Hispanic Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate the rich contributions of people from Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean to our nation’s history. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the many challenges that the community faces.
Between 2010 and 2020, more than half of the population growth in the United States came from people identifying as Hispanic or Latino. These people are a fast-growing, multiracial group whose diverse cultures and lived experiences have an impact on our country. But how do we talk about these histories and identities in a way that is meaningful?
For starters, the terms Hispanic and Latino are often problematic. While Spain had an indelible influence on the Americas, not all Hispanic people are of Spanish descent, and even those that identify as Latino can have African, Indigenous, or other non-European roots that predate and endured colonization. The term Latino can also exclude people from countries like Haiti and Jamaica, where the language spoken is English, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own rich histories to share.
Another thorny issue is how we define hispanic culture, with some groups objecting to being lumped together under the term Latino. Many of the cultural aspects that we think of as Hispanic or Latino have African and Indigenous roots, including music (like cumbia and reggaeton), sports (like soccer and baseball), and food (like mole, tamales and albondigas). This is an important part of a larger conversation about how to tell more inclusive stories that center people from the American South and the Americas.
Despite these controversies, Hispanic Heritage Month continues to be an important and meaningful celebration. And there are many ways to do so, whether it’s visiting a museum(link is external) or attending a festival (link is external). The National Park Service has more than 500 places with historic significance related to the Hispanic and Latino community, from monuments and parks to national memorials and sites.(link is external)
The best way to celebrate is by learning about the diverse communities and cultures that make up Hispanic and Latino Americans. You can start with books(link is external) — New York City Public Library’s Latino & Hispanic Collection (opens in Sora) has lots of great options, or check out the PBS Hispanic Heritage Month Collection(link is external) for documentaries.
Finally, it’s important to remember that Hispanic Heritage Month is about more than just a week. The observance was originally implemented by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 as a weeklong holiday, and it was expanded to 31 days by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates of the observance are important because they coincide with the national independence holidays of Central American nations (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) on Sept. 15, Mexico on Sept. 16, and Chile on Sept. 18. These dates reflect the legacy of independence struggles in these nations and in all of Latin America. The observance was further extended by Congress in 2008 to honor the contributions of Hispanic and Latino workers, students, and entrepreneurs.