John Leguizamo is back, and this time he’s shining a much-needed spotlight on Latino history with his new PBS series, American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos. This three-part series, premiering on September 27, is Leguizamo’s passion project, where he digs deep into Latino-American history, uncovering the untold stories that have long been left out of textbooks.
Directed by Ben DeJesus, the show combines the wisdom of historians, anthropologists, and authors with the powerful voices of actors like Benjamin Bratt, Rosario Dawson, Edward James Olmos, and Rosie Perez. Together, they bring to life the rich and undeniable contributions of Latinos in shaping the U.S.
“This is more than a show for me—it’s my way of giving back to the Latino community,” Leguizamo shared with excitement during an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The first episode, Echoes of Empires, dives into the world of Indigenous civilizations before colonization. Director Ben DeJesus explains that so much of the history we know is told through the lens of colonizers, leaving a massive gap in recognizing the advanced societies that thrived in the Americas long before the Spanish arrived.
A standout moment in the series showcases the ancient Inca practice of trepanation, a skull surgery with an incredible 80% survival rate—significantly better than the 50% survival rate of similar surgeries during the American Civil War, 400 years later.
From highlighting the brilliance of Indigenous medicine to reclaiming the forgotten civil rights achievements of Latinos in the U.S., Leguizamo and DeJesus are on a mission to set the record straight.
“We’ve been here since 1492, and even before that!” said Leguizamo, proudly reflecting on his Colombian roots and upbringing in Queens, New York. “Yet we’re still so erased in media, in politics, and in the spaces where decisions are made. That has to change.”
Leguizamo believes American Historia is a step toward that change, calling it a “vaccine” against the lack of Latino representation in education.
He points to a 2023 report from the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and UnidosUS that revealed a staggering 87% of key topics in Latino history are either missing from U.S. textbooks or reduced to just a few sentences. The only significant event that appeared across six textbooks from the last 200 years was the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The consequences of this omission are far-reaching, Leguizamo explains, particularly for Latino students who, by 2030, will make up one-third of the U.S. public school population. Without seeing their heritage reflected in the history they’re taught, these students risk being marginalized and stripped of political influence.
“If our stories aren’t told, it’s easier to silence us, to exploit us, and to take away our power,” Leguizamo passionately stated. “People need to know that we’ve been here, contributing, building, and shaping this country all along.”
