On Tuesdays, from September 17 to October 1, at 8:00pm, actor Benjamin Bratt narrates the landmark six-hour series, LATINO AMERICANS.  This is the first major television documentary series to chronicle the rich and varied history of Latinos, who have for the past 500-plus years helped shape what is today the United States and are now the country’s largest minority group.

Immigration is at the heart of the American experience and a central part of the long-running democratic experiment —  the United States.  The story includes expansionism, Manifest Destiny, the Wild West, multiple wars (Mexican-American, Spanish-American, World War II), the rise of organized labor, the Great Depression, the post WWII boom, the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, globalization, and the effects of multiple kinds of technologies –- from the railroad and barbed wire to the internet and satellite television.  Preview.

You’ll find rich educator resources at the LATINO AMERICAN website from timelines with videos, trailers, an episode guide and even an opportunity to become part of the LATINO AMERICANS project by submitting a video that shares family traditions, celebrations of  heritage, culture, and role models.  Such resources also offer opportunities for journaling, researching family history and interviewing family members.

Of course, you’ll also want to explore PBS LearningMedia with its scores of classroom resources on Latino Americans  for grades PreK-13+, including lesson plans.