National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is officially celebrated from September 15th -October 15th, is a time to recognize and honor Hispanic culture and achievements in the United States, and to acknowledge the social and cultural contributions that Hispanic and Latino Americans have interwoven into the fabric of our nation.
When National Hispanic Heritage Week was officially recognized by the passage of Public Law 90-490 in 1968, September 15th was chosen of the opening day of this period of celebration because it represents the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Twenty years later in 1988, Congress enacted Public Law 100-402 to expand the official celebration beyond a week and established National Hispanic Heritage Month. That expansion to a month of celebration also now includes the anniversaries of independence for Mexico on Sept. 16th , Chile on Sept. 18th, and Belize on Sept 21st .
Please join the CMU University Libraries in honoring the rich and vibrant Hispanic cultural heritage that has been so instrumental in helping to shape the United States. National Hispanic Heritage Month reminds us of the wonderful diversity of our nation, which is what makes it so beautiful and all the better for that diversity.
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