Unlike other heritage related months, Hispanic Heritage Month overlaps into two different months. Hispanic Heritage Month spans between September 15 and October 15. During this month, we honor those that came before us, ourselves, and those who will come after us. We celebrate how far we’ve come and where we are going.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Hispanics make up around 63 million people in the American population. That means Latinos make up about 19% of the country’s total population. At Northside, Hispanics make up around 29% of the student body. Hispanics are the second-largest demographic group at Northside.
How did Hispanic Heritage Month
How did this month come to be?
In June 1968, California Congressman George E. Brown and 19 other co-sponsors presented House Joint Resolution 1299. This resolution authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to observe the week of September 15 and 16 as “Hispanic Heritage Week.” The resolution also mentioned the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans and their roles and influence on the country.
It was not until September of the same year that Lyndon B. Johnson signed Hispanic Heritage Week into law.
Hispanic Heritage Week became Hispanic Heritage Month about 20 years later after Illinois Senator Paul Simon requested it. He was not the first to make this call, though. California Representative Esteban Torres attempted to amend P.L. 90-498 by changing “week” to “month.” Unfortunately, her attempt failed.
Likewise, Senator Simon’s bill would die in the committee but was ultimately signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 17, 1988.
Why is it over two months?
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and October 15 because this window of time encompasses multiple different Latin American countries’ days of independence.
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all have their Independence Day on September 15. Mexico’s is on September 16, Chile has theirs on September 18, and finally, Belize has its own on September 21. Día de la Raza also falls on October 12.
Hispanic Heritage Month at Northside
During Hispanic Heritage Month, Spanish music is played throughout the halls as blocks end. Students also wear jerseys representing their favorite Latin American teams.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Northside means honoring those outside of the walls and the Hispanics of Northside. Señor Blease said, “Hopefully, it gives Latinx students pride for their own culture and allows them the opportunity to introduce aspects of themselves to their friends,” which is a sentiment all Mustangs can agree with.
Hispanic Heritage Month is about food, dance, music, dialects, people, and more. At Northside, it’s about what it means to be Latinx and a student and how those two identities intersect. It’s a crossroads.
