© Getty Images

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and ends on October 15 -

It may seem strange that National Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of one month and ends in the middle of another, but these dates actually hold historical significance.

© Getty Images

Why these dates? -

September 15 is the date when five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—earned their independence from Spain in 1821.

© Getty Images

Other dates of independence -

Mexico and Chile became independent from Spain on September 16 and 18, respectively. Belize became independent from the UK on September 21.

© Getty Images

It began as a week-long celebration in 1968 -

California Congressman George E. Brown first introduced Hispanic Heritage Week in June 1968. On September 17, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson (pictured) signed Proclamation 3869, officially designating Hispanic Heritage Week.

© Getty Images

In 1987, Representative Esteban Torres of California proposed expanding the week-long observance to a month -

Torres wanted more time to allow the nation to "properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement."

© Public Domain

It officially became a month-long celebration -

In 1988, Senator Paul Simon submitted a similar bill that successfully passed Congress. President Ronald Reagan (pictured) signed the bill into law on August 17, 1988.

© Getty Images

The first president to declare National Hispanic Heritage Month -

President George H.W. Bush was the first president to declare September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. He was also a sponsor of the original 1968 Hispanic Heritage Week resolution while serving in the House of Representatives.

© Getty Images

The celebration is acknowledged by the president -

Starting with George H.W. Bush, every US president has given a proclamation acknowledging Hispanic Heritage Month.

© Getty Images

There's a theme each year -

Each year, the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM) announces an observance theme for Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2023 theme is "Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One."

© Getty Images

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) organizes the Annual Awards Gala -

From 1979 to 2016, every sitting US president was invited to address the gala, and only former President George H.W. Bush was unable to attend during his time in office. In 2017, CHCI didn’t invite former President Donald Trump after he announced a plan to cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. President Joe Biden attended in 2022.

© Getty Images

The US Hispanic population is currently estimated to be 63.7 million -

According to the United States Census Bureau, Hispanic-identifying people make up the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority, at 19.1% as of July 2022.

© Getty Images

Citizens -

According to the Pew Research Center, four out of five Latinos  (81%) living in the US are US citizens as of 2021. This includes people born in the US and its territories, including Puerto Rico, those born abroad to American parents, and immigrants who have become naturalized citizens.

© Getty Images

Hispanic children in the US -

One in four children in the US is Hispanic. That's 25% of all children. And 94% of them were born in the US.

© Getty Images

Thirteen states have populations of at least one million Hispanic residents -

These states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

© Getty Images

Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the US -

If you include people who speak Spanish as a second language, there are more Spanish speakers in the US than in Spain!

© Getty Images

Americans of Mexican origin make up the majority of the nation’s overall Hispanic population -

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2021 individuals of Mexican descent accounted for nearly 60% (about 37.2 million people) of the total Hispanic population in the US.

© Getty Images

The second-largest group are of Puerto Rican origin -

In the US, 5.8 million people are of Puerto Rican origin. Another 3.1 million people live in Puerto Rico as of 2021.

© Getty Images

Six other Hispanic origin groups in the US each have a population of one million or more -

These include Americans with origins in Cuba, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia, and Honduras.

© Getty Images

A nationwide celebration -

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationwide through music festivals, parades, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and more.

© Getty Images

Countries included in the celebration -

According to the US Census Bureau, the month honors the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

© Getty Images

Who identifies as Hispanic? -

A person who identifies as Hispanic is from or has ancestors from a Spanish-speaking territory or country.

© Getty Images

The term Hispanic - The term Hispanic was first recognized by the US government in the '70s after population data began to be collected, per the request of Mexican-American and Hispanic organizations.

© Getty Images

Hispanic vs. Latino -

While the terms Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably, Hispanic is only used to describe someone of Spanish-speaking origin, while Latino, Latina, and Latinx are used to describe a person of Latin American origin. For example, a Brazilian may consider themselves Latino but not Hispanic, since they speak Portuguese and not Spanish.

© Shutterstock

How to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month -

Hispanic Heritage Month is about learning and celebrating the rich and diverse culture from the many Spanish-speaking countries. Click on for a few ideas for celebrating.

© Getty Images

Support Hispanic artists and art -

Whether you read a book by a Hispanic author, listen to music or choose a TV show that highlights Hispanic culture, it's the perfect time to support your favorite Hispanic talents. Or discover some new ones!

© Getty Images

Learn to cook a Hispanic dish -

From Mexican tacos to Spanish tapas, find a national dish, and give it a try!

© Shutterstock

Visit a museum that highlights Hispanic culture -

This is another great way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, especially when it comes to supporting up-and-coming artists.

© Getty Images

Take a dance class -

Dance is a huge part of Hispanic culture. From merengue to salsa, grab a friend and get those feet moving!

© Shutterstock

Support Hispanic-owned small businesses -

Supporting Hispanic-owned small businesses can help build relationships, a healthy economy, job growth, and community satisfaction.

Sources: (Women's Health) (People) (Oprah Daily) 

See also: Stars you had no idea are Latinos

© Shutterstock