The Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) with special events, a collection of book recommendations, film offerings, and other resources that explore a rich array of the experiences and perspectives of Latino Americans.

2024 Events

• October 5, 10-11 a.m., North-East Branch: ¿Qué hay en tu boleta?
  El 5 de noviembre, los votantes de Missouri tomarán decisiones sobre cinco preguntas en la boleta electoral. ¡Tres de ellas avanzadas por los ciudadanos de Missouri!
  ¡Sé un votante informado!
  Acompáñanos en esta presentación por la League of Women Voters Kansas City, en colaboración con la Kansas City Public Library y Revolución Educativa para aprender sobre:
  
  • Cómo funciona el proceso de preguntas en la boleta electoral en Missouri
  • Qué preguntas verán los votantes en la boleta electoral del 5 de noviembre
• October 12, 10-10:45 a.m., Central Location: Mexikid: A Talk With Author Pedro Martín
  Pedro Martín says his graphic novel, Mexikid, is 100% true (okay, maybe 90%). Years ago, Martín and his eight siblings piled into a Winnebago in California to pick up their grandpa in Mexico. He’d be living with them for the foreseeable future. Martín talks with the Library’s Clare Hollander about his family’s grand adventure, which has now won several awards, and how others might tell their own stories. This conversation is appropriate for people of all ages.
  Book signing with Pedro Martín to follow.
• October 12, 12-1 p.m., Central Location: Pedro Martín Zine Workshop
  Award-winning graphic novelist Pedro Martín discusses the process of writing Mexikid. In this hands-on workshop, Martín helps kids tell their stories using his tips and tricks for character and story development. He'll also give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how graphic memoirs are created. This workshop is intended for attendees ages 10 and up, and participants of any skill level are welcome.
  
• October 22, 6-7 p.m., Plaza Branch: Borderlands and the Mexican American Story: A Talk With Author David Dorado Romo
  David Dorado Romo is a writer, translator, musician, and historian. He’s also a “fronterizo,” someone who grew up and lived on the U.S.-Mexico border. Romo discusses Borderlands and the Mexican American Story, which tells the “true story of America” from the Mexican American perspective for people of all ages.
  Co-presented by The Heartland Welcome & Support Coalition.

Library Resource

Browse digital photos from the extensive Guadalupe Center Collection on KCHistory.org, the online presence of the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections.

Established in 1919, the Guadalupe Center originally served as a settlement house and gathering place for the growing community of Mexican immigrants residing on the West Side of Kansas City. The center offered a variety of programs, including medical clinics, classes, music and dance groups, sports teams, and social clubs. The Guadalupe Center Collection contains scrapbooks, photographs, programs, histories, and records that document an early period of the organization’s activities.

Browse Images

Movies

Watch a selection of cinema celebrating Latino Heritage - documentaries, dramas, comedies, and more - streamed to your computer or mobile device using the Library's free digital service Kanopy.

Films on Kanopy

Suggested Reading

Explore suggested reading from Library staff and community-created lists in our catalog that includes everything from history and non-fiction to popular fiction titles.