National Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month 2022

By: Lilly Thumm

Happy Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month! Today marks the beginning of a 31-day period recognizing the influence and contributions of US Latinx and Hispanic communities in America.

Before diving into how the month began and ways to celebrate, it is important to understand what Hispanic, Latinx, and Latino all mean. According to the National Parks Service, the term Hispanic classifies a person or descendent of someone from a Spanish-speaking country, whereas Latino/a or Latinx is a person or descendent of someone from a country in Latin America. All three terms refer to a person's culture or origin, which is not the same as their race.

So, what is Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month? The website for Hispanic Heritage Month states that "We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success." In its first presidential proclamation, President George H.W. Bush said,

Not all of the contributions made by Hispanic Americans to our society are so visible or so widely celebrated, however. Hispanic Americans have enriched our nation beyond measure with the quiet strength of closely knit families and proud communities

While this speech was the first time Hispanic Heritage Month was recognized, it was not the first time a national recognition of Hispanic Heritage occurred. In 1968, during the height of the civil rights movement and awareness of multicultural identities, Congressman George E. Brown introduced Hispanic Heritage Week. Many of his constituents in California were Hispanic or Latinx, and his efforts established the week in 1969.

However, it was Representative Esteban E. Torres and Senator Paul Simon who proposed expanding the week to a month which President Ronald Regan signed into law. A year later, in 1989, President Bush declared the first Hispanic Heritage Month.

September 15th is an important date because, according to History, it is the same Independence Day as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, who all declared freedom from Spain in 1821. Other important dates that fall within the 31-day period are Mexico and Chile's Independence Days from Spain and Belize's Independence Day from Great Britain.

This month is important because around one-fifth of the US population is Hispanic, and "Hispanic influences are tightly woven into the fabric of American life." There are so many people of Hispanic and Latinx heritage who have made an impact in America. People like:

  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress

  • Dolores Huerta: co-founder of United Farm Workers

  • Sonia Sotomayor: first Latina US Supreme Court Justice

  • Rita Moreno: One of only three recipients of a Peabody, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award in the world

On a local level, there are things you can do this month to learn more about Hispanic and Latinx communities near and around you. This article highlights events in Central Indiana during Hispanic Heritage Month, and you can look into your local news outlets to see what’s happening near you.

W4C