Shining a light: John Leguizamo explores 'The Untold History of Latinos'

John Leguizamo has been on a quest to uncover Latino history.

It’s a project that began more than a decade ago.

One that has taken him all the way to Broadway with the Tony-nominated “Latin History for Morons.”

By his side the entire time has been director Ben DeJesus.

The pair have collaborated again and worked with VOCES on the three-part series, “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos.”

Shining a light: John Leguizamo explores 'The Untold History of Latinos'

The first episode will broadcast at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. The second and third episodes will broadcast at 9 p.m. Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. The series will also be available to stream on the PBS app after each broadcast.

“When John and I were working on our last film we did together, it was about the road to Broadway,” DeJesus says. “At the time, we were traveling the country, and I would go with him from the comedy clubs all the way to the regional theaters and then eventually to Broadway. There was no way he was going to make it a four-hour show, so he kept cutting back some of the material. We knew early on in the process that some of the conversations that were cut were incredible information. We knew we had to do something for TV.”

The three-part series follows award-winning actor and producer Leguizamo on his continued quest to uncover the fascinating history and often overlooked contributions of Latino people.

In this series, Leguizamo takes viewers on a captivating journey, delving into both well-known and lesser-known stories of Latino history and contributions, spanning thousands of years from the ancient empires to the early 1970s.

Through this exploration, he aims to shine a light on the rich and often overlooked history of Latinos, while showcasing how Latino history is American history.

DeJesus and Leguizamo filmed on location in Mexico and throughout the United States.

As they made the trek, they had conversations with more than a dozen historians, anthropologists, authors and experts.

The series also features actors, including Benjamin Bratt, Bryan Cranston, Rosario Dawson, Laurence Fishburne, Ethan Hawke, Edward James Olmos, Rosie Perez and Liev Schreiber, reading original source materials.

“If our contributions were written back into history textbooks, can you imagine how America would see us?” Leguizamo asks. “More importantly, can you imagine how we would see ourselves?”

DeJesus broke up the series into three parts — a decision that was made naturally.

“Each part can stand on its own in telling the stories,” DeJesus says. “The breaks are natural and make sense.”

Episode one is called “Echoes of Empires” and Leguizamo examines the accomplishments and rise of the great empires and civilizations in Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, from the Taíno to the Olmec, Inca, Maya, Aztec and more.

Despite the fact that they were ultimately decimated by the conquistadors, these societies had an enduring influence on culture, agriculture and the sciences.

“Instead of focusing on the ‘discovery’ of a new world, the episode tells the story of the fall of the great civilizations that were already here before Columbus landed, while also challenging the cultural narrative around our understanding of these great empires and what truly led to their destruction,” DeJesus says.

Episode two is called “Threads in the American Tapestry” and it explores how Latino DNA was woven into the identity of the United States before its inception and has been pivotal all along the way.

Leguizamo reflects on pre-Colonial North America, the American Revolutionary War, the Mexican American War, the Civil War and Westward Expansion to learn how Latino participation has influenced the course of the nation’s history.

Episode three is called “Solidarity in A New Era” and finds Leguizamo reflecting on the rise of the new empire, the United States, and the challenges faced by Latinos in preserving their cultural identity.

Throughout the 20th century, Latinos were often relegated to the fringes of mainstream society. Nonetheless, they made profound contributions to the fabric of the U.S. and beyond.

DeJesus says there’s thousands of years of history that is told within the series — which has taken the pair seven years to complete.

“We want to bring the history of Latinos to the forefront,” DeJesus says. “We were here way before exploration into this country began. We’re a part of history and can’t be forgotten.”

DeJesus hopes there will be more volumes to this project.

“We’re just starting,” he says. “There’s so much more history to be told.”