You may have noticed that Dickinson College is offering several programs that celebrate Latinx culture and recognize the valuable contributions of Hispanic Americans to our country’s history. The Popel Shaw Center has proudly chosen Familismo as this year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff lunch which was held on September 15th. Below I share some of the history and background of Hispanic Heritage Month which spans from September-October 15.
History
The annual celebration began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. 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 along with Día de la Raza, on October 12th.
Why does this matter?
According to hispanicheritagemonth.org,
- Currently, 55 million people or 17% of the American population are of Hispanic or Latino origin. This represents a significant increase from 2000, which registered the Hispanic population at 35.3 million or 13% of the total U.S. population.
- With 329 million native speakers, Spanish ranks as the world’s No. 2 language in terms of how many people speak it as their first language. It is slightly ahead of English (328 million) but behind Chinese (1.2 billion).
- From 1998 to 1999 to 2008 to 2009, the number of associate’s degrees earned by Hispanics more than doubled (increasing by 101 percent) During the same time period, the number of bachelor’s degree
- 119 million is the projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2060. According to this projection, the Hispanic population will constitute 28.6 percent of the nation’s population by that dates awarded Hispanic students increased by 85 percent.
An important thing to remember:
Hispanics are not a monolithic group. Many Hispanic cultures have a few characteristics in common. Each culture varies in ethnicity, culture, origin and can cover the racial spectrum, from white, African American, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American. Hispanics are typically a mix of European, African and Native American people. There is not just one skin tone, one eye or hair color, or body type.
For example, my name is Kaila (Kayla) and I am 100% Puerto Rican. I have a light brown skin tone with natural blonde curly hair and green eyes. For many people, it’s hard to believe I’m Puerto Rican because of my appearance. However, I am very proud to be Puerto Rican. I love my culture, the food, the music, my country and the traditions. I also love the language even though I do not speak fluent Spanish. I represent my culture by never forgetting my roots as I move forward with my life in a positive way destroying stereotypes.
Written by Kaila Tirado, graduate student intern for the Popel Shaw Center for Race and Ethnicity and the Women’s and Gender Resource Center