Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor the contributions that Latinos and their ancestors have made to our country. Those contributions reach across all aspects of society — from food and music to art, history and science. Whether you’re exploring online or visiting local museums, there are plenty of ways to celebrate this important national holiday.
Hispanic Americans are part of America’s rich cultural fabric, and their stories and experiences can help us understand the United States better. The National Endowment for the Humanities’ Hispanic Heritage Month website brings together resources from a number of NEH-funded projects and events, including a digital museum exhibit and a video series on American Latinos. The archival materials available here are particularly valuable for those who want to explore Mexican-American heritage and culture, but the site offers a wide variety of educational resources that can be used in a range of contexts.
Almost a quarter of the United States population is Hispanic or Latinx, and those numbers vary widely across cities. The majority of Hispanics in major metro areas are from Mexico, while the makeup varies by region and state.
In some cases, Hispanics can trace their ancestry back to the first European settlements in the Americas. But for others, their roots run much deeper. “When we start with the idea that the earliest Hispanics came from Europe, that erases centuries of pre-Columbian history and culture,” Ortiz says. It also alienates indigenous and Afro-Latino communities that resisted the European colonization of the Americas. The recent popularity of the term Latinx, which some use as a gender-inclusive alternative to Hispanic, can offer a new perspective and reframe how we talk about the broader American experience.
For example, Judith “Judy” Baca uses art to empower communities by telling their untold stories. She creates murals, monuments and paintings that reflect the people who are often excluded from retellings of U.S. history. And Helen Rodriguez-Trias fought for women and children to have access to healthcare and the abolishment of forced sterilization.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, you can visit some of the many historic sites that are maintained by the Department of Interior. These sites, located throughout the nation, connect Americans whose ancestors migrated from Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean to our shared history.
You can also explore the work of famous Hispanic artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali. Or try a Spanish language activity, such as the Smithsonian’s bilingual memory card game or a Latino-themed version of Bingo called Loteria. For an extra-special celebration, you can take a field trip to the American Latino Museum in Washington, D.C. Congress enacted legislation in 2020 to establish this museum, which will bring together art, history and culture to tell the story of Hispanics in the United States. It’s expected to open in 2024. This museum will be the cornerstone for visitors to learn how Hispanics have and continue to contribute to U.S. art, history and culture, and the impact of their contributions to science, literature and the military.