Forgotten Faces: American Latinos 1935-1945 Arrives in Madrid

Curated by filmmaker Alberto Ferreras, the installation draws from thousands of images held by the U.S. Library of Congress. The collection captures a cross-section of mid-century life, ranging from Mexican and Puerto Rican farm workers to Basque shepherds in Idaho and Spanish-speaking enclaves in New Mexico. Ferreras spent three years scouring these archives, aiming to challenge the narrative that Hispanic influence in the United States is a recent phenomenon.

Ambassador León de la Torre, director general of Casa de América, views the exhibition as a dialogue on citizenship and the historical richness of diverse cultural encounters. The project arrives in Spain as part of the U.S. 250th Anniversary commemorations, running through September 2026. Having earned critical praise for its exploration of the Farm Security Administration collection, the exhibition highlights a visual record that remained largely hidden for decades. Through the support of partners including FamiLink and Luzz Project, the installation serves as a reminder that the Hispanic experience has been woven into the American fabric since its inception.