The IHCC urges the U.S. Senate to pass The National Museum of the American Latino Act

The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) urges the United States Senate to pass the National Museum of the American Latino Act (S.1267).

Thank you to Senators Cornyn (TX), Capito (WV), Rubio (FL), Portman (OH), McSally (AZ), and Tillis (NC) for championing this bill.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on the companion bill (H.R. 2420), which passed with overwhelming support.

Latino history is American history. As the largest ethnic group in the country with arguably the oldest ties to the founding of this nation, dating back more than 500 years, it is critical that we have an American Latino Museum on the iconic National Mall and join the many prestigious Smithsonian institutions that welcome more than 20 million tourists and residents each year. Unfortunately, by its own admission in its 1994 Willful Neglect report, the Smithsonian Institution has drastically underrepresented the contributions of American Latinos in its collections. Among the ten recommendations in that report, was the creation of a National American Latino Museum. In 2004, the campaign kicked off with the introduction of the National Museum of the American Latino Commission Act, which passed in 2008 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Having contributed positively to every aspect of American society and impacting the areas of military, health, science, business, faith, arts, sports, politics and more, the Latino community has proudly enriched our nation’s competitiveness, culture and prosperity throughout the generations.

Therefore, we find it vital that we proudly share our incredible stories and celebrate a more complete telling of American history.

Here is a summary of facts that show the contributions of Hispanic Americans:

Essential to our History

• Latinos have fought in every American war dating back to before the Revolutionary War, making significant contributions, including 60 Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients.
• The oldest city in our nation is St. Augustine, Florida – a Spanish settlement.
• The oldest capital city in the U.S. today is Santa Fe, New Mexico—a Spanish settlement.
• Before Brown v. Board of Education there was Mendez v Westminster—this case regarding Mexican-American segregation in California was the precedent for the landmark Supreme Court case.

Population Size and Growth

• At nearly 61 million people making up 18% of the U.S. population, Latinos are the largest diverse population segment and account for over 50% of total population growth from 2008 to 2018.
• Today, one in four (25%) children under 18 is of Hispanic descent.
• Hispanics are projected to become 30% of the population by 2060.
• 65% of all Hispanic Americans are born in the United States.

Thriving Business Community

• Latinos are opening more small businesses than anyone else in the U.S.
• With a total of 4.7 million Latino-owned businesses in the U.S., one in four new businesses in the U.S. is Latino-owned.
• Over the past ten years, the number of Latino business owners grew 34%, compared to 1% for all business owners in the U.S.

The House bill has passed with wide bipartisan support. There has been productive dialogue with the White House and the effort enjoys the support of more than 100 national partners from across our country.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture’s incredible success since opening in 2016 has been evidence of the value and need for ethnic-based museums and the time for this museum is now.

Now is the time for the United States Senate to act and pass the National Museum of the American Latino Act (S.1267).