September-October Heritage and Awareness

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The 30-day period commemorates the many contributions and cultural influences from those with Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean and Central and South American heritage.

Celebrating Hispanic heritage began in 1968 when Hispanic Heritage Week was renamed under President Lyndon B. Johnson, according to hispanicheritagemonth.gov. The week was expanded to Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan to cover a full 30-day period.

Sept. 15 was chosen since it is the anniversary of independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile have their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18.

Hispanic Heritage Month was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.