The Hispanic American Almanac: A Reference Work on Hispanics in the United States

Hispanics have grown to be the largest minority population in the U.S., surpassing African Americans, so the third edition of The Hispanic American Almanac arrives at an opportune time. It is a thorough resource covering people of the U.S. whose ancestors come from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Central America.

The book contains 25 subject chapters (e.g., "Spanish Explorers and Colonizers"; "Law, Government, and Military"; "Art"). The introduction tells us that 24 of the chapters were written by Hispanic studies scholars, although no credentials are listed for the contributors. A chronology offers a year-by-year outline of the migration of Hispanics to this country. Following the chronology, the "Historical Overview" chapter details the evolution of three major Hispanic groups: Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. The "Significant Documents" chapter provides the researcher with documents such as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1948), the NAFTA agreement, and California's Proposition 227. Having the actual documents in the volume is quite valuable to the young researcher.

The final chapter contains more than 500 biographies highlighting Hispanics, including actor Antonio Banderas, writer Oscar Hijuelos, and Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez. Biographies range in length from a short paragraph to more than one-half page in length. Each chapter ends with a list of references for further research, and a general bibliography is found at the end of the volume. The approximately 330 illustrations include black-and-white photographs, drawings, tables, and figures. A glossary of Spanish terms assists the non-Spanish-speaking user with word definitions. A comprehensive keyword index provides easy access to the volume's contents, with biographical articles indicated in bold type.

Well organized and written at a reading level that is easily understood, this volume is an excellent resource for high-school and public libraries for starting research on the Hispanic population. RBB
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