Hispanic Heritage Month

"National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place in the United States annually from September 15 through October 15. It began in the 1960s as National Hispanic Heritage Week, a period of time set aside to celebrate the culture and accomplishments of Hispanic people in the United States. In 1988, that period was expanded to include a full month. The start date of September 15 was chosen to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations of five prominent Hispanic nations.

Traditionally, the term Hispanic refers to a broad ethnic group comprised of people who trace their ancestry to parts of South America, Central America, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. However, modern definitions of the term simply require that someone identify as Hispanic. Most research organizations use Hispanic interchangeably with the term Latino . Hispanic Americans are the second-largest minority group in the United States, and can be found throughout the nation. The largest populations of Hispanic Americans can be found in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami."

Biscontini, Tyler. “National Hispanic Heritage Month.” Salem Press Encyclopedia, Nov. 2020.