What is Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15th to October 15th. It starts on September 15th because most Hispanic countries in Central America achieved independence during that time frame. It’s a month full of celebrations of what makes us Hispanics loud and proud.
Independence Day in Central America
There are so many festivals in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. In Mexico, they take the time to celebrate Independence Day. On September 16, Mexico declared independence from Spain.The day is full of rides and food for locals to enjoy. There is a special tradition in Mexico called ¨El grito,” which translates to ¨The scream.” It takes place in Mexico City on September 15 at midnight; the President holds a bell and gives a speech, and they yell, ¨Viva Mexico,¨ and the people reply with ¨Viva,¨ and it repeats 3 times then the president rings the bell. On this recent September 15, Mexico made history when President Claudia Sheinbaum, the first female president in Mexican history to perform “El grito.” In El Salvador, Independence Day is the most important holiday of the year as it celebrates its culture, history, freedom, and pride. On September 15th, Salvadoran cities offer live music and fireworks with speeches from local dancers while school bands and cheerleaders parade through the streets. In Guatemala, Independence day is also on September 15th. It’s very special to the people of Guatemala, and Guatemalan traditions include The Torch Relay which involves runners carrying a torch called the ¨Independence Torch¨. There are also lovely and festive parades that roam the streets of Guatemala, full of floats, dancers, and bands. The city´s blue and white decorations along with songs highlight the patriotism of the people of Guatemala.
Hispanics in the U.S
Sometimes, society talks about Hispanics in the U.S like it’s recent, but the truth is that Hispanics have always been a part of and influenced American culture. Despite the 500,000 Hispanics in the U.S during the early 1900s, Hispanic Heritage Month was not recognized in the U.S back then, and sadly, being Hispanic in the U.S wasn’t easy. In the 1900s, Latino workers were exposed to harsh environments, exploited for cheap labor, and worked long hours. It wasn’t until the mid 1900s during The Chicano Movement when multiple Hispanic advocates, such as Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, held protests for equal rights that working conditions improved. Eventually, this led to many historical events like in 1970 when the U.S Department of Health, Education, and Welfare declared that students shouldn’t be denied an education because of their ability to not speak or understand English. Additionally, in 1974, congress passed the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974 which made bilingual education and more opportunities accessible to people. Finally, in 1968, President Johnson passed a bill called ¨Hispanic Heritage Week¨ which was originally to celebrate the independence of Central America, but in 1988, President Reagan expanded it to 30 days to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Latinos/Hispanics of the U.S. Today, 66.35 million Hispanics live in the U.S. and celebrate their Hispanic Heritage during the months of September and October.
Works Cited
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Blakemore, Erin. “The Long History of Anti-Latino Discrimination in America.” HISTORY, 27 Sept. 2017, www.history.com/articles/the-brutal-history-of-anti-latino-discrimination-in-america.
“Celebrating Guatemala’s Independence Day: A Journey through History.” Spanish School in Antigua Guatemala, 2024, ixchelschool.com/celebrating-guatemalas-independence-day-a-journey-through-history/.
Gamboa, Suzanne. “History of Racism against Mexican-Americans Clouds Texas Immigration Law.” NBC News, NBC News, 3 June 2017, www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/history-racism-against-mexican-americans-clouds-texas-immigration-law-n766956.
“Guatemalan Independence Day!” Trama Textiles | Women’s Weaving Cooperative, tramatextiles.org/blogs/trama-blog/guatemalan-independence-day.
“Hispanic Heritage Month | South Carolina ETV.” South Carolina ETV, 2025, www.scetv.org/stories/2025/hispanic-heritage-month. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
INFO, El Salvador. “Independence Day in El Salvador. The September 15th Celebrations.” El Salvador INFO, 14 Sept. 2022, elsalvadorinfo.net/independence-day-in-el-salvador/.
Kravinsky, Nina. ““Viva México”: Sheinbaum Becomes 1st Woman to Lead El Grito, Mexico’s Cry of Independence.” KJZZ, 16 Sept. 2025, www.kjzz.org/fronteras-desk/2025-09-16/viva-mexico-sheinbaum-becomes-1st-woman-to-lead-el-grito-mexicos-cry-of-independence. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Learning For Justice. “Latino Civil Rights Timeline, 1903 to 2006.” Learning for Justice, 6 July 2017, www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/lessons/latino-civil-rights-timeline-1903-to-2006.
National Museum Of The American Latino. “Hispanic Heritage Month.” National Museum of the American Latino, latino.si.edu/learn/teaching-and-learning-resources/hispanic-heritage-month-resources/hispanic-heritage-month.
National Museum of the American Latino. “Latino Civil Rights.” National Museum of the American Latino, latino.si.edu/learn/latino-history-and-culture/latino-history/latino-civil-rights.
