As Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off this week, Americans are being urged to celebrate and learn more about the culture, history and people who make up the country’s fastest-growing racial or ethnic minority. There are 65 million people in the United States who identify as Hispanic or Latino, and that number is growing faster than any other group. The Hispanic community has a strong connection to the land that we call home, with roots in the Spanish colonial period of what is now the United States and 20 Latin American countries and territories.
The observance was first established as a weeklong commemoration in 1968 through legislation sponsored by then-Mexican American U.S. Rep. Edward R. Roybal and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was expanded to a month two decades later, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation was formed in 1989 by congressional leaders to promote and administer this national celebration.
Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. It’s a chance to showcase the awe-inspiring diversity of the Hispanic community. It also is a time to recognize the contributions of the more than 65 million Americans who are Hispanic or Latino, including those who have family ties to Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean and Central America.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, schools and communities across the country are hosting events that highlight Hispanic culture, including a quinceanera fashion show in Dallas on Sept. 14, the New York Latino Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 17-22, and the Viva Tampa Bay Hispanic Festival on Sept. 28-29. The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., is offering a slate of activities that include a celebration of the life of Celia Cruz and exhibits of art made in Mexico.
For those interested in learning more, the Library of Congress has several online resources available to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and explore the impact of Hispanic Americans on our nation. Its Hispanic Reading Room has a series of blogs, performances and workshops. It is also releasing audio recordings from its PALABRA Archive, which features a range of voices from 20th and 21st century Luso-Hispanic (a term that refers to regions once ruled by Portugal or Spain) writers reading from their work.
In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is celebrating the holiday with its own commemorative stamps. Earlier this month, it released Forever stamps featuring pinatas — the handmade party favorites that are traditionally used at parties for blindfolded guests to try to crack open and find candy inside. These stamps will be on sale through Oct. 31, with proceeds benefiting the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. The Postal Service is also providing a guide on its website for educators who wish to use the stamps in classrooms or other educational settings. This guide is available in both English and Spanish.