Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America (first published in 2000 and revised in 2011) is a work of historical nonfiction authored by Juan Gonzalez. It provides a comprehensive account of the intersection of Latin American history with US history in the context of ongoing US debates surrounding immigration, which have involved propaganda, mythologizing, and stereotyping, resulting in much fear, anxiety, and anger. Gonzalez seeks to reveal the hidden story behind these stereotypes as he explores over 500 years of history, providing readers with a fuller and more honest account of the past by exploring themes of The American Dream Versus the American Nightmare, The Us/Them Dichotomy, and The Immense Wealth of Multicultural America.

Content Warning: Both the source material and this guide discuss racism, xenophobia, slavery, the genocide of Indigenous Americans, sexual assault, and substance use.

Summary

Harvest of Empire is divided into three parts: “Roots,” “Branches,” and “Harvest.”

In “Roots,” Gonzalez covers the colonial period from 1500-1800, focusing on the two colonizing powers that came to dominate the hemisphere: Spain and England. The author contrasts the two, raising the question of why English colonies became successful while the Spanish colonies fragmented. Rather than attribute English success to the often touted “Protestant work ethic,” the author points out that English domination was a direct result of the Anglo settlers consistently seizing more and more Latinx land. This perpetual territorial expansion, justified under the idea of “Manifest Destiny,” persisted throughout colonial history, as the US acquired Florida, then Texas, and, through the Mexican War, the territory comprising California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as lands won in the Spanish-American War.

The US victory in the Spanish-American War of 1898, which awarded the United States the last Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippines, marked a new stage in Anglo-American aggression. In the 20th century, America no longer sought to expand its territories through land seizures; instead, America now focused on controlling its Latin American neighbors by controlling their economies. A wave of American companies established dominion over Latin America for the next century.

In supporting United States businesses in Latin America, US administrations often supported ruthless dictators who, despite their horrific human rights abuses, were seen as reliable in supporting American companies. This situation, which was repeated in many different countries throughout the Caribbean and Central America, resulted in a flood of migrants to the United States, the majority of whom came seeking relief from poverty and brutality.

In the “Branches,” the author traces the factors that resulted in the separate odysseys of the people of Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, and Colombia. In each section, the author highlights an individual to focus on, someone who can be seen as a representative or a leader for his or her community. Gonzalez tells the story of the country through that person, personalizing the often bleak and tragic accounts of each country as each was transformed into an economic satellite of the United States.

“Harvest” focuses on the most important trends, issues, and problems facing Latin Americans today. Immigration has become a more pressing issue in the post-9/11 world. Politicians promising to secure the borders against terrorism must figure out how to treat those who cross the border with or without authorization. The author emphasizes that people from many Latin American countries have been forced to migrate to the United States as a direct result of US interventions in their native countries. As such, the US must find a fair solution that recognizes its responsibility for the destabilization, poverty, and violence that immigrants are fleeing.

There is hope that such a comprehensive solution is possible. The Latin American population is growing and, as of the book’s original publication, already constituted 10% of the American population. As more immigrants arrive and as more people descended from Latin American immigrants find their voices, they will be able to work together to advocate for better solutions.