Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Each year we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. This national event started back in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded to 30 days by President Ronald Regan in 1988.  

People frequently ask why Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated for 30 days over the course of two months instead of a single dedicated month like other observations. Hispanicheritagemonth.gov, a collaborative project hosted by the Library of Congress, explains why:

“The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period.”

Get started exploring and celebrating Hispanic and Latino history, culture, and contributions through these stories in both Spanish and English:

La ficción / Fiction:

• Violeta (español) / Violeta by Isabel Allende  
• El ingrediente secreto de Emoni Santiago / With Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
• La herencia de Orquídea Divina / The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
• La forma del agua / The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro
  Facsímil libros de ejercicios / Multiple Choice by Alejandro Zambra
• La espía / The Spy by Paulo Coelho
• Cometierra / Eartheater by Dolores Reyes
• No somos de aquí / We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Nonfiction:

• ¡Hola Papi! How to Come Out in A Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer
• The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
• In the Country We Love by Diane Guerrero
• App Kid How a Child of Immigrants Grabbed A Piece of the American Dream by Michael Sayman
• Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends by John Leguizamo

Lisa P.
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