Culture
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept.15-Oct.15
National Hispanic Heritage Month was started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and was known as Hispanic Heritage Week. President Ronald Reagan extended the partying to a 30-day period in 1988. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.
There’s even an official Federal government website. “Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.”
National Hispanic Heritage Month Dot Org
http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
According to hispanicheritagemonth.gov, “The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day (Although some of us have other feelings about Columbus but that’s another story) or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.”
Statistics for National Hispanic Heritage Month
The Census Bureau released last July a number of statistics in advance of National HIspanic MOnth Celebration. The Center recently posted a series of statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau on their website in recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
- 56.6 million The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2015, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. Hispanics constituted 17.6 percent of the nation’s total population.
- 1.2 million The number of Hispanics added to the nation’s population between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015. This number is nearly half of the approximately 2.5 million people added to the nation’s total population during this period.
- 2.2% The percentage increase in the Hispanic population between 2014 and 2015.
- 119 million The projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2060. According to this projection, the Hispanic population will constitute 28.6 percent of the nation’s population by that date.
- 63.9% The percentage of those of Hispanic or Latino origin in the United States who were of Mexican origin in 2014. Another 9.5 percent were Puerto Rican — 3.7 percent Cuban, 3.8 percent Salvadoran, 3.2 percent Dominican and 2.4 percent Guatemalan. The remainder was of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin.
[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]
Cover: Photo by Texas Military Department