National Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish: Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana) is an annual celebration commemorating the history, contributions, and culture of U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson started the observation of the event, but it was only weeklong. It was not until 1988 that it expanded to cover a 30-day period: September 15th – October 15th. The significance of September 15th stems from it being the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. The month is a celebration and proud remembrance of the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors originated from Mexico, Central and South America, Spain, and the Caribbean.
Each year, the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM) leads the process to select the annual theme and corresponding poster that federal agencies will use when observing Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2024 National Hispanic Heritage Month Theme is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” Yvete Delgado, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Specialist in the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at the Federal Housing Finance Agency submitted the winning theme, stating: “The theme recognizes all the Hispanics/Latinos who have been trailblazers and game changers; paving the way for future generations.” The theme encapsulates the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that define the Hispanic experience.
We want to celebrate and recognize the remarkable success in areas that were once considered off-limits. From CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to Pulitzer and Nobel Peace Prize winners, Hispanics are driving America’s economic prosperity and continuously driving innovation and economic growth.
About the Resource Guide
Commonfund, in conjunction with our Hispanic Heritage Month subcommittee, has created a resource guide to help all of us celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latin Americans in all aspects of American Life.
The Commonfund Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee has created a resource guide to help all of us celebrate the contributions of Latinos in all aspects of American life. With that said, this resource guide is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, the hope is that you will take advantage of at least a few of these resources to begin your exploration of this very important part of American history; your history, our history.