Stephen Velasquez

Bio

L. Stephen Velasquez is a Curator for the Division of Home and Community Life, National Museum of American History. He was co-curator for the exhibitions Food: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 and the exhibit, Many Voices, One Nation, as well as the newly opened Entertainment Nation. He is currently involved in a research project on Mexican vineyard workers in Napa and an upcoming touring exhibit, Corazón Y Vida: Lowrider Culture, a photography exhibit on lowrider car culture. He is a member of the Food History team that conducts research and produces programs on food, history, and society. He engages in many public-facing programs on Latino history and culture as well as food history. He was a collection manager for many years. Past projects include the Bracero Oral History Project and associated traveling exhibit, Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964; the exhibit Mexican Treasures at the Smithsonian; as well as AZUCAR! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz; A Collector’s Vision of Puerto Rico; and Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian, as well as many other projects. He holds a master’s degree in Anthropology from The George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri.