Hispanic Heritage Month is a nationally recognized holiday to celebrate and educate on the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to the U.S. It’s also a time for LatinX people to celebrate their roots! It started as a week-long celebration established by legislation sponsored by Mexican American U.S. Representative Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles. It was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. Many Central and South American countries celebrate their Independence Day during this timeframe.
The Hispanic community continues to grow, contribute, and make up the American culture. From immigration policies to pop culture to companies translating content into Spanish, Latinx Americans are making their voices heard in how companies go to market, schools operate, and government functions.
September 15th is the anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and 18, respectively.
From September 15th to October 15th is National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month. It’s a time to celebrate Hispanic and Latino Americans’ history, cultures, and contributions.
Did you know?
According to the U.S. Census:
- The Hispanic or Latino population, which includes people of any race, was 62.1 million in 2020. Since 2010, the Hispanic or Latino population has grown by 23%, while the population not of Hispanic or Latino origin has grown by 4.3%
- Slightly more than half (51.1%) of the total U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2020 came from growth in the Hispanic or Latino population
- Between 2010 and 2020, the number of people of Hispanic or Latino origin reporting more than one race increased 567% from 3 million (6.0%) to 20.3 million (32.7%)
What is the difference between Hispanic, Latino/a and LatinX?
The term Latino refers to all people of Central and South America. The term Hispanic* refers to all Spanish speakers, including Central and South America and Spain, but excludes Brazil. LatinX, a gender-neutral representation of a population, is a newer term used by younger generations. There is no right or wrong answer when addressing this population group, so please ask which term someone prefers.
Implementing two separate questions for race and ethnicity in the 2020 Census allowed for a better understanding of how people self-identify.
*For U.S. statistics and demographic information, Hispanic includes anyone from Central and South America. Many people count themselves Hispanic well into third and fourth generations.
There are many things to read, watch and listen to to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. So, we rounded up some activities you can do this month.
Things to Read
Books:
- El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes
- One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
- The Labyrinth of Solitude and Other Writings by Octavio Paz
- The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
- Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodríguez
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
- The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea
For more books, check out:
Amazon’s book list for Hispanic Heritage Month
Boston University shares a list of 12 Great Books for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Goodreads has an extensive list of 66 books to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
The New York Times has curated a list of 11 Recent Books on Latino Life.
Poems:
- Poems by Pablo Neruda
- Poems by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
- “I Am Not Alone” by Gabriela Mistral
- “Emplumada” by Lorna Dee Cervantes
- “Ancestor” by Jimmy Santiago Baca
- “Rain” by Claribel Alegria
- Poems by Alfonsina Storni
- Poems by Rosario Castellanos
For more poems, check out this poem list for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Things to Watch
Films:
- City of God (2002)
- Coco (2017)
- Eva No Duerme (2015)
- Filly Brown (2012)
- The Graduates (2013)
- Frida (2002)
- Viva (2016)
- Roma (2018)
YouTube Videos:
Ted Talks:
For more Ted Talks, check out Ted Talks by Hispanic and LatinX Speakers for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Things to Listen To
Podcasts:
- Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with NPR on Spotify
- Ofelia Esparza on Día de Los Muertos
- Lin-Manuel Miranda on Hamilton (Part One / Part Two)
- Juan Felipe Herrera on honoring languages and cultures
- Latinos Out Loud is a weekly comedic podcast that covers Latinx culture and pop culture.
For more podcasts, check out National Endowment for the Arts’ Podcasts to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Whatever you do to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we hope this list helps you find some new ideas you and your family can do! There are many more resources for learning about Hispanic and Latino culture and educating ourselves. Our best advice: be curious, read, listen, discuss, and learn as you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
