You've probably seen the banners. Every year from September 15 to October 15, the US breaks out the papel picado and the social media graphics for National Hispanic Heritage Month. But honestly? A lot of people—even within the community—get the name kinda wrong. You’ll hear people call it "National Spanish Heritage Month" all the time, but that’s a pretty massive misnomer that glosses over a few centuries of complicated history.
It’s about much more than just Spain.
We’re talking about a celebration of people whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It’s a massive, beautiful, and often contradictory tent. If you’re calling it National Hispanic Heritage Month, you’re closer to the official federal designation, but even that term "Hispanic" has a wild backstory involving the US Census Bureau and a lot of 1970s backroom lobbying.
The Weird Reason It Starts in the Middle of September
Most heritage months start on the first of the month. Black History Month? February 1st. Pride? June 1st. But National Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off on September 15th. Why the mid-month start?
It’s because of a bunch of birthdays.
September 15 is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They all declared independence from Spain in 1821. Then you’ve got Mexico’s independence day on the 16th and Chile’s on the 18th. Belize also follows closely on the 21st. Basically, the calendar is stacked.
It started small. Back in 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim a "Hispanic Heritage Week." It was a tiny window. People liked it, though. By the time 1988 rolled around, President Ronald Reagan expanded it to a full 30 days. It wasn’t just a random decision; it was a response to the growing political and economic power of the Latino community in the States.
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Is it Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish?
Words matter. "Spanish" refers to people from Spain or the language itself. If you say "Spanish heritage," you’re technically centering the European colonizer, which rubs a lot of people the wrong way, especially those with Indigenous or Afro-Latino roots.
"Hispanic" is a term the US government essentially popularized in the 1970s. Before that, the Census just lumped people together as "Spanish-speaking" or "Spanish-surnamed." It was messy. Grace Flores-Hughes, a former government official, is often credited with helping bake "Hispanic" into the federal lexicon. It refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries.
Then you have "Latino" or "Latina," which is more about geography—people from Latin America. This includes Brazil (where they speak Portuguese), but excludes Spain.
Then there’s "Latinx" or "Latine." You’ve probably seen the debates on Twitter. While "Latinx" gained a lot of traction in academic and activist circles, Pew Research found that only about 3% of Hispanic adults actually use it. Many find it hard to pronounce in Spanish or feel like it's an "academic import." Lately, "Latine" has been popping up as a more natural-sounding gender-neutral alternative within the Spanish language itself.
Honestly, the "right" term depends on who you're talking to. Some people identify strongly with their specific nationality—they’re Mexican-American or Cuban-American first. The umbrella terms are mostly for the benefit of the government and marketers.
Why This Month Actually Matters for the Economy
This isn't just about food festivals and dancing. We need to talk about the "Latino GDP."
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If the US Latino community were a standalone country, its GDP would be one of the largest in the world. We're talking trillions. According to the Latino Donor Collaborative, the total economic output of Latinos in the US reached over $3 trillion recently. That’s bigger than the GDP of France or the UK.
Hispanic-owned businesses are also starting up at a rate far outstripping the national average. In the last decade, the number of Latino-owned businesses grew by about 34%, compared to just 7% for everyone else.
The Cultural Impact We Take for Granted
Think about music. Bad Bunny isn't just a "Latin star"; he's been one of the most-streamed artists globally for years. The "Latin Explosion" of the 90s (Ricky Martin, Shakira) was just the tip of the iceberg. Now, Spanish-language tracks routinely dominate the Billboard Hot 100 without needing an English "crossover" version.
And food? Tortillas outsell hot dog buns in the US. Salsa has been more popular than ketchup for a long time. These aren't just "ethnic" foods anymore; they are foundational elements of the American diet.
The Erasure of Afro-Latinos and Indigenous Groups
One major critique of National Hispanic Heritage Month is that it can be a bit... "whitewashed."
A lot of the imagery used in mainstream media focuses on Mestizo or European-looking Latinos. This often leaves Afro-Latinos and Indigenous peoples in the shadows. There are millions of Black Latinos—Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Panamanians, Colombians—whose experiences with racism and identity are unique.
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Indigenous groups also get sidelined. In many parts of Latin America, Spanish is a second language. Millions of people speak Quechua, Maya, or Nahuatl. When we celebrate "Hispanic" heritage, we sometimes accidentally celebrate the displacement of these original cultures.
It’s important to look at the nuances. A Cuban exile in Miami has a very different lived experience than a third-generation Mexican-American farmworker in California or a Guatemalan asylum seeker in Chicago. They are not a monolith.
Real Ways to Celebrate Without Being Cringe
If you're a business or just an individual wanting to acknowledge the month, don't just put a taco emoji on a flyer. That’s low effort.
- Support the actual creators. Instead of buying "Latino-inspired" decor from a big-box retailer, find local Latino artists. Buy books from authors like Elizabeth Acevedo, Sandra Cisneros, or Isabel Allende.
- Check the history. Learn about the Mendez v. Westminster case. It was a 1947 federal court case that challenged Mexican remedial schools in Orange County, California. It actually paved the way for Brown v. Board of Education. Most people have never heard of it.
- Understand the labor. Take a second to realize how much of the US infrastructure—from the food on your table to the roof over your head—is built by Hispanic labor.
- Go beyond the 30 days. The contributions of this community don't stop on October 16th.
Looking Toward the Future
By 2050, it's estimated that nearly one in four people in the US will be of Hispanic or Latino descent. This isn't a "subculture" anymore. It's the primary driver of American demographic growth.
When we talk about National Hispanic Heritage Month, we are talking about the future of the United States. It's a month to recognize that the border didn't always move; sometimes the border moved over the people. It's a month to recognize the brilliance of Nobel Prize winners like Mario Molina (who discovered the hole in the ozone layer) and the bravery of civil rights leaders like Dolores Huerta.
Actionable Steps for Genuine Engagement
If you want to move beyond the surface level, here are a few ways to actually engage with the community and the history during the next cycle of National Hispanic Heritage Month:
- Audit your media consumption. Look at your bookshelf or your Spotify wrapped. If it's 100% Anglo-centric, you're missing out on a massive chunk of world-class art. Look for "The House on Mango Street" or watch films by Alfonso Cuarón that aren't just "Gravity."
- Invest in Latino-led nonprofits. Organizations like Voto Latino, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, or local legal aid groups for immigrants do the heavy lifting all year round.
- Learn the terminology. Stop calling it "Spanish Heritage." If you use the word "Hispanic," know why. If you use "Latino," know who that includes and excludes.
- Explore the geography. Pick a country you know nothing about—maybe Paraguay or Ecuador—and spend twenty minutes reading about their specific history. You'll realize how different each nation's story is.
- Recognize the diversity within. Acknowledge Afro-Latino and Indigenous voices specifically. Share their stories. Their heritage is often the one most at risk of being forgotten in the "Hispanic" umbrella.
The real power of this month is in the stories. It’s in the grandma who migrated with nothing and the grandson who just graduated from medical school. It’s in the language that refuses to die out and the music that makes the whole world dance. It’s complex, it’s messy, and it’s deeply American.