What is Hispanic Heritage Month? Learn the history of the month and how to honor this growing portion of the U.S. population.
What Is Hispanic Heritage Month, and How Is It Celebrated?
Updated on Jun. 10, 2025
Every September, a special celebration kicks off across the U.S.—Hispanic Heritage Month! It’s a vibrant time when Latinx communities come together to honor their culture, traditions and incredible achievements. But what is Hispanic Heritage Month really all about? We’re breaking it down for you below!
From Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles to trailblazing voices like Selena Quintanilla, Hispanic Americans have made lasting impacts across sports, music, science and beyond. And let’s not forget the brilliant Hispanic inventors and everyday heroes who continue to shape our world in powerful ways. Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect opportunity to recognize these contributions, learn more about the rich and diverse cultures that make up the Latinx community and—of course—celebrate.
So keep reading to explore the history, significance and ways you can join in the celebration. ¡Vamos!
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What is Hispanic Heritage Month?
According to the Hispanic Heritage Month official website, it is observed: “by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.” For generations, Latinxs have contributed to the food, music, business, science and culture that we know as American, and the 30 days that make up Hispanic Heritage Month each fall is just one opportunity to showcase these achievements.
Latinxs are the country’s second-largest racial or ethnic group behind white non-Hispanics, according to the 2024 census. Latinxs now account for 19.5% of the U.S. population, with 65.2 million people identifying as Hispanic or Latino across America. There are particularly big Latinx communities in New York, California, Texas and Florida.
When is Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15. Its timing coincides with the Independence Day of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, which are all celebrated on September 15. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their respective independence days in that same time frame. In addition, on October 12 (Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day in the United States), Mexico celebrates Día de la Raza (Race Day) “in recognition of the mixed indigenous and European heritage of Mexico.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is similar to other months of recognition and celebrations like Native American History Heritage Month in November, African American History Month in February, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May and LGBTQ Pride Month in June.
What’s the history behind Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month first started as a single week when it was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. According to Congressional history, the week was created to bring attention and awareness to “Hispanic-American contributions to the United States,” along with networking opportunities for “grassroots and civil rights activists inside and outside the Hispanic-American community.”
Almost 20 years later, Representative Esteban Torres of California, a proud Mexican-American, submitted a bill to expand it into Hispanic Heritage Month in 1987. He said supporters of the bill “want the American people to learn of our heritage. We want the public to know that we share a legacy with the rest of the country, a legacy that includes artists, writers, Olympic champions and leaders in business, government, cinema and science.”
That bill didn’t pass, but Senator Paul Simon of Illinois submitted a similar bill that President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1988, creating now what is Hispanic Heritage Month.
How is Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated?
From sporting events to Google Doodles, many companies, neighborhoods, schools and individuals celebrate Latinx achievement. Throughout the month, you can learn about Hispanic authors and attend a number of parades, lectures and events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Previous year’s celebrations have included the Smithsonian Institute’s “Young Portrait Explorers” month-long workshop series to teach children about outstanding Latinx activists and athletes. Another don’t miss is the annual Hispanic Heritage Foundation star-studded gala that honors Latinx trailblazers like Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana, Jessica Alba, Linda Rondstadt and more.
Who celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month?
From music by Cardi. B and Bad Bunny, to clothing by Carolina Herrera and Narciso Rodriguez, to the music and movies of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Latinxs celebrate, explore, redefine and reclaim their Latinx identity every day—not just during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Some are also calling for a rebrand of Hispanic Heritage Month to Latinx Heritage Month to shift focus away from Spanish colonialism (and its harmful legacy of genocide and cultural erasure) and to be more inclusive of indigenous, Black and non-binary Latinxs who are not always centered in these celebrations. In a New York Times column, Saudi Garcia—a racial justice activist—advocated for Hispanic Heritage Month going “beyond celebration” to include more meaningful conversations that “will move the communities forward.”
Others also question the authenticity of some companies and organizations who “celebrate” this month for optics, but don’t focus on the issues facing the community—like the fact that Latina women make 58¢ for every dollar a White man makes, based on a 2024 report from the National Women’s Law Center, or that Hispanic men make 34% less than White men, according to the Social Security Administration.
The takeaway might be that Hispanic Heritage Month is a great starting place to get educated on the work and contributions of Latinxs, while we continue to celebrate and center the needs of Latinxs all year long.
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Sources:
- National Hispanic American Heritage Month
- University Press: “A persistent pay gap: Latinas earn 58 cents for every dollar paid to white men”
- National Women’s Law Center: “The Wage Gap By State for Latinas”
- United States Census Bureau: “Hispanic Heritage Month: 2024”
- History, Arts, & Archives: United States House of Representatives: “The Creation and Evolution of the National Hispanic Heritage Celebration”
- The New York Times: “Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?”
- Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day: “October 3, 2024 – Closing the Wage Gap for Latina Workers”
- Economic Policy Institute: “The Hispanic–white wage gap has remained wide and relatively steady”
- Social Security Administration: “Earnings of Men Aged 20–59, by Age Group and Race/Ethnicity, 2020–2021″
