Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!

National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place every year from September 15^th to October 15^th. This month-long holiday is dedicated to celebrating and honoring the achievements, history, and culture of Hispanic Americans.

National Hispanic Heritage Month began as a week-long initiative introduced by California Congressman George E. Brown in 1968. As a constituent who represented areas with a large Hispanic population, Brown sought to recognize the contributions of the Hispanic community, a cause that had gained momentum during the Civil Rights Movement. That same year, Hispanic Heritage Week was approved under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Twenty years later, the holiday became a month-long celebration after being signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. [1]

Why choose September 15^th through October 15^th for this special observance? For many citizens in the Hispanic and Latino communities, September 15^th is an important anniversary. This date marks the day in 1821 when Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared independence from Spain. In addition, September 15^th, 18^th, and 21^st are also significant; the 15^th, 18^th and 21^st mark the Independence Days of Mexico, Chile, and Belize, respectively. [2]

Hispanic Americans have affected every part of life in the United States, from music, art, fashion, and cuisine, to sports, politics, and activism. Hispanic Americans like Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, and Lin Manuel-Miranda have topped musical charts in genres as diverse as Pop, Broadway, and Latin music and become household names along the way. Hispanic American athletes, like National Baseball Hall of Famer Robert Clemente and record-holding Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo have made their mark on the United States as well. [3]

While some Hispanic American achievements are lesser-known, National Hispanic Heritage Month helps highlight these contributions and gives them the attention they deserve. Did you know, for example, that Sonia Sotomayor became the first Hispanic woman to join the Supreme Court in 2009? Or that Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to go to space in 1993? These impressive women are only some of the Hispanic Americans to make history. Today, Hispanic Americans continue to lead change in fields like politics, where politicians such as Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Julián Castro, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez remain key players on the national stage.[4]

Visa Business Plans has experienced firsthand the monumental contributions of Hispanic Americans. Through our immigration and business consulting, we are lucky enough to witness the continuing achievements of today’s Hispanic businessmen and women. Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!