After President Reagan signed Public Law 100-402, National Hispanic Heritage Week became a monthly celebration to recognize all the contributions Hispanic Americans have made in U.S. society. National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) begins on September 15th through October 15th. This year, President Biden recognized this time of month stating, "let us give thanks to the many generations of Hispanic leaders who have helped build this country and continue to fight for equality and justice."
Why Do We Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month?
As of 2021, the U.S. Census estimates that there are around 62,529,064 individuals residing in the U.S. that identify as Hispanic or Latino. In 2020, 20.8% of Hispanics had a college degree. Hispanic/Latinx Americans have always been a part the United States. "As a nation [of] immigrant roots and values ," it's crucial that we all recognize the role immigrants play.
While this celebration was originally only a week long, it was expanded to a month in 1968. Its timing correlates with various anniversary dates for many Latin American countries. The first day of NHHM is September 15th, which also is independence day for the following countries:
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
September 16th is Mexico's independence day and Chile's is the 18th. People in each of these nations celebrate their independence days in a big way, and the Hispanic population living in the U.S. still celebrate those holidays from afar.
Created by the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian, and several other agencies, the National Hispanic Heritage Month website highlights various exhibits, images, and collections to pay tribute to Hispanic Americans. One of the exhibits highlighted is "Presente! A Latino History of the United States," it looks into Latino identity, immigration, and historical legacies in the U.S.
Outstanding Hispanic/Latinx Individuals in the Federal Government
In 1976, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) was founded "as a legislative service organization of the United States House of Representatives." Members of this Caucus focus on issues and policies that directly impact the Hispanic community and create a space for Hispanic members of Congress. The following Congressmembers are in CHC:
- Rep. Raul Ruiz Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
- Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan Rep. Jim Costa
- Rep. Tony Cardenas Rep. Henry Cuellar
- Rep. Adriano Espaillat Rep. Veronica Escobar
- Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez Rep. Ruben Gallego
- Rep. Sylvia Garcia Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia
- Rep. Darren Soto Rep. Jimmy Gomez
- Rep. Ritchie Torres Rep. Vicente Gonzalez
- Rep. Pete Aguilar Rep. Raul Grijalva
- Rep. Salud Carbajal Rep. Mike Levin
- Rep. Joaquin Castro Sen. Ben Ray Lujan
- Rep. Lou Correa Sen. Bob Menendez
- Rep. Grace Napolitano Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
- Sen. Alex Padilla Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard
- Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan Rep. Michael San Nicolas
- Rep. Linda Sanchez Rep. Albio Sires
- Rep. Norma Torres Rep. Lori Trahan
- Rep. Juan Vargas Rep. Nydia Velasquez
President Biden highlighted Hispanic members in his own administration. They include:
Resources at the OSU Library
The OSU Library has various resources for anyone interested in learning more about National Hispanic Heritage Month. Some of the following resources are available:
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