09/18/2025
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡? 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞?
From September 15 to October 15, the United States dresses in memory and the future with Hispanic Heritage Month 2025, a tribute to the history, culture and traditions of more than 60 million Hispanics and Latinos living in the country.
It's not just a space in the calendar: it's a reminder of roots that extend to Spain and 19 nations and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, from Mexico to Chile, from Cuba to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
The choice of these dates responds to a historical pulse. It begins on September 15, the day on which five Central American countries proclaimed their independence, and lasts until October, linking with Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day. Thus, this month connects the continent's feats of freedom with the current struggles for recognition and equality, reminding us that Hispanic heritage is not an immobile past, but a living force that continues to transform the United States.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓?
September 15 is not a date chosen at random. On that day, in 1821, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua proclaimed their independence from Spain, opening a path of sovereignty that would inspire the entire region.
Starting the commemoration on this day not only pays tribute to these Central American countries, but also links their struggles with the stories of migration and resilience of millions of their descendants in the United States.
The decision to also cover the middle of October allows other key dates to be included. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18, while October is remembered as Columbus Day, a time to reflect on colonization and indigenous resistance.
Thus, the calendar becomes a symbol: it connects the processes of Latin American independence with the cultural diversity that flourishes today in the United States.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧?
Hispanic Heritage Month is much more than a cultural celebration. It is a reminder that the history of the United States cannot be told without the voices, contributions, and struggles of millions of people with roots in Latin America and Spain. From the Latino soldiers who participated in the Revolutionary War to today's artists, scientists, and community leaders, the Hispanic footprint is woven into national identity.
Each year, the month has a motto that guides the celebrations. In 2025, the theme is "Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future," a call to value family and community memories, but also to think about the role of new generations in building a diverse and inclusive country.
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞?
The original idea was born in Congress, driven by Latino leaders who sought visibility and recognition. Representative Edward R. Roybal, of Mexican-American origin and a key figure in Los Angeles politics, was one of the promoters of the initiative that in 1968 became Hispanic Heritage Week under the signature of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Subsequently, legislators of Latino origin continued to push for an extension, until in 1988 it was possible to transform the week into a month thanks to the signature of Ronald Reagan. The creation of this commemoration is, in itself, a reflection of the perseverance of community leaders who understood the value of having an official space in the national calendar.
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞?
The origin of this celebration dates back to 1968, under the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, who proclaimed the first Hispanic Heritage Week. Its goal was to publicly recognize the contributions of Latinos at a historic moment marked by the struggle for civil rights and the growing visibility of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban communities.
Years later, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the commemoration to a full month, understanding that one week was not enough to encompass the richness and complexity of Hispanic communities in the country. That same year, Congress passed Public Law 100-402, which made Hispanic Heritage Month official from September 15 to October 15.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝?
The forms of celebration are as diverse as the communities that inspire it. At the national level, museums, universities and local governments organize exhibitions, talks, parades and educational activities. In cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, New York or Chicago, music, dance and gastronomy become the protagonists of festivals that reflect the Latin cultural vitality.
But there are also intimate ways to celebrate: sharing family recipes, passing on oral histories, reading Latino authors, supporting local businesses in the community, or simply talking to new generations about their roots. Hispanic Heritage Month is not limited to the institutional; it is lived in every home, in every square, in every act of pride and cultural memory.
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡?
Although the commemoration is an official event in the United States, its calendar is linked to the independences of several Latin American countries. In September, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate the 15th; Mexico, on the 16th; Chile, on the 18th; and Belize, on the 21st. October, on the other hand, includes commemorations such as Columbus Day and celebrations in Puerto Rican and Dominican communities.
More broadly, Hispanic Heritage Month honors the heritage of 19 countries and territories: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Each community brings unique traditions that, together, form the U.S. Latino mosaic.
Contributed by: USA TODAY Boris Q'va is a national trending news reporter in Spanish for Connect/USA TODAY Network.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/09/15/mes-herencia-hispana-origen-significado-celebracion/86117776007/
