Following their consciences in defiance of their government, some 2,800 young Americans between 1936 and 1938 joined the cause of Spanish democracy under the banner of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Passing the Torch is an outspoken tribute to the heroism of the American volunteers of the 1930s and to their tradition of hope and resistance, which continues to inspire social activists to this day. A photoessay that captures the spirit of radicalism embodied in the brigadistas, this richly illustrated volume portrays Central American solidarity work in the 1980s, massive protests against the Gulf War in 1991, and the World Trade Organization "Battle in Seattle" in December 1999. It also profiles seven Seattle-area veterans, representative of the 120 surviving members of the Lincoln Brigade, and documents the dedication ceremony of the first public monument to the Brigade in the United States. All text is presented in Spanish and English.

Immigrants in America are at the heart of what makes this country the most prosperous and visionary in the world. Writing from his own heartfelt perspective as an immigrant, Jorge Ramos, one of the world’s most popular and well-respected Spanish-language television news broadcasters, listens to and explores stories of dozens of immigrants who decided to change their lives and risk everything -- families, jobs, history, and their own culture -- in order to pursue a better, freer, and opportunity-filled future in the United States.In his famously clear voice, Jorge Ramos brings to life the tales of individuals from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, among other countries, and explains why they first immigrated, what their dreams are, how they deal with American racism, and what they believe their future in America will hold for them and their children. From the Vieques controversy to the "Spanglish" phenomenon to the explosion of Latino creativity in the arts, Ramos shows that there is a new face in America -- one whose colors and countries of origin are as diverse as the country it has adopted as home.

"Latinos brings together the most sophisticated thinking on the changing intellectual complexion of America."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., author of Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man

Examines the history and culture of Mexico and its relations with its neighbors to the north and east from the Spanish Conquest to the current presidency of Vicente Fox.