Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
It is observed from Sept. 15 to October 15 in the United States.
Sept. 15 marks the anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Other countries, Mexico and Chile, celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.
In 1968, Congress set aside a week for the observance of Hispanic Americans and 20 years later expanded it into a month, according to the U.S. Census.
As of July 1, 2023, the Hispanic population reached 65.2 million, making it the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority, or 19.5% of the total population, according to the Census.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, MassLive will highlight Hispanic and Latino leaders across the state.
In the United States, the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” are often used interchangeably, but the words carry different meanings.
“Hispanic” refers to people from Spanish-speaking Latin American countries as well as people from the Caribbean or from Spain itself.
“Latino,” on the other hand, refers to people born in or with ancestors from Latin America and does not include people from Spain. Latin America stretches from northern Mexico to the southern tip of the South American continent.
For example, a Brazilian could be Latino and non-Hispanic, a Spaniard could be Hispanic and non-Latino, and a Colombian may use both identities.
Hispanic Heritage Month honors people identifying with Hispanic as well as Latino identities.
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Publish date : 2024-09-14 22:45:00
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