Important moments in Hispanic history

Hispanic history dates back centuries and boasts numerous important and memorable moments. Though much of that history has little to do with the United States, a great many important events in Hispanic history took place within U.S. borders.

* 1903: Mexican and Japanese workers in California join together to fight lower wages instituted by the American Beet Sugar Company. The month-long strike eventually ends when growers concede to the workers' demands.

* 1910: Thousands of Mexicans begin traveling north to the U.S. at the onset of the Mexican Revolution.

* 1921: Farmers who rely on Mexicans as workers block the inclusion of Mexicans in the Immigration Act of 1921, which established a quota system for immigrants entering the U.S.

* 1928: Octaviano Larrazolo becomes the first Hispanic U.S. Senator when he replaces New Mexico Democrat Andieus A. Jones, who died in office.

* 1929: Several Latino service organizations merge to form the League of Latin American Citizens. The organization would become the longest-lasting Latino civil rights group in the country.

* 1932: Benjamin Nathan Cardozo becomes the first Latino named to the U.S. Supreme Court.

* 1942: The Bracero Program, an agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments that brought in Mexican workers to supplement an agricultural labor shortage during World War II, begins.

* 1945: In Mendez v. Westminster, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit finds that separate Mexican schools are unconstitutional.

* 1954: The Supreme Court rules Hispanics have equal protection under the 14th Amendment, enabling Hispanics to legally combat discrimination.

* 1965: The United Farm Workers of America is founded by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. The group's formation helps shed light on the plight of underpaid agricultural laborers.

* 1968: Latino high school students in Los Angeles walk out of their classrooms to protest unfair treatment. Within weeks, the students' demands are met.

* 1975: The U.S. Voting Rights Act is passed. The act requires language assistance at polling locations.

* 1988: Lauro Cavazos becomes the first Latino appointed to a U.S. presidential cabinet when Ronald Reagan appoints him Secretary of Education.

* 2003: Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Hispanics are now the nation's largest minority group.