Some say Benjamin N. Cardozo was the first "hispanic" U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

[Infinite Hope]

I guess it all depends on how one defines the term hispanic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Cardozo

[hlthe2b]

1. It certainly doesn't include Portuguese origin

I don't understand the point in this that apparently originated with some RW radio host.... Cardoza never considered himself "hispanic" nor do others of portuguese descent... We don't even include Brazilians in any definition of hispanic ethnicity in this country...

from the portuguesefoundation.org:
--Hispanic is basically an American term, not used in Europe;
--Even people from Spain are not Hispanics; they are Spanish;
--In Portuguese we use the term "Lusófonos" to describe people of Portuguese descent or culture.

What gives with this lunacy?

[Bucky]

5. There was a Congressman of Portuguese extraction who got rejected for the Hispanic caucus

I forget his name. It wouldn't have been so bad, but the guy had just been rejected for membership in the House White Caucus too.

[ShortnFiery]

2. There's some contention due to the fact he was Portuguese. Portugal is NOT Spain.

:shrug:

[Infinite Hope]

4. To be clear, I don't agree with the assertion. However one can be...

Spanish without being from today's boundaries of Spain just as one can be German (read: Germanic) without being from today's boundaries of Germany. Today's national boundaries often have little or no relevance to ethnicity.

[Cha]

3. Interesting person, anyway..thanks

for the history lesson.

[AlexanderProgressive]

6. Benjamin Cardozo is not Hispanic, and there should be no controversy about it

Portugal is not Spain.

[immoderate]

7. People from Spain are Spanish. People from south of the border are Hispanic.

Except Brazil, of course. They're Brazilian, except if they're German. :)

On edit: Welcome to DU!

--imm

[immoderate]

8. Cardozo was a Sephardic Jew, probably with roots in Spain.

Anyway he wasn't Spanish, much less Hispanic. See above.

--imm

[AlexanderProgressive]

9. His Spanish roots come from the Inquisition times (like a million years ago)

If his Spanish roots were from his grandparents, I'd say ok, let's call him Hispanic. But we are talking about grand-grand-grand-....add a few dozen grand...parents who were Spaniards.

That doesn't sound Hispanic to me. So I agree with you.

[immoderate]

10. I always think that Hispanic applies to New World.

IMHO, roots can be many generations back. But they were Spanish, not Hispanic.

My credentials: I graduated from Benjamin N. Cardozo Junior High School (JHS 198) in Queens. :P

--imm

[ContinentalOp]

11. Well, she would be the first Latina justice so it's irrelevant -nt-

[Infinite Hope]

12. Except the word "hispanic" is being used. So in that strict discussion...

whether or not she's the first latino is irrelevant. We already know she is. The discussion isn't whether she's the first anything. It's whether, as reported, she's the first hispanic.

[JohnnyBoots]

13. What is the difference between Hispanic and Latino/a ?