Profiles in liberty: The Latinos who’ve built American liberty

America has always been the land of the free and the home of the brave, and Latinos have been fighting to keep it that way since day one.

From battlefields to Congress, from the fight for independence to the defense of our values today, the Latino community has always shown up for freedom.

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end and our country nears its 250th anniversary, this is a good time to remember the Latinos who’ve dedicated their lives to this country.

Here are some of their stories.

Bernardo de Gálvez: The Revolutionary Ally

While George Washington commanded the Continental Army through the battle of Trenton and the harsh winter at Valley Forge, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Gálvez, was sending crucial support from New Orleans.

At that time, Spain controlled vast tracts of land west of the Mississippi River, and Gálvez used all his power to help the American revolutionaries defeat the powerful British Empire.

He smuggled guns and supplies to the Continentals, opened New Orleans as an American base of operations, and sent his troops to fight the British at Baton Rouge, Mobile, and Pensacola in 1781.

Many of his soldiers were Latinos. In fact, one of the soldiers under Gálvez’s command was none other than Venezuelan independence fighter Francisco de Miranda, who fought bravely in the capture of Pensacola.

The city of Galveston, Texas, is named in Gálvez’s honor.

David Farragut: “Full Speed Ahead”

The son of a Spanish officer who also fought for American independence, David Farragut enlisted in the American Navy at a very young age.

During the Civil War, he faced his biggest test when trying to capture Mobile Bay, Alabama, the last port of the Confederacy.

The bay was littered with Confederate mines (known as torpedoes back then), and when warned by his officers that the fleet should retreat to avoid being struck, Farragut issued his iconic order:

“Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead.”

The Union won the battle, and a couple of years after the end of the war, he was promoted to become the first admiral in the history of the U.S. Navy.

Joseph H. De Castro: Bravery at Gettysburg

Born in Massachusetts, Corporal Joseph H. De Castro became the first Latino to earn the Medal of Honor in 1864 for his heroic actions at the crucial battle of Gettysburg.

Amid the chaos of Pickett’s Charge, Castro’s unit faced the full force of the Confederate army, but De Castro broke through the fray and personally took the flag from Virginia’s 14th Regiment.

De Castro loved America and went above and beyond the call of duty to defend it.

José Romualdo Pacheco: A voice that opened doors

The first Latino to serve as governor of California and in the U.S. Congress, José Romualdo Pacheco bridged different cultures at a time when America was rapidly expanding.

A respected statesman, Pacheco was elected state senator, lieutenant governor, governor, and, eventually, a U.S. representative, winning his first election to Congress by a single vote.

Pacheco was just the first of many Latinos who’ve devoted their life to public service and statesmanship. 

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: A Trailblazer in Congress

When she was just 8 years old, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and her family fled Castro’s Cuba, leaving everything behind for the promise of freedom in Miami. Ever since, she’s been a passionate believer and defender of American liberty.

She quickly became a leader in her community and got involved in electoral politics, serving in the Florida House and Senate before making history in 1989 as the first Latina elected to the U.S. Congress.

Throughout her career, she was a fierce defender of the values that built America: free markets, free speech, and constitutional governance.

Ros-Lehtinen’s journey from refugee to trailblazing lawmaker shows that courage and conviction can change not only a life but a nation.

Join us. Carry the torch of freedom.

These trailblazers prove that courage can rewrite destinies and uplift our nation. Their stories challenge us to break barriers and build a future where every voice is heard.

Like all these heroes of the past, Latinos today are at the forefront of the fight to keep America free.

Join the “Quiero ser LIBRE” campaign. Step up, speak out, and be part of the movement for freedom. The next chapter begins with you!