Siblings Jose B. Gonzalez and Evelyn Chapman are featured in a photograph that is part of the debut exhibit in the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The gallery is the first national space dedicated to presenting exhibitions on different core chapters of Latino history.

Gonzalez is a 1985 graduate of New London High School, earned a PhD in English, is editor-in-chief of LatinoStories.com, and is a resident of Waterford. His sister, Evelyn Chapman, is NLHS class of 1984 and a resident of Waterford.

Before graduating from New London High School, the siblings spent the early part of their childhood in El Salvador living away from their parents, who had come to New London in hopes of earning enough money to reunite the family. The exhibit also features lines from the poetry of Gonzalez, who is the author of two books of poetry.

Gonzalez said he was asked by the staff of the Smithsonian Latino Center if he would provide permission to feature a “short biographic profile and portrait” for the exhibit. He provided photos and they chose one, and they selected the lines of poetry.