National Hispanic Heritage Month
Happy first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month!
Did you know that each year, the United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15? For the next thirty days, citizens across the country will celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Historically, this observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a thirty day period. Choosing the date of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. On September 16, Mexico celebrates its independence day, with Chile celebrating on September 18.
Celebrate with your family and friends!
There are many ways you can celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with your family and friends, at school, or at your after-school program. We challenge you, Leaf Explorers to find a globe and locate all of these incredible countries.
Here’s a list:
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Spain
Uruguay
Venezuela
Next, make a visit to your local library to borrow some books. Learn about what each of these places are like! What languages are spoken in these different countries? What kind of fairytales or folktales do children in these countries have read to them at bedtime?
Another fun idea is to try watching an episode of a tv series or a film to find out more about hispanic heritage. Some ideas to get you started include: Canticos, Dora the Explorer, Maya and Miguel, and The Book of Life.