Heart of Aztlan is terribly important because it codifies the concept that Aztlan is a real life location where Hispanics belong. Legend has it that the Aztecs originated as from a land known as Aztlan and then traveled into the heart of Mexico. Aztlan is supposed to be in the American Southwest which makes many Hispanics feel that their move to the north is more a return to their mythological roots than an invasion of a neighbor.

This is a wonderful love story from the northern borderlands of Mexico and at points the characters cross over into the Texas, making them Hispanics. It would be more interesting though to look at this book from the perspective that it was written recently and therefore reflects attitudes and concerns of contemporary Hispanics. Its tremendous success here in the United States led to the release of a film which would also be excellent material for the class.

I selected this particular novel because it represents an anglo view of Hispanics in the United States at the very beginnings of the Mexican American civil rights movement. Because John Steinbeck is a renown American his work dealing with the Hispanic experience is especially interesting.

I chose this piece because it represents a very contemporary and mainstream American view of the Hispanic experience. This is the promotional poster done for a PBS series done on the Mexican American civil rights movement and the Hispanic faces might just as easily be replaced with those of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. It is clearly intended to appeal to non-Hispanic Americans. However the fact that it was done for PBS means that it carries the double message that Hispanic culture is being accepted in the United States and the poster's demoralization of Hispanic advancements indicate that the culture is gaining respect. Perhaps someday we will celebrate Hispanic History Month as well as Black History Month.

This particular work is important because it represents the incredible variety, vitality, and cultural importance of murals within Hispanic culture. Illiteracy among Hispanics has traditionally been very high and leaders of Hispanic movements, similar to the Mexican Revolution, used murals to communicate to the masses. Many murals protest gang violence or neighborhood competition. They promote Hispanic unity with phrases like "Viva la raza" (Long live the race) or by promoting the concept of Aztlán, the mythical homeland of the Aztecs which is said to be in the American Southwest. This particular mural represents many of these ideas. It presents both a contemporary Hispanic couple and the traditional image of Quezocuatl, the feathered serpent of the Aztecs. It is further important because it was done on the side of a Hispanic community center.