AlenaKehm

Mariachi bands ring out. Dancers’ dresses swirl. Savory smells waft through the air. It’s a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. 

From its start as a week-long holiday to its current 31-day format, America’s Hispanic Heritage celebration has evolved over time. 

According to history.com, the concept of a commemoration of Hispanic culture in America started in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Public Law 90-498, effectively declaring Sept. 15 and 16 as the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Week. 

Sept. 15 and 16 were chosen because they mark the Independence Day celebrations for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. In the following days, many other Latin American countries celebrate their respective independence holidays.

From 1968 to 1988, American presidents issued similar proclamations to that of President Johnson, declaring that the week following Sept. 15 would be an observance of Hispanic Heritage. 

 This changed in 1988 when Illinois Senator Paul Simon proposed a bill to extend the Hispanic Heritage observance from a week to a month.

 President Reagan signed this bill, and in 1989, his successor, President George H.W. Bush issued the first Proclamation of Hispanic Heritage Month, officially establishing the observance dates from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Marian’s Board of Belonging and Spanish Department both work to raise awareness for this celebration. “Latinos and Hispanics are a really integral part of American history,” said Ms. Caitlin Gaule, a member of Marian’s Spanish Department.

 “We are also one of the largest Spanish-speaking countries in the world and a lot of people don’t realize that,” Gaule said. 

Board of Belonging senior Isa Valencia Valbuenca said that the best way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is to “go support small food places that are Hispanic and support their communities.”