Join us for a morning conversation to hear from those who brought DC’s Latin American Festival to the National Mall in 1989 and 1990.
The History of the First Latin American Festival on the Mall: 1989-1990 is an oral history project that tells the story of how the Latino community took their culture and music downtown to the Mall. These oral histories document the personal narratives of the Festival organizers, focusing on why they decided to take the Festival downtown to the Monument, and how they sought to bring Latino culture, music and food to mainstream America.
The oral histories explore how this community-elected team convinced the National Park Service to approve permits allowing three musical stages on Monument grounds, 200 booths selling Latino and Caribbean homemade food, as well as a Parade of Nations on Constitution Avenue, representing 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Arturo Griffiths and Lois Athey will be joined by narrators Willians Silva, Angel Saltos, Carlos Gonzalez and Jorge Lozano to tell their stories about this historic Latino project. You can listen to the oral history before the event on Dig DC.
The panel discussion will take place in Conference Room 401.A. Registration is requested.
AGE GROUP: | Seniors | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Special Collections | Lecture | Hispanic Heritage Month | Educational Program |