Last year, the Smithsonian Institution accepted charges of "willful neglect" for the glaring absence of Latino contributions to American history, culture, and art among its vast national collection. Now that oversight is about to be rectified as Dr. Refugio Rochin, director of Michigan State University's Julian Samora Research Center, assumes the helm of the 150-year-old institution's new Center for Latino Initiatives.

Observing scholars are hoping that with Rochin's appointment, not only will Latinos be integrated into the nation's historical fabric, but non-Latinos will get help understanding who Latinos are today.

"Historically, [the Smithsonian has] woefully neglected the Latino population," says Dr. Antonio Rios Bustamante, a historian and longtime activist for efforts to create Latino museums nationally. "The result is that other populations in the United States are not knowledgeable about Latinos.

"It takes strength to recognize a mistake," he adds, applauding Rochin's appointment.

"We welcome Dr. Rochin as a new voice in the Smithsonian community," says Smithsonian Secretary Michael Heyman. "His scholarly work as well as his leadership in research and policy issues affecting Latinos are the qualities we were looking for in the director of our new center."

Rochin views his charge at the Smithsonian as one aimed at creating an awareness and greater understanding of U.S. Latinos. The Smithsonian, he points out, has sixteen museums, and his task will be to identify what -- among Latino contributions in areas, such as history, art, sciences, technology, sports, anthropology, culture and ethnography -- should be included in each museum.

"The objective has to be to impress upon the public the importance of Latinos. This includes exposing the public to leaders, events and cultural themes," Rochin says.

From on the Drawing Board to Online

The Center for Latino Initiatives was created in 1997, the result of a working group convened by the institution to assess its collections and activities relative to Latinos. The Smithsonian's current effort reach out to Latinos is, in Rios Bustamante's opinion, an acknowledgment that Latinos are not a foreign population, but rather part of its charge -- to incorporate all people and groups who have contributed to the building of the United States.