Maybe you first heard about National Hispanic Heritage Month from a friend or scrolled across an informational post about it on social media. You’re familiar with the celebratory month, but if you had to take a pop quiz on the subject? Let’s just say… you probably wouldn’t walk out with an A+.
That’s okay—learning about the history and significance of different cultural celebrations isn’t an overnight process; it’s an ongoing one. But, being interested in educating yourself about the contributions made by different groups of people is an important first step to create a society built on mutual respect and admiration for different races, ethnicities, religions, and more.
These facts about National Hispanic Heritage Month will not only deepen your knowledge of this celebration, but enrich your life overall:
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and ends on October 15.
In June 1968, California Congressman George E. Brown first introduced Hispanic Heritage Week to commemorate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans, according to History.com.
In 1987, U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed expanding the week-long observance to a month. He wanted more time to allow the nation to “properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.”
In 1988, Senator Paul Simon (D-Illinois), submitted a similar bill that successfully passed Congress. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on August 17, 1988.
President George H.W. Bush was the first president to declare the 31-day period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. (Bonus fact: He was a sponsor of the original 1968 Hispanic Heritage Week resolution while serving in the House of Representatives.) This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 because it coincides with the national independence days for many Latin American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Mexico’s national independence day follows on the 16th, while Chile’s occurs on the 18th, and Belize’s is on the 21st.
The U.S. Hispanic population reached 60.6 million in 2019, according to Pew Research Center. Hispanic Americans are the nation’s second-fastest-growing racial or ethnic group after Asian Americans.
Americansof Mexican origin account for more than 60 percent (37 million people) of the nation’s overall Hispanic population as of 2018, per Pew Research Center. The next largest group are Americans of Puerto Rican origin with 5.8 million people.
Americans with origins in Cuba, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia, and Honduras each have a population of roughly 1 million or more as of 2018.
The month is celebrated nationwide through festivals, parades, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and much more.
Twelve states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas—had a population of 1 million or more Hispanic residents in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The fastest population growth among Latino Americans is from people with origins in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Honduras, and Guatemala.
Four out of five Latinos (80 percent) are U.S. citizens as of 2018, per Pew Research Center. This includes people born in the U.S. and its territories, those born abroad to American parents, and immigrants who have become naturalized citizens.
The Hispanic Society of America hosts multiple events and activities to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Anyone can celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and show their appreciation for Hispanic and Latino Americans by reading books by authors of Hispanic or Latino origin, watching movies about Hispanic and Latino culture, and going to local events that celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino people have made to U.S. society.
Source: WH MAG