Hispanic Heritage Month - October 2023 - What's Happening @ LWLC - Research Guides Homepage at Alabama State University

What is Hispanic Heritage Month?

A month to celebrate Hispanic Americans, their culture, and their contributions to the United States.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18. Columbus Day / Dia de la Raza falls within this month on October 9.

This recognition started as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon B. Johnson, but it was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

The term Hispanic or Latino, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, refers to Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. Portuguese and Brazilians generally do not consider themselves Hispanic or Latino.

According to the 2020 Census, 62.1 million people or 18.7% of the population are of Hispanic or Latino origin. This represents a significant increase from the 2010 Census, which registered the Hispanic population at 50.5 million or 16% of the total U.S. population. The leading ethnic origins (per table in Wikipedia) are Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, and Dominican.

Some sites for further information about the Hispanic community:

7 Facts for National Hispanic Heritage Month - 7 facts that looks at Latinos in the U.S. by age, geography, and origin groups (Pew Research Center).

15 Influential Hispanic Americans Who Made History - 15 notable Hispanic Americans past and present (Biography).

Hispanic Americans by the Numbers - Demographic information of the Hspanic community in the U.S. (Infoplease),

Hispanic Heritage Month - Fun facts, Hispanic firsts, statistics, biographies (Factmonster).

Hispanic Heritage Month - Overview with collection of useful links and videos (HispanicMonth).

Library of Congress - Overview, exhibits, collections, images, and audio/video.

Hispanic and Latino Heritage and History in the United States - National Endowment for the Humanities-supplied general information along with lists of lesson plans, websites and additional resources.