Every year we have special months dedicated to different genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and identities in general. This month is Hispanic Heritage Month! This month celebrates Americans with descendants from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Brief History
This holiday was originally observed for only a week starting in 1968 under the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. However, it became the National Hispanic Heritage Month we know today as it was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1988. Implementation began under the presidency of George Bush as he declared the period of September 15th to October 15th to be the designated month for celebration.
Why Hispanic Heritage Month Began
Lyndon Johnson began the week-long celebration to facilitate American citizens with ample time to organize festivities and events to celebrate Hispanic achievements and contributions. Though his intended celebration changed from one week to one month, the reasons for celebrating this holiday remain the same. As Hispanics make up 18% of the U.S. population, we must learn about their cultures and communities and to properly do this, we must recognize their contributions to the society we know today.
Hispanic Contributions to American Society and their Achievements
Hispanic individuals have made vast contributions to the society and culture we know today as well as to the values that we hold. They have made up some of America’s best artists, musicians, politicians, and athletes. Here are some astonishing facts:
They are 24.5% more likely to become entrepreneurs than average American citizens
They have a high voter turnout rate as 83% of registered Hispanics end up participating in elections
They are more active in labor than the United States as a whole
They are to thank for our favorite foods including quesadillas, tacos, and burritos.
The pinatas that you constantly see at parties are from Hispanic culture and speaking of parties, Cinco de Mayo, a popular American holiday, also comes from their culture.
They are also responsible for creating popular dancing styles like salsa and amazing music like reggaeton
Hispanic individuals were behind the inventions of color TV, contraceptive pills, the first artificial heart, and the wireless phone.
Without Hispanic individuals in America, our country would look entirely different and possibly in a bad way.
How to Celebrate
Cook Hispanic dishes! Here are some popular dishes: https://www.spanish.academy/blog/latin-american-food-15-must-try-national-dishes-of-latin-america/
Support local Hispanic businesses. Put the following phrase into your google search bar to find local businesses near you! “local Hispanic owned businesses”
Create a playlist of Hispanic songs to get in the spirit. Here’s a youtube link for inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHG0_mBuAg
Find more ways to celebrate here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a33957025/hispanic-heritage-month/
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month and thank you for reading! Make sure to spread the word on social media about this month and remain cognizant of the contributions, achievements, and sacrifices of the Hispanic individuals who make up our country.
Sources:
