As an admiral in the Union Navy, David Farragut was the most famous Hispanic soldier in the Civil War. He joined the Navy when he was only 10 years of age — the youngest person ever to enlist! Farragut is known for a famous remark during the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. When the ship in front of his struck an explosive mine and sank, Farragut urged on his crew, shouting, "Damn the torpedoes! Go ahead. Four bells [full speed]!" His fleet of ships captured the Confederate ships in the harbor and won the battle. Farragut was the first person to earn the rank of admiral in the United States Navy.

In 1836, Juan Seguín fought for Texan independence from Mexico in the Battle of the Alamo. He survived the siege only because he left to gather reinforcements. Seguín felt the Mexican government had too much power and believed Texans could rule themselves. Although he was elected mayor of San Antonio at one time, he and others of Mexican background were harassed by many white settlers in Texas. He eventually died in Mexico, across the Rio Grande from the land for whose independence he had risked his life.

Carlos Juan Finlay solved the mystery of what caused yellow fever. This deadly disease had no known cure just over 100 years ago and killed thousands of people. In 1881, he discovered that mosquitoes spread yellow fever, but he could not prove it. Other scientists did not believe him. They made fun of him, calling him the mosquito man. Eventually, because of the work of Finlay and Walter Reed, another important physician, scientists were able to develop a vaccine using diseased mosquitoes and conquer this disease.

Loreta Janeta Velázquez wanted to fight for her side in the Civil War and didn't want to be stopped because she was a woman. She disguised herself as a man named Harry Buford, even wearing a fake mustache, and joined the Confederate forces. She was discovered only after she was injured in battle.

Ezequiel Cabeza de Baca, New Mexico's second governor, was the first ever elected Latino governor in the United States. DeBaca County, New Mexico, is named for him.

As a United States senator, Dennis Chávez battled for the rights of Hispanic residents and Native Americans in his home state, New Mexico. He was a senator for 27 years, from 1935 to 1962. Chávez tried to stop discrimination against workers based on their race, religion, or ethnic background. He played a major role in the establishment of an agency to protect workers, known as the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

Fabiola Cabeza de Baca Gilbert was responsible for advances made in making foods safer for people in the Southwest. She taught people all over New Mexico safe ways to preserve food through canning and drying methods. Also, she organized markets where Native American women could sell their handicrafts. As an author, she wrote books on New Mexican traditions and folklore.

After holding many offices in Puerto Rico and improving ties with the U.S., Luis Muñoz Marín was the first governor elected by the people of Puerto Rico in 1947. He was one of the people who drafted Puerto Rico's constitution and helped lead Puerto Rico in becoming a self-governing Commonwealth. Muñoz Marín worked for the cause of poor people to own land and also to draw businesses to Puerto Rico.