Every year the U.S. sets aside the period of September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s a time to recognize the contributions Americans with Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, and South American ancestry have made to society.
But why does this “month” begin the middle of the month?
It’s simply because mid-September is an important time of celebration for a number of Latin American countries and the U.S. chose to honor those celebrations by adding to them—officially!
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all celebrate their independence on September 15. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 (not May 5!) and Chile celebrates its independence on September 18. The October 12 commemoration of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas then caps off the month-long period to reflect on all of the ways Hispanic exploration and the indigenous cultures of Latin America influenced and continue to influence our nation. According to the Census Bureau, the Hispanic population in the U.S. will reach nearly 120 million by the year 2060!
To learn more about the month, check out the free resources and virtual exhibits about Hispanic arts, history, culture, government, and more that have been curated by the Library of Congress, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, and Smithsonian Institution at HispanicHeritageMonth.gov.
Then, in October, watch the Home Made with Aaron’s blog and Aaron’s Facebook and Instagram channels for more on National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 as presented by IGUAL, an organization of Aaron’s Latin/Hispanic Team Members. IGUAL translates to “equal” in English. These allies work together to support, encourage, and boost opportunities for the Latin/Hispanic workforce at Aaron’s and our communities.
