🏅 Winner: Ana Vergara Sierra “The Escribano of Babel: Power, Exile, and Enslavement in the Venezuelan Llanos during the War of Independence (1806–1833)” 📖 Read here: bit.ly/3PJSokH
We’re delighted to announce the 2025 Tibesar Prize for the best article published in The Americas! 🏆 Awarded in cooperation with The Conference on Latin American History, the prize recognizes exceptional scholarship ⬇️
New: @jfschwaller.bsky.social remembers Fr. Francisco Morales Valerio (1937–2024), a towering figure in the study of colonial Mexico & the Franciscan order. His path took him to Washington, DC & Rome before returning to Puebla, where he founded the Biblioteca Franciscana in Cholula.
As of July 2025, Ivonne Wallace Fuentes becomes Senior Editor of The Americas ✨ We are deeply grateful to Fritz for his service and warmly welcome Ivonne as she begins her tenure.
Fritz’s own scholarship has also enriched our pages, including his 2025 research note on Franciscan content in The Americas [🔓 bit.ly/3GK3sgc], his 2017 article on Fr. Agustín de Vetancurt [🔓https://bit.ly/4pt9Mul] & and numerous book reviews reflecting his broad expertise.
The Americas thanks John “Fritz” Schwaller @jfschwaller.bsky.social for his years of service as Senior Editor 👏 Over the past 5 years, he guided the journal through key transitions in publishing & helped maintain its reputation as a premier venue for Latin American history.
🚢 Who built the ships & charted the routes that powered Spain’s Pacific empire? In a new episode of @hagleycenter.bsky.social History Hangout, historian Leo Garofalo—former Associate Editor of The Americas—discusses Afro-Andean sailors and shipbuilders in Spanish Peru.
The Americas honors the memory of Eric Van Young (1946–2024), a distinguished historian of Mexico and a mentor whose generosity and scholarship left an enduring mark on the field.
Read the full tribute by Cynthia Radding: bit.ly/4m317w6
Explore the Book Reviews section of The Americas to see what scholars are reading and reviewing across Latin American history. Our reviewers offer sharp insight and fresh perspectives on new and important titles.
In a new article, @opkeller.bsky.social explores how the U.S. relied on entertainment, mobile projectors & the support of local partners to shape public opinion 📽️ Widespread confidence in film’s persuasive power fueled their efforts even if the impact wasn't clear 📚 Read more: bit.ly/4krcoW6
🎬 What does Mickey Mouse have to do with U.S. foreign policy? During WWII, the U.S. government partnered with Disney and Latin American officials to spread pro-American sentiment across the region. Behind the charm of films like Saludos Amigos was a carefully coordinated propaganda campaign.
This kind of hands-on, collaborative publishing reaches a wide and growing audience 🌎 In the first half of 2025, our articles were accessed more than 46,000 times. Top reads include those by Vault Associates and Eric Ching’s 1998 article on the 1932 peasant rebellion in El Salvador. bit.ly/4lqARvy
Because we work closely with authors to ensure strong ideas reach their full potential—whether it's a first publication or an established scholar exploring new ground.
Set against the backdrop of Brazil’s military dictatorship, the Mass became a touchstone for strategic alliance between Black activists and the liberationist Church.
The article tells the story of a Mass in Recife that brought together bishops, theologians, activists & even pop star Milton de Nascimento to mourn the deaths of millions in the African slave trade, seek pardon for the Church's sins & celebrate Black resistance in Brazil.
