Library Wins 'Latino Americans: 500 Years of History' Grant

The Dearborn Public Library has received a competitive “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History “grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA).

As one of 203 grant recipients selected from across the country, The Dearborn Public Library received a cash grant of $3,000 to offer public programming — such as film screenings, discussion groups, oral history initiatives, local history exhibitions, multimedia projects or performances — about Latino history and culture.

The Dearborn Public Library also received the six-part, NEH-supported documentary film “Latino Americans,” created for PBS in 2013 by the WETA public television station. The award-winning series chronicles the history of Latinos in the United States from the 16th century to present day.

• Learn more about the series here.

Planned programs at the Dearborn Public Library include four separate scholar-led viewings of the documentary with lectures and discussions pertaining to different aspects of Latino American history. These are free to the public and will be in the Henry Ford Centennial Library auditorium.

Three special book discussions will feature books by prominent Latino authors with Latino cultural themes, and two classic Latino themed films will be shown.

“Latino Americans are the country’s largest minority group, with more than 50 million people, and still many people are unaware of their rich and varied history and culture,” librarian Patty Podzikowski said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that the Dearborn Public Library has this opportunity to explore this topic in our community.”

For a schedule of events, which run September through November 2015, visit the library website, call Podzikowski at (313) 943-2817 or email her at ppodziko@ci.dearborn.mi.us.

The Dearborn Public Library is at 16301 Michigan Ave.