The National Archives released a new book, "Hispanic Americans in Congress 1822-2012", featuring the contribution of 102 Latinos who have served as U.S. Representatives, Delegates, Resident Commissioners or Senators. More than half of those, 54, served after 1977.

The book begins with Joseph Marion Hernandez of Florida as the first Hispanic American delegate to serve in Congress in 1822. It records the contribution of Latinos to government service coinciding with the continental expansion of the United States. In its 700 pages, spanning 200 years, the book dedicates more pages to the past, giving a history of United States expansion and the inclusion of Latinos in Congress as California, Florida, New Mexico, Puerto Rico and Texas and other territories gained and led to representation in government.

Containing biographical profiles, the book links to information about current Latino members, essays on the institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of Latino members of Congress, images and photos of members, including rare photos. There are details on the committees Latinos served, and what legislation they fought for.

There are anecdotes such as when Republican Californian Congressman Romualdo Pacheco spoke out espousing anti-Chinese rhetoric and standing up for immigration restrictions despite the contributions made by the Chinese to the railroad and his home state.

"It is necessary to see with our own eyes the insidious encroachments of the Mongolian upon every branch of labor, every avenue of industry," Pacheco said. "They are taking in our factories and workshops, at the plow, beside the loom, yea in our very kitchens and laundries, the place of the white laborer."

The Chinese Exclusion Act 1882, which suspended the immigration of all Chinese laborers and denied citizenship to Asian immigrants, passed the House by a vote of 167 to 66.

On the book's cover is Henry B. Gonzalez of Texas, the longest-serving Latino in congressional history. His years a civil rights proponent in San Antonio and Texas politics, helped him win a seat in the U.S. House in 1961 in a special election. He went on to serve more than 37 years, and helped found the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and became chairman of the influential House Banking Committee.

The book is divided into chapters.

"From Democracy's Borderlands, 1822-1898" lays out how the earliest Latinos confronted racial prejudice and limits to their powers as lawmakers.

"Foreign in a Domestic Sense, 1898-1945" shows how Latinos used committee assignments to bolster the economy during the Great Depression and articulate common concerns.

The chapter "Separate Interests to National Agenda, 1945-1977" features how Latinos fostered grassroots activism and expanded the boundaries of U.S. citizenship and protected civil liberties and the creation of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus which include Republicans and Democrats.

The largest chapter, "Strength in Numbers, Challenges in Diversity, 1977-2012," shows the growth of Latino representation in Congress and their influences on committees and subcommittees, and as leaders being at the forefront of issues like voting rights, bilingual education, foreign policy and immigration.

Since 1899, at least one Latino has served in each Congress. Today there are over 5,800 Latino elected offices nationally; a 53 percent increase in participation over the last 15 years. There at 35 Latinos serving as members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 27 are Democrat and eight Republican, and three serve in the Senate.

The latest publication is the third in a series of books to include "Women in Congress" and "Black Americans in Congress."

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

This union poster urges consumers to boycott buying lettuce and grapes to support efforts to improve working conditions for migrant farmworkers.