For the month of September, National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the awe-inspiring diversity and culture of Hispanics in America. The United States’ fastest-growing racial or ethnic minority, Hispanic Americans include people whose ancestors hail from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. There are now more than 65 million Hispanics in the United States, making it the largest Hispanic group in the world.
With so many Hispanics in the country, it’s no wonder that there is an abundance of national, state and local events to mark this month. For example, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. is celebrating the second annual Fotos & Recuerdos, a weekend festival of children’s activities, arts and crafts workshops and gallery tours dedicated to honoring Hispanic Heritage. The event is also a way to promote Latino literature and cultural preservation, and the museum has partnered with Lil’ Libros, a bilingual publisher of children’s books, for the occasion. The U.S. Postal Service has even put its stamp on the celebration with a new set of Forever stamps featuring pinatas, the handmade party favors typically associated with blindfolded guests trying to crack open and retrieve candy from inside.
But the decision to use the term Hispanic is still a controversial one, especially as government entities grapple with how best to represent and understand this population. As NPR has reported, there is an ongoing debate about whether the term Hispanic accurately captures a group of people with so many complex identities and experiences, or if it may be more useful to describe them as Latinos (or Latinas) instead.
Regardless of what you call them, this group of Americans has long been a driving force in our nation’s history and continues to shape the future of our society. Their presence dates back centuries, and they are part of the American experience from coast to coast. Their influence can be seen in the fabric of our cities, in our national parks and in the legacy of wars fought in their names.
To help you explore this rich heritage and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ve gathered resources from the NEH for teachers and students of all levels. From our Hispanic Heritage Month Sora Collection to the PBS Hispanic and Latino Heritage Collection, you can find articles, lessons and videos that will allow you and your students to learn more about these important American stories. You can also join our Hispanic/Latino health community and a special bilingual X chat with OMH’s federal partners on Sept. 18 by following our English and Spanish Twitter (@MinorityHealth on X) and Facebook and Instagram handles (@OMH_OnX) and using the hashtags #SourceForBetterHealth and #HispanicHeritageMonth. We hope you’ll join us! And if you have a question, feel free to ask it on our public forum. We are here to support you and your efforts to improve the health of your communities.