By: Mia Gonzalez

¡Hola mi gente! Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to you all! To begin, what is Hispanic Heritage Month and what does it mean to the Hispanic community? Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the achievements, histories, cultures, and contributions of U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. This month recognizes the resilience and determination of the Hispanic community, as well as our place and our past in the United States. 

According to the National Museum of the American Latino, though Hispanic and Latinx children make up one in every four children in the U.S., Latinx history is often absent from high school textbooks. As our nation grows in diversity, citizens must learn more about American Latinx experiences to acknowledge this community’s numerous contributions and ensure that Latinx people have a voice. 

The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on September 15 and ends on October 15, correlates with the independence of many Latin American countries. In 1810, Mexico gained independence from Spain on September 16, and Chile did so on September 18. On September 15, 1821, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras also declared their independence from Spain. Finally, on September 21, 1981 Belize celebrated its independence from Great Britain. 

So, how was Hispanic Heritage Month established? In June of 1968, California representative George E. Brown introduced the idea of a weeklong celebration. The first-ever Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation, in which President Lyndon B. Johnson acknowledged the independence of the Latin American countries, was signed September 17, 1968. The next four presidents followed President Johnson’s lead by delivering a yearly proclamation until 1988, when California representative Esteban Torres proposed that the weeklong celebration be extended to a 31-day period that would allocate more time for celebration. Illinois senator Paul Smith introduced  Public Law No: 100-404 which was approved by Congress and declared law under President Reagan on August 17, 1988. Then, on September 14, 1989, President Bush became the first president to proclaim Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Since then, every U.S. president has made annual National Hispanic Heritage Month proclamations. As we reflect on this month, School Counselor Ms. Montegudo encourages us to recognize that “Latinx people do not only exist from September 15 to October 15 and that we are here year round as we continue to thrive in our excellence.”