincinnati
90. Brett Hendrickson, Professor, Lafayette College
91. Sonia Hernandez, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
92. Ray Hernández-Durán, Professor, University of New Mexico
93. Brian Eugenio Herrera, Associate Professor, Princeton University
94. Torrie Hester, Associate Professor, Saint Louis University
95. Felipe Hinojosa, Professor, Texas A&M University
96. Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof, Professor, University of Michigan
97. Luis G. Hoyos, Emeritus Professor of Architecture, California State Polytechnic University Pomona
98. Michael D Innis Jimenez, Professor, University of Alabama
99. Ylce Irizarry, Associate Professor, University of South Florida
100. Karl Jacoby, Allan Nevins Professor, Columbia University
101. Benjamin H. Johnson, Professor, Loyola University Chicago
102. Gaye Theresa Johnson, Associate Professor, UCLA
103. Ana M. Juarez, Associate Professor, Texas State University
104. S. Deborah Kang, Anne Stark and Chester Watson Associate Professor, University of Texas at Dallas
105. Sonia Kania, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
106. Kris Klein Hernández, Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University
107. Max Krochmal, Associate Professor, Texas Christian University
108. Marisol Lebrón, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
109. Priscilla Leiva, Assistant Professor, Loyola Marymount University
110. Gerardo Licon, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
111. Julian Lim, Associate Professor, Arizona State University
112. Rick Lopez, Professor, Amherst College
113. Troy Lovata, Professor, University of New Mexico
114. Mireya Loza, Visiting Assistant Professor, Georgetown University
115. Rosina Lozano, Associate Professor, Princeton University
116. Kelly Lytle Hernandez, Professor and The Thomas E. Lifka Endowed Chair of History, UCLA
117. Arturo Madrid, Professor Emeritus, Trinity University
118. Cecilia Márquez, Assistant Professor, Duke University
119. Benjamin Marquez, Professor, University of Wisconsin
120. Dr. Valerie A. Martinez, History Program Head and Assistant Professor, Our Lady of the Lake University
121. Veronica Martinez-Matsuda, Associate Professor, Cornell University
122. Juliana Martínez, Assistant Professor, American University
123. Katherine Massoth, Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico
124. Timothy Matovina, Professor, University of Notre Dame
125. Joseph McElligott, Lecturer, Lehman College
126. John Mckiernan-Gonzalez, Director of the Center for the Study of the Southwest and Associate Professor, Texas State University
127. Natalie Mendoza, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
128. April Merleaux, Visiting Assistant Professor, Williams College
129. Ana Raquel Minian, Associate Professor, Stanford University
130. Nancy Raquel Mirabal, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, College Park
131. Nancy Raquel Mirabal, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, College Park
132. Anthony Mora, Associate Professor and Director, University of Michigan
133. Monica Muñoz Martinez, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin
134. Laura K. Muñoz, Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
135. Erin Murrah-Mandril, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
136. Anna Nogar, Associate Professor, University of New Mexico
137. Chon Noriega, Distinguished Professor, UCLA
138. Mark Ocegueda, Assistant Professor, Brown University
139. Amy A. Oliver, Associate Professor, American University
140. Jessica Ordaz, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
141. Lorena Oropeza, Professor, UC Davis
142. Cynthia Orozco, Professor, Eastern New Mexico University Ruidoso
143. Mark Overmyer-Velazquez, Professor and University Campus Director, University of Connecticut-Hartford
144. Christian Paiz, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley
145. Jimmy Patiño, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota
146. Monica Perales, Associate Professor, University of Houston
147. Emma Perez, Professor/Research Social Scientist, University of Arizona
148. Bernadette Perez, Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley
149. Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Associate Professor, University of Washington
150. Patricia Portales, Professor, San Antonio College
151. Gerald Poyo, Professor, St. Mary’s University – San Antonio
152. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, Ph.D., Independent Scholar, Creative Strategies 360°
153. Marla Ramírez, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
154. Raúl A. Ramos, Associate Professor, University of Houston
155. Dr. Lisa Y. Ramos, Associate Professor, Alamo Colleges: San Antonio College
156. Ana Ramos-Zayas, Professor, Yale University
157. Raymond W. Rast, Associate Professor, Gonzaga University
158. Pedro A. Regalado, Junior Fellow, Harvard University
159. Joaquin Rivaya-Martinez, Associate Professor, Texas State University
160. Petra Rivera-Rideau, Assistant Professor, Wellesley College
161. Alberto Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
162. Iliana Yamileth Rodriguez, Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University
163. Ana Patricia Rodríguez, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, College Park
164. Ileana M. Rodríguez-Silva, Associate Professor, University of Washington
165. Dr. Samantha Rodriguez, Professor, Houston Community College
166. Anadelia Romo, Associate Professor, Texas State University
167. Oliver A. Rosales, Professor, Bakersfield College
168. Dr. Steven Rosales, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas
169. Lilia Raquel Rosas, Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin
170. Karen Roybal, Assistant Professor, Colorado College
171. Vicki L. Ruiz, Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of California, Irvine
172. Jason Ruiz, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame
173. Elsa Ruiz, Lecturer, University of Texas at San Antonio
174. Lilliana Saldaña, Associate Professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
175. María Josefina Saldaña-Portillo, Professor, New York University
176. Cristina Salinas, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
177. George J. Sanchez, Professor, University of Southern California
178. Edgar Sandoval, Predoctoral Bolin Fellow, Williams College
179. A. K. Sandoval-Strausz, Associate Professor, Penn State University
180. Aldo Lauria Santiago, Professor, Rutgers University
181. John Phillip Santos, University Distinguished Scholar, University of Texas at San Antonio
182. Alicia Schmidt Camacho, Professor, Yale University
183. Gretchen Selcke, Director, Vanderbilt University
“José Luis Serrano Nájera, Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico
Kristie Soares, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder”
186. Priscilla Solis Ybarra, Associate Professor, University of North Texas
187. Rachel St. John, Associate Professor, UC Davis
188. Alexandra Minna Stern, Professor, University of Michigan
189. Camille Suárez, Assistant Professor, California State University Los Angeles
190. Tomás F. Summers Sandoval Jr., Professor, Pomona College
191. Lorrin Thomas, Associate Professor, Rutgers University – Camden
192. Eliseo Torres, Professor, University of New Mexico
193. Michelle Tovar, Associate Director of Education – Latino Initiatives, Holocaust Museum Houston
194. Michael L. Trujillo, Associate Chair, University of New Mexico
195. Luis Urrieta, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
196. Francisco Uviña-Contreras, Senior Lecturer, University of New Mexico
197. Robert O. Valdez, RWJF Professor, University of New Mexico
198. Louie Dean Valencia, Assistant Professor, Texas State University
199. Angela Valenzuela, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
200. Omar Valerio-Jiménez, Associate Professor, University of Texas at San Antonio
201. Elena Valdez, Reference Librarian, Santa Fe Public Library
202. Irene Vasquez, Professor and Chair, University of New Mexico
203. David Vazquez, Associate Professor, American University
204. Larisa Veloz, Professor, University of Texas, El Paso
205. Aimee Villarreal, Associate Professor, Our Lady of the Lake University
206. Sarah D. Wald, Associate Professor, University of Oregon
207. Julie M. Weise, Associate Professor, University of Oregon
208. Elliott Young, Professor, Lewis & Clark College
209. Emilio Zamora, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
210. Candace Zepeda, Professor, Our Lady of the Lake University

CC: Sen. Robert Menendez (NJ) CC: Sen. John Cornyn (TX)