What Makes Latin American Public Histories Different?

This article explores how Public History, as developed in the Anglo-Saxon world, has evolved independently in Latin America since the 1970s. Despite its divergence from Northern traditions, Latin American public history, characterized by cultural diversity, offers alternative narratives that challenge dominant histories and support social struggles. We examine three case studies: the rise of comics about characters and historical processes of marginalized populations; the Andean Oral History Workshop (THOA) and Ch’Ixi Collective’s work in Bolivia led by Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, and a 2010 Colombian museum exhibition addressing historical memory and violence. These examples highlight the region’s contributions to public history.