Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15th through October 15th, recognizes the history, culture, and contributions of the Latino community in the United States. 

How did this celebration come about? In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson set aside a week to commemorate the contributions of Latinos in the United States. Two decades later, in August 17, 1988, this week was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan.

They chose this time period, from September 15th to October 15th, in order for it to coincide with the following celebrations: September 15, Costa Rican, El Salvadorian, Guatemalan, Honduran, and Nicaraguan Independence; September 16, Mexican Independence; September 18, Chilean Independence; October 12, Columbus Day.

Throughout this month, the SED Center proudly celebrates the contributions of the Latino community in the United States.  We recognize the hard work and determination that many of our families have had in order to succeed in the United States. We also find it important to educate our future generations on their history, roots, and contributions in the United States. 
For Hispanic Heritage Month events going on in the D.C. area, you can visit:
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/event_calendar.html
http://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
http://dc.about.com/od/hoildaysseasonalevents/a/HispanicHeritag.htm

For more information, the PBS documentary, Latino Americans, narrates more than 500 years of the history of Latinos in North America: http://www.pbs.org/latino-americans/es/