TAMPA, Fla. — From September 15 through October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed. During this time, people whose ancestry can be traced to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking countries and territories of Central America, South America and the Caribbean are recognized for their culture and traditions.
How the observation started
Initially, Hispanic Heritage Week, which was established in 1968 under President Johnson, was the precursor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
In his Presidential Proclamation 3869, which is accessible through the Library of Congress, President Johnson said, “Wishing to pay special tribute to the Hispanic tradition and having in mind the fact that our five Central American neighbors celebrate their Independence Day on the fifteenth of September and the Republic of Mexico on the sixteenth, the Congress by House Joint Resolution 1299, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week.”
During Ronald Reagan's presidency, on August 17, 1988, congress passed legislation to make it a month-long holiday, and in 1989 the first Hispanic Heritage Month was observed.
Because of the independence days of five Central American countries, which include Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15. Another contributing factor is Mexico's independence day being a day later on September 16 and Chile's three days later on September 18. Other Latin American countries celebrate their independence throughout the month as well.
The Hispanic population in the United States
Since the American Revolution, Latinos have made significant contributions to American life, fighting in every war in the United States.
Today, Latinos are advancing communities across the country as small business owners, doctors, lawyers, veterans, teachers, and public servants, among many other occupations.
Over the previous decade, Latinos accounted for more than half of the country's population growth.
The Census Bureau reported that in the U.S., as of 2020, the Hispanic population was 62.1 million, out of a total U.S. population of 331.4 million, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or racial minority.
Between 2010 and 2020, Hispanic or Latino population growth accounted for slightly more than half of total U.S. population growth.
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Hispanic or Latino/a or Latinx
Hispanic, Latina, Latino, and their gender-neutral equivalents Latine and Latinx, along with the many people who identify as Chicano, Boricua, Isleños, Tejano, Taino and Afro-Latino and those who simply identify with Puerto Rico and the nations that compromise Latin America are some of the many examples of how people of Latin-America and the Caribbean in the United States identify. While it can be complicated to remember, ultimately, how someone identifies depends on their personal preference and their comfortability.
Although the terms Hispanic and Latino are frequently used interchangeably, Hispanic refers to someone who is of Spanish-speaking ancestry, while Latino, Latina, and Latinx refer to someone who is of Latin American origin.
Hispanic countries include:
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Latin American countries include:
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Food
Many people with ancestry from Latin American nations celebrate their culture during Hispanic Heritage Month by using their languages, music, dancing, and, most importantly, cooking.
Food consumed and made in Latin America combines indigenous, African, and immigrant cuisines, and it differs depending on the local ingredients that may be found there.
While food serves as a common bond between people, Latin-American and Caribbean food also unites generations and knowledge of customs and traditions. Because of this, we will be highlighting several different Latin-American restaurants in the Tampa Bay area, as well as a bestselling recipe from their menu, to celebrate and recognize Hispanic Heritage Month. We hope it'll help you get a taste of the personal and cultural identities that are shaped by food.
Cuisines that will be showcased:
- Mexican Cuisine
- Cuban Cuisine
- Puerto Rican Cuisine
- Colombian Cuisine
- Dominican Cuisine
