What is National Hispanic Heritage Month?
Every year, we celebrate the National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. During these dates, we celebrate and honor the culture, history, and contributions of Americans whose predecessors came from South and Central America.
Although this obviously doesn’t mean that we need to wait for the actual annual event to happen to take pride in our ethnicity, the purpose of celebrating these four weeks is to honor the Hispanic-Americans’ heritage. It’s a time for education, recognition, and celebration. To help you understand, some similar events would be Pride month, meant to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and the Black History Month, celebrating African-American history. But how did Hispanic Heritage Month begin, and how can one celebrate?
When did this celebration begin?
According to the National Hispanic Heritage Month’s official website, the observation started in 1968 as the called Hispanic Heritage Week, under Lyndon Johnson’s presidency. It was later expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, amplifying it to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15th and ending on October 15th. This was enacted into law on the approval of Public Law 100-402, on August 17th 1988.
The day that marks the beginning of this celebration, September 15th, is of relevant significance because it is the anniversary of independence for the following Latin American countries: Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Additionally, Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days on September 16th and September 18th respectively. In addition, Columbus Day (or Día de la Raza), also falls within the 30 day period, being celebrated on October 12th.
How does one celebrate?
There’s plenty of different ways one can celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Depending on your interests and what tickles your fancy, you may choose to do so with different activities. If you’re a foodie, go out and take yourself (or your loved ones) to enjoy your local businesses. Go to restaurants that serve native food to countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, or Costa Rica. If you’re into art, look for small native artists and visit their exhibitions, purchase their pieces, and support their artistry. With a quick search you’ll be able to discover many talented creators. Similarly, if you’re a movie freak, get your popcorn and look for those films that will educate you and provide a culturally rich story.
If none of that is of your interest but still want to celebrate and support - don’t worry. Do a simple search on the internet or contact your local town hall. There’s many local events happening all over the country planned and aiming to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Look for those happening in your area. There are many ways we can all celebrate, support local hispanic businesses, and educate ourselves to better understand Hispanic people’s roots and history.
Latinx Month at Matador
As an American small business headquartered in Miami, we've been deeply integrated into the Hispanic community. Supporting these awesome people has been essential to our brand ethos. We're so proud to give back to the Latinx community by working with a production facility in Colombia, employing Hispanic workers in our fulfillment center in New Jersey, and hiring predominantly Latino models to represent our brand.
Today, as we celebrate the National Hispanic Heritage Month, we're delighted to give a special shoutout to the incredible (and incredibly gorgeous) Latino models we've had the pleasure to work with. Check out the Matador fam!
