Cultural Icons of Los Angeles, Oakland, and D.C.
Food & Flavor
History & Movements
Music & Arts
Local Landmarks
100
Who was a leader in the labor and civil rights movements who fought for fair wages and workers' rights for farmworkers?
Cesar Chavez
100
What taco style, now a staple in Los Angeles, was first popularized by Mexican street vendors in the early 1900s?
Taco de suadero or street tacos
100
Which East L.A. student walkouts in 1968 helped spark a national movement for Chicano educational rights?
The Chicano Blowouts
100
Which East L.A. band fused rock and traditional Mexican music, becoming famous in the 1980s?
Los Lobos
100
What L.A. landmark has historically been a gathering point for Mexican American civil rights rallies, including the Chicano Moratorium in 1970?
East L.A.’s Whittier Boulevard / Belvedere Park
200
The Fruitvale neighborhood in Oakland is known for celebrating which cultural holiday with a large festival each year?
Día de los Muertos
200
These stuffed pastries are found across many Hispanic cultures with different fillings?
Empanadas
200
Which Oakland-based organization founded in 1966 had deep Latino and Black solidarity roots?
he Black Panther Party – worked with Chicano activists
200
Which Oakland festival celebrates Latino arts and culture every year near Lake Merritt?
Oakland’s Día de los Muertos Festival
200
Oakland’s Peralta Hacienda Historical Park is dedicated to preserving what type of history?
Early Mexican and Indigenous Californian history
300
The Smithsonian Latino Center is located in which city?
Washington, D.C.
300
What does a Cuban person mean when they say they are going to eat "old clothes"?
Ropa vieja, which translates to "old clothes," is a classic Cuban dish consisting of shredded stewed beef simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with peppers, onions, and spices. While it is a national dish of Cuba, its origins trace back to medieval Spain.
300
Who was the first Latino elected to the D.C. Council, representing Ward 1?
Jim Graham – though not Latino, he represented a heavily Latino district. :)
300
The Kennedy Center in D.C. often highlights Latino arts—what award has it created to honor Hispanic artists?
The Kennedy Center’s “Viva Latina!” programming / mention of ALMA Awards
300
The D.C. neighborhood Mount Pleasant is known as a hub for which Latino immigrant community?
Salvadoran
400
Which famous Los Angeles muralist is known for bringing Chicano history to life in public art?
Judith F. Baca
400
In D.C., the Adams Morgan neighborhood is known for its late-night food scene, including what iconic Salvadoran dish?
Pupusas
400
Why was the start date of September 15 chosen for the start of Hispanic Heritage Month?
Five Latin American countries celebrate their independence on September 15 - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This date marks the anniversary of their independence from Spain in 1821. The start of National Hispanic Heritage Month on this day is a direct reflection of these five nations' independence days.
400
What Mexican-American musician is local to the Bay Area, performed at Woodstock in 1969, and is widely considered one of the greatest guitarists in rock history?
Carlos Santana
400
Which Oakland public library branch established in 1966 was the first in the United States to start a Spanish literature collection, with 18,500 circulating Spanish items available?
The César E. Chávez Branch Library, originally named the Latin American Branch, became the first all-Spanish library in the Western states in 1966. In 1997, it was renamed to honor the leader of the United Farm Worker's Movement, Cesar Chavez.
500
This Hispanic woman was the first to serve as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
Sonia Sotomayor
500
Which Oakland-based Latino restaurant is famous for its pupusas?
Los Cocos Pupusería
500
What solidarity slogan, coined by Hispanic American labor activist Dolores Huerta, was later adopted by a U.S. presidential candidate’s campaign?
¡Sí, se puede! (Yes we can!) was adopted by Barack Obama, 2008. Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with César Chávez. The union organized strikes and boycotts that led to better wages and working conditions for California farmworkers.
500
What French music group has Spanish Romani heritage, sings in Spanish, and helped bring rumba flamenca or Catalan rumba—a pop-oriented blend of traditional flamenco, salsa, and pop—to worldwide recognition?
The Gipsy Kings
500
Which State Historic Preservation Office won a $50,000 grant in 2022 from the National Park Service to document Latino settlements within their state, highlighting their impact in arts and culture, labor activism, and education?
Wisconsin - Although Wisconsin has 2,776 places deemed historically significant by the National Register and State Register of Historic Places, not one currently acknowledges Latino history in the state. This grant will help to change that by nominating important landmarks which recognize the impact of Latino history, heritage, and culture within the state of Wisconsin.