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NewsWSVN 7 MiamiSeptember 15, 2026Miami-Dade County

National Hispanic Heritage Month observations begin across the U.S.

Photo: WSVN 7 Miami

National Hispanic Heritage Month is marked from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 across the U.S. to showcase the culture and diversity of the country's over 70 million Hispanic residents. The annual observance spans events celebrating community history, heritage, and the contributions of Latinos.

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Why It Matters

Residents across the U.S. engage in cultural celebrations and educational events highlighting the history and demographic presence of the nation's largest racial or ethnic minority.

Key Facts

  • National Hispanic Heritage Month is marked each year from September 15 to October 15.
  • More than 70 million ethnically Hispanic residents make up one-fifth of the total U.S. population, according to census data.
  • The observance originated as Hispanic Heritage Week, created via legislation by U.S. Rep. Edward R. Roybal and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968.
  • The observance was expanded into a month-long period under President Ronald Reagan two decades after its inception.
  • September 15 marks the anniversary of 'El Grito de Dolores,' the 1810 call to battle in Mexico's war for independence from Spain.
  • Several Central American nations, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras, celebrate their independence in September.
  • The federal government created the 'Hispanic' label for people from Spanish-speaking cultures.

Who's Mentioned

PersonAlberto Lammers“Director of communications at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.”PersonEdward R. Roybal“Mexican American U.S. Rep. from Los Angeles who created legislation for Hispanic”OrganizationAssociated Press“News agency publishing the article.”OrganizationUnited Faculty of Florida AFL-CIO“Union where Paul Ortiz served as a former president.”OrganizationCornell University“Institution where Paul Ortiz is a professor.”OrganizationUCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute“Institute where Alberto Lammers serves as director of communications.”OrganizationJohns Hopkins University“Institution where Diego Javier Luis is an assistant professor.”PersonDiego Javier Luis“Historian and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University.”PersonRonald Reagan“U.S. President under whom the observance expanded into a month.”PersonLyndon B. Johnson“U.S. President who signed Hispanic Heritage Week into law in 1968.”PersonPaul Ortiz“Professor of Latina/o labor history at Cornell University and former president o”