National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)

National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) is celebrated annually from September 15-October 15 to acknowledge the history, culture, and contributions of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to over 20 countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. In the United States, there are approximately 60 million people who have ancestries connected to these countries who reside in the United States, representing approximately 18% of the U.S. population. Many labels are used for this pan-ethnic group, with the most common umbrella terms being “Hispanic” and “Latina/e/o/x.” Hispanic Americans have been influential in every part of this nation's history, from arts to politics to business and innovation to the military.

Since 1968, NHHM has been recognized by the federal government and celebrated across the United States. The start of the month, September 15th, is significant, as several Latin American countries celebrate their independence from Spain on this day, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence during the month on September 16th and 18th respectively.

Digital Tools

Campus community members have access to a wide variety of digital tools, including Zoom backgrounds, social profile images, and a Snapchat filter to further support National Hispanic Heritage Month.