Virtually every date, place and event that Americans are taught about the nation’s history could be expanded by the inclusion of Latinos. We’ve been here from the beginning, and that’s far earlier than most realize. The quest to help more people understand this history is embedded in the push to pass legislation to establish the National Museum of the American Latino as a part of the Smithsonian. A Senate committee unanimously passed the House bill supporting the museum onto the full Senate Dec. 3. The House passed it in July.

The fervent hope is that President Donald Trump will sign the legislation before he leaves office. If not, backers will have to restart gathering sponsors and cosponsors with a new Congress. If successful, a 2031 opening remains feasible.

Playing the long game, exhibiting the tenacity, patience and resilience for this lengthy pursuit is indicative of the Latino experience in North America.

In 1994, a task force formed by the Smithsonian Institution issued a damning critique. Titled “Willful Neglect,” the subsequent report noted not only the lack of exhibits that showcased Latino contributions, it also remarked on the dearth of Latinos within the staff ranks and on advisory boards.

Recommendations were made, including establishing Latino museums under the auspices of the Smithsonian and located on the National Mall. Subsequent criticism came in 2018 with a report that chronicled how little progress had been made.

The Smithsonian hit back, listing the many new hires and acquisitions since 1994. One larger step forward is already in the works. The Molina Family Latino Gallery, a 4,500 square foot space in the National Museum of American History expected to open in 2022.

Experience proves ignoring truths from the past is a grave mistake. Take for instance, recent debates around the display of Confederate statues. Too much of the conversation, on all sides, came from misinformation about the roles of these Confederate figures as well as when and why many were initially memorialized. Raul “Danny” Vargas points to an even grimmer outcome of historical ignorance. He notes El Paso in 2019 when a gunman went to a Walmart hunting Mexicans. He killed 23 people.

Some might grouse at the idea of another specialized museum highlighting one ethnic or racial group. But the Latino museum might not be necessary if scholars, historians, textbook authors and any number of stewards of the national memory had been more mindful and diligent to truth. Understanding the Latino role in American history isn’t about reciting a few names and dates or splicing in bits and pieces to integrate stories we’ve missed for generations.

Ours is a complicated story of migrations that are on-going. It’s also a story of discrimination. Latinos have been despised, kept out of schools and public places with signage declaring “No Dogs, Negroes, Mexicans.” All of it deserves acknowledgment, and the archival bandwidth of the Smithsonian.

Mary Sanchez is a nationally syndicated author.