National Hispanic Heritage Month
Updated: Mar 20
Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15th to October 15th. How are you celebrating?
Hispanic Heritage Month began as a way to celebrate and promote Hispanic Americans' history, contributions, and culture. There are various ways that communities celebrate, including festivals, gatherings, community events, and education. Each year we are seeing more and more communities take part in these exciting, fun, and enriching experiences to help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
When is Hispanic Heritage Month in 2022?
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually in America from September 15th through to October 15th. It's an important time to celebrate the rich culture, history, and diversity of the American Latino community.
What is the History Behind Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month originally began as a week when it was first introduced by Congressman George E. Brown in June 1968. In conjunction with the growing civil rights movement of the 1960s, the need to celebrate the contributions of the Latin community and the growing diversity of the United States of America was recognized, and Hispanic Heritage Week was implemented.
Hispanic Heritage Week began in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was then later extended to a thirty-day, month-long celebration by President Ronald Reagan. Finally, it was enacted into law via the approval of Public Law 100-402 on August 17th, 1988.
September 15th is an important start date because it is the independence anniversary for El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico’s independence day falls on September 16th, Chile on September 18th, and Columbus Day falls on October 12th.
The contributions of Hispanic Americans have been integral to the prosperity and cultural diversity of the United States. These contributions are immeasurable and help to cement the best values of America.
Three Hispanic Scientists and Chemists that Helped Shape the World of Science As We Know It!
1. Luis Federico Leloir, Chemist and Scientist 1906-1987 – French-born Leloir received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and study of sugar nucleotides. He discovered an entirely new class of biological compounds. He established the Institute for Biochemical Research in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1947.
2. Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Astronaut and Research Engineer 1958-Present – Ochoa was the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center, the first Hispanic director, and only the second female director. She joined NASA as a research engineer and was selected to be an astronaut in 1990. She was the first Hispanic woman to travel aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1993. Ochoa has logged over 1,000 hours in orbit. In 2018, Dr. Ochoa joined the board of trustees for the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which makes grants for environmental conservation, scientific research, and higher education.
3. Dr. Carlos Canseco González 1921-2009 – Dr. González was named a "Public Health Hero of the Americas" in 2002 by the Pan American Health Organization. He received his MD from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and later specialized in Allergology and Clinical Immunology. He made history by becoming the first person to teach Allergology, his work on eliminating Polio, and together with Albert Sabin, developed an aerosol vaccination.
How is Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrated Across the Country?
There are various ways that Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated, including the celebration of other holidays which fall during this period. Concerts, parades, food fairs, and art exhibitions are just some of the organized events that you can look forward to.
Some of the different ways that you, your family, or your business could take part in Hispanic Heritage Month include:
Food – Plan a fiesta that highlights different traditional foods from Hispanic or Latino countries for your workplace, home, organization, or school.
Culture – Art is a great way to involve children in Hispanic Heritage Month and teach them about the importance of Hispanic and Latino culture.
Language – Learn Spanish! Over 500 million people speak Spanish, making it the 4th most spoken language in the world, so it's an excellent opportunity to start learning another language.
If you're interested in participating in Hispanic Heritage Month this year, then check out what events are being planned in your local area. It could be the ideal time to start a new tradition at your business or school while recognizing the valuable and ongoing contributions that Latin and Hispanic communities bring to this beautiful country.
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