Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Hispanic and Latin-Americans in the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture. It was started in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson, originally as Hispanic Heritage Week, and later expanded in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. It was decided that Hispanic Heritage Month would start on September 15th because it coincides with the anniversary of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which all declared independence in 1821. Also, Mexico, Chile, and Belize all celebrate their independence on September 16th, 17th, and 18th, respectively. Columbus Day also falls between the 30 day period on October 12th. Hispanic Heritage Month ends on October 15th.
During Hispanic Heritage Month there are lots of different celebrations going on: parties, fairs, festivals. It’s important to be safe and prepared for anything. If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident in Florida, Remember after 911, call 411! Call 1-800- 411-PAIN! Help is available in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Ft. Myers.
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the long and important presence of Hispanic and Latin Americans in North America, starting with the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Today, about 52 million Hispanics live in the United States, which makes them the largest ethnic or racial minority. The Spanish language is the second most spoken language in the United States with 45 million people who speak Spanish as a first or second language and an additional 6 million Spanish language students. According to the U.S Census Bureau, our nation is the 5th largest Spanish-speaking country in the world after Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and Argentina. If the current trend continues, it’s estimated that by 2060 the projected Hispanic population of the U.S will be 128.8 million. As of July of 2012 more than 50% of all the Hispanic population lived in California, Florida, and Texas.
This commemorative month honors the influence and impact of Hispanics in all areas of U.S. society, including science, art, politics, culture and the economy. Sandra Guzmán of CNN states “Cultural celebrations like these matter. They help us better explain our Hispanic story to each other and ourselves; they matter for the individual and national psyche, because they allow the 50 million-plus Hispanics, and the larger American family, to better appreciate the Hispanic story within the greater American narrative. Celebrations like these serve as reminders that we belong and that this nation is ours too.”
And remember, if you live in Florida and have been the victim of a car accident, after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can refer you to a network attorney who will fight on your behalf or represent you in court.