National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. President Johnson initiated the official national observation in 1968 with a single week, and President Reagan expanded the period to 30 days, an observance put in law on August 17, 1988. Since then, September 15–October 15 has been a time to celebrate Hispanic Americans, their culture, history, accomplishments, and gifts.
Rather than coinciding with a specific month itself, National Hispanic Heritage Month’s timespan was chosen to reflect and encompass the independence days of various Latin American Countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica (Sept. 15); Mexico (Sept. 16); Chile (Sept. 18); and Belize (Sept. 21) (Pew Research Center). This is a time to celebrate a wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and identities, including individuals who trace their heritage back to the countries of Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (US Census Bureau).
For more information and to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, see the following links:
This article on the name of the month itself from NPR.
This list from the Smithsonian Learning Lab, and the myriad links within.
These in-state and local events.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, OU and A&GS have assembled…
- Profiles about Three first-generation students at the University.
- University-wide events
- A&GS Hispanic and LatinX American Stories
- Notable Hispanic and LatinX American in Meteorology, Geopgraphy related disciplines
- Resources
- AGS, NWC, SOM, and DGES social media accounts
We hope you will join us in celebrating this month, the rich heritage of so many people, and the contributions of Hispanic and Latino peoples in A&GS and beyond.
A&GS Social Media Accounts