Atlanta History Center

In November 2014, the Atlanta History Center (AHC) will host the traveling exhibition, American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music. This exhibition is created by the Experience Music Project and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.

American Sabor presents the musical contributions of U.S. Latinos from the 1940s to the present, exploring the social history and individual creativity that produced stars like Tito Puente, Ritchie Valens, Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana and Selena. Latino musicians have had a profound influence on traditional genres of music in the United States, including jazz, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, and hip-hop. At the same time, their experiences living in the United States triggered the creation of new musical traditions, such as mambo and salsa. American Sabor explores the influence of Latino musicians in post-World War II America through the lens of five major centers of Latino music production: New York, San Antonio, San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles.

Middle and high school students (as well as other small groups) will be taken on forty-five minute guided tours of American Sabor. Following their tour, guests will participate in a facilitated dialogue that explores Latino immigration and assimilation through the lens of popular culture. The goal of the facilitated dialogue is for participants to explore their thoughts and feelings surrounding current immigration policy in the United States, and in the Southeast specifically.