Learn Your Historia With These 20 Mexican History Books

The Aztec empire was among the most powerful civilizations in pre-Columbian Mexico. Spanish invaders defeated them in 1521, wiping out much of their writings and perspectives—much, but not all. Through diligent research, León-Portilla, a renowned expert on Aztec history, has recovered the long-ignored voices of the people who watched their world burn.

Here’s a chance to learn directly from the pen of one of Mexico’s most revered writers and scholars. Juana Inés de la Cruz, a self-educated 17th century nun, wrote in multiple formats on multiple subjects, from deeply personal poems to proto-feminist essays (the latter of which got her in serious trouble with the church). This collection has been translated into English, but you can certainly find Spanish-language collections as well.

Chinese immigrants began arriving in Mexico in noticeable numbers in the late 1800s, after the United States passed the Chinese Exclusion Act (exactly what it sounds like). Romero uses primary sources from two countries to reconstruct these immigrants’ journeys; their contributions, both good and bad, to the economy and society; and the racist, xenophobic backlash to their presence.

In Las Soldaderas, Poniatowska, an acclaimed journalist, tells the story of the many women who fought fearlessly during the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), during which various leaders of varying qualities were forced out or assassinated. While this is not Poniatowska’s best-known work, it is nonetheless a fascinating collection of photographs and stories about the soldaderas’ incredible lives—and, all too often, their brave deaths.

The Zapatistas burst out of the jungles of southern Mexico and into the national consciousness in the mid-1990s. Naming themselves after Emiliano Zapata, hero and martyr of the Mexican Revolution, the group fought—and still fights—for economic parity and better living conditions for all Mexicans. Muñoz Ramirez conducted extensive interviews with the movement’s leaders, allowing her a uniquely intimate glimpse into their lives, beliefs, and goals.

Who were the first Mexican Americans? According to Gómez, they were the residents of the border states (Texas, New Mexico, etc.) who suddenly became Americans after the U.S. started sidling into Mexican territory in the mid-1840s—a move which triggered the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). Mexican Americans were immediately subject(ed) to ever-changing (but often derogatory) categorizations and labels created by others—a situation that continues to and has implications in the present day.

With jobs made scarce by the Great Depression, governmental authorities throughout the United States made the horrific decision to “encourage” Mexican immigrants to return to Mexico. Over a million people were ultimately forced back over the border; many of them were born in America and had never been to Mexico. This book dissects both the immediate impact of the deportations and the long-term effects on families torn apart by this cruel policy.

Americans of all ethnicities, including Mexican Americans, served in World War II. Inspired by family stories about an uncle who served in Company E, Gutierrez combines archival research with first-hand recollections to reconstruct their story and pay tribute to their valiant and sacrificial service.

Focusing on the period from 1924 to 1965, Molina explores white America’s self-serving perceptions of race, which kept Mexicans and Mexican Americans at a “safe” distance. The contradictory nature of these perceptions (Mexican immigrants were not subject to anti-miscegenation or anti-immigration laws, but they were ruthlessly exploited by their employers and segregated from whites) shows just how flimsy they really are.

The League of United Latin-American Citizens (LULAC) was founded in 1929 by Mexican American veterans looking to protect and expand their rights. They achieved great successes but were not without controversy (they did not initially accept women as members, for instance). Written by a former LULAC president, this book traces the group’s history, grapples with its flaws, and celebrates its triumphs for civil rights.

Benito Juárez was Mexico’s first Indigenous (Zapotec) president. Like his contemporary Abraham Lincoln, Juárez rose from poverty to become a lawyer and, ultimately, a controversial president who served during dangerous and historic times. This book was written by two experts who go beyond Juárez’s exalted public image to debate his flaws and strengths as a leader. It is part of a (Spanish-only) series about Mexican historical figures, including Miguel Hidalgo, father of Mexican independence, and Antonio López de Santa Anna, who repeatedly ended up as president despite A) not wanting the job, and B) being terrible at it.

Sloss-Vento dedicated her long life to fighting for the rights of Mexican Americans. A prolific essayist, she turned her pen to many pressing issues of the day, most notably feminism and civil rights, and became a leader in the burgeoning Mexican American and Chicano rights movements. Orozco gives an outspoken, complex activist her due in this compelling biography.

Student protests were a familiar sight in many cities in the late 1960s, and Mexico City was no different. But on October 2, 1968, the protests took a chilling turn: the army murdered hundreds of students in the streets (exact numbers remain hazy, as the government took pains to cover up and deny their role in the massacre). Written by a protestor who was there that fateful day, ’68 provides a riveting eyewitness account of a modern atrocity.

Chespirito is one of Mexico’s best-loved entertainers. In the 1970s, he created two iconic TV characters: el Chavo, a luckless orphan who hangs out in a barrel, and el Chapulín Colorado, a clumsy (but always triumphant!) superhero. In his autobiography, which is not available in English, Gómez Bolaños recounts his professional and personal lives with his distinctive humor.

I should mention that Gómez Bolaños ended up in a disproportionate number of legal battles with his El Chavo costars regarding the copyrights to their characters. In the interest of fairness, I also include Había una vez una niña en una vecindad, the (Spanish-only) autobiography of actor María Antonieta de las Nieves, who had the most high-profile dispute with Gómez Bolaños.

The Mexican American population exploded during the 1980s. Corchado, a journalist for The Wall Street Journal, was among the wave of newcomers. As he strove to make a name and a life for himself, he befriended other Mexican immigrants who would keep him connected to his old nation and help him adjust to his new one. One part autobiography and one part history lesson, Homelands is also available in Spanish.

You’ve heard of (and possibly drunk through) Cinco de Mayo, but what is it actually about? It commemorates the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexican army managed to (temporarily) repel the better-organized French invasion (or “intervention,” as it is also known) in 1862. This bilingual book tells the story of Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín, who led Mexico to victory that day.

Angered and saddened by the terrible conditions in which her fellow Mexican Americans toiled, Emma Tenayuca became a labor activist and organized a massive strike among Texas farm workers—all by the time she was 21. Kids will learn about Tenayuca’s vital and inspirational but often forgotten story in this bilingual children’s book.

Most Americans are probably familiar (as they should be!) with Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision which outlawed school segregation. Seven years before, however, a case in California greased the wheels for this historic decision: Mendez vs. Winchester, in which young Sylvia Mendez won the right to attend a regular school instead of a “Mexican school.” This stunningly illustrated, award-winning book tells her story.

This adorable, bilingual board book introduces young children to new Spanish words and to the life of celebrated Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla. It is part of the Lil’ Libros series, which also has entries featuring Ellen Ochoa (first Latina in space), Cuauhtémoc (last Aztec emperor), Frida Kahlo (no explanation needed), and other important figures from Mexican and Latinx history.

When she first arrived in California in 1994, Morales only planned to stay a short while. Circumstances forced her to relocate permanently, leaving her feeling isolated and uncertain. She found solace in pictures books at the local library. Now, Morales tells her story in her own, critically acclaimed picture book. Dreamers is available in both English and Spanish editions, and Morales’s dream-like illustrations are breathtaking in any language.