Hispanic Heritage Month, which this year runs from September 15 to October 15, is an important time to learn more about the contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean. It’s also a good opportunity to engage students in an ongoing conversation about identity, culture and language.
Using Newsela’s social studies collection on Hispanic Heritage Month (Open external link) and other related resources in your classroom can help students understand more about the people celebrated during this month, including activists and artists like Sonia Sotomayor, a pioneering U.S. Supreme Court Justice, who was the first Latina to be appointed to the bench. Other notable Hispanic figures highlighted in the collection include artist Frida Kahlo, author Gabriel Garc
The history of Hispanic Heritage Month itself began in 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson authored legislation establishing National Hispanic Heritage Week. Just two decades later, Congress extended the weeklong observance to a month-long celebration under Ronald Reagan.
In the United States, there are more than 62 million people who identify as Hispanic or Latino. The country’s Hispanic population includes those who are born in the United States, those who were born abroad to American parents and immigrants who have become naturalized citizens. The largest group of Hispanics, in terms of citizenship, is people of Mexican origin. The second largest is people of Puerto Rican origin, followed by those of Cuban, Salvadoran and Guatemalan origins.
As the nation continues to grow and change, so too do its demographics and its perspectives on identity. The language that is used to describe these changes can have a big impact. The debate over whether Hispanic, Latino or Latinx is better for describing a community has been going on for years.
The term Hispanic focuses on language, so it erases centuries of pre-Columbian history and culture and alienates indigenous and Afro-Latino communities that do not share a heritage with Spain, Ortiz says. The more recent term Latinx, on the other hand, reflects the diversity of this community and offers gender inclusivity.
No matter what terms are used, experts say it is important to get to know the people whose legacy we are celebrating and to understand how they have contributed to our shared lives and society. A good way to start this discussion is by talking with friends, family and co-workers — the people you see in your everyday life — about their heritage, Key says. “Talk to your neighbors, talk to your local grocer or restaurant owner,” she says. “Then take that knowledge and go out into your community.” For more information on Hispanic Heritage Month, visit the initiative’s website. You can also download the new Hispanic Heritage Month lesson plan set from the National Endowment for the Humanities. (Open external link) The lesson plans address topics like Hispanic heritage, art, music and literature.