According to Cliff Despres, Hispanic Heritage Month was first established on August 17th, 1988—proposed by former President Ronald Regan—in the United States. The annual celebration lasts from September 15th to October 15th; however, the duration was originally implemented for a week in 1968 by ex-President Lyndon Johnson (Despres, 2019). The countries that are particularly involved in the cultural holiday are Spain and Latin America.
From: LaShauna Bell
Despres also states the dates throughout the month that are a significant point in history to some of these countries:
Sept. 15 – Independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua
Sept. 16 – Mexican Independence Day
Sept. 18 – Chilean Independence Day
Sept. 21 – Independence of Belize
1st Monday of October – Columbus Day (when Christopher Columbus came to America)
You do not have to be of Hispanic or Latin origin to recognize this authentically vibrant occasion. Learning about the culture, history, and community of Hispanic and Latino Americans is enough to make you become part of Hispanic Heritage Month. People have different ways of commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month. Some people organize special events such as parties and educational presentations, while others just love to eat the foods and dance to the music. If you are not able to spend a lot of money on decorations, or do not have the time to go out and celebrate with everyone else, there are simpler ways to celebrate.
- Share Your Culture
From: TheVillagerNewspaper.com
If you are proud of where you come from, do not be afraid to share your heritage with others. Tell them about the traditions your families do, what your favorite Hispanic/Latin foods are, and anything else that relates to your ancestors or yourself.
2. Cook Hispanic Food
From: simplyrecipes.com
Search the internet for some of your favorite foods to cook in your own home. Whether it has a fancy twist to the dish or is as simple as street tacos, you and your taste buds will be glad that you have just a bit of variety in your life.
3. Learn a Language
From: ThoughtCo.com
Another way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is to learn a Hispanic/Latin language! This is an effective way to be able to communicate with other Hispanic and Latino Americans. It’s also proven that you will be able to get a higher paying job because you can speak to the community—and some do not speak English at all.
4. Dances and Songs
From: LaShauna Bell
Dancing and singing are important aspects of the Latino/Hispanic culture, as in any other culture. This is a way that the community expresses any type of social and political conflict occurring and can provide entertainment to any audience. Viewing the dancing and singing that performers present, specifically, is magical on an entirely different level.
5. Crafts and Games
From: kidzworld.com
Hitting a piñata is a commonly enjoyable way to celebrate the holiday. This is basically a craft that normally contains candy inside. Especially for children and teenagers, crafts such as these and playing card games, like Loteria (i.e. Bingo), is a great way to interact with others while having fun. Crafts are pretty easy to make if you want to create something such as your own Loteria board or flags of certain Latin/Hispanic countries; you just have to research a little bit.
References
Despres, C. (2019). How Hispanic Heritage Month Became a Thing. Retrieved from https://salud-america.org/how-hispanic-heritage-month-became-a-thing/
SOURCES
- https://salud-america.org/how-hispanic-heritage-month-became-a-thing/
- http://www.thevillagernewspaper.com/2015/11/03/dover-elementary-wins-spanish-heritage-poster-contest/
- https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/1790/6-traditional-spanish-foods-for-hispanic-heritage-month.html
- https://www.thoughtco.com/spanish-language-facts-4136754
- https://www.kidzworld.com/article/5590-how-to-make-a-pinata