Our Voices

Lieutenant Harry T. Buford was a respected Confederate soldier who fought in four major battles during the Civil War and later became a double agent spying for the Southern cause. However, Lieutenant Buford was actually Loreta Janeta Velazquez! Velazquez was a Cuban woman living in New Orleans, who disguised herself as a man in order to experience freedoms otherwise unattainable to her. This captivating book explores her unconventional life as a soldier, a spy, and a Latina in the American South who lived life on her own terms.

The American Revolution was one piece of a global struggle for power. Great Britain, France, Spain, and the colonists under each empire's rule fought for control of the world's vast lands and resources. On the American battlefront, Bernardo de Galvez, a Spanish general, would survive battle wounds and hurricanes to lead a diverse force to victory. His leadership changed the course of history, and contributed to the American patriot's success. In this enlightening and engrossing book, students will think critically about the global nature of the era as they study a new perspective and powerful leader from the American Revolution.

Some civil rights figures are household names, while others struggle to get their stories told. This biography details the life and activism of Sylvia Mendez, who helped desegregate California schools in the 1940s in the landmark federal case, Mendez v. Westminster. Latino students, scholars of social justice, and anyone who is inspired by underdog stories will find this highly engaging account of change compelling and informative, including its helpful timeline and historical imagery. Students will be engaged and inspired by a story that has gotten its due as more than a mere historical footnote.

Though few may know his name, his achievement as the first European to discover San Diego Bay and many other areas on the California coast enshrines his name in the annals of American history. This exciting volume tells Cabrillo's story from an unknown soldier to the intrepid conquistador, crossbowman, landowner, shipbuilder, and explorer he became. As one of Hernan Cortes' soldiers during the conquest of Mexico and a founder of Guatemala, his actions loomed large in the future of both South America and North America. By both educating and entertaining, this biography illuminates a little-known but important Latino explorer.

The story of Spanish explorer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca brims with his adventures and misadventures throughout the North American Southwest. As of the sixteenth century, no European had journeyed over such a large extension of territory, from the Florida Peninsula to northern Mexico, and survived. This lively and informative volume goes on to examine his eight years of wandering in this unknown land, during which he learned natural medicine from the American natives and became a curandero, learned their languages, and served as a trader and peacemaker among different tribes. Vibrant illustrations complement and expand on this memorable, but often overlooked story.

This engaging volume takes a close look at the legend of Joaquin Murrieta, the man who came to be known as the Robin Hood of Eldorado. Dynamic text tells the story of Murrieta, with plenty of exciting age-appropriate details, but also examines the complex relationship between fact and fiction in legends such as his. Interesting and informative historical background on the California Gold Rush and the role of Mexicans and Californians in the area at the time round out this fun and informative volume.