The Diplomat
From today, September 15 until October 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, a commemoration that aims to recognize the Hispanic influence in the history and culture of the United States.
According to The Hispanic Council in a press release, the initiative was born in 1968 during the term of President Lyndon B. Johnson, who declared Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan extended the duration of the recognition to one month, from September 15 to October 15.
The date chosen to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is not fortuitous. The same September 15 commemorates the independence of five Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, both Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence on September 16 and 18, respectively. Columbus Day is celebrated on October 12.
Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, many associations, schools, universities, libraries, museums and organizations organize activities to promote the Hispanic culture and legacy in the birth and consolidation of the United States. On this occasion, President Joe Biden is expected to attend the 45th Annual Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Awards Gala on September 15.
According to data compiled by The Hispanic Council for this celebration, the Hispanic community represents more than 18.7% of the U.S. population. According to the 2020 census, more than 62 million inhabitants are of Hispanic origin. This number is increasing by one million Hispanics annually and is expected to represent close to 30% of the total by 2060. New Mexico is the state with the highest percentage of Hispanic population (47.7%), followed by California (39.4%) and Texas (39.3%), according to the 2020 census.
In addition, there are already 57 million Spanish speakers in the United States. The use of Spanish continues to grow among the American population and, in fact, among the countries where Spanish is not an official language, the United States has the highest number of Spanish speakers. Moreover, the Hispanic legacy is also reflected in the names of more than 15% of the country’s states. This imprint is present in the geography of the United States in the place names of dozens of counties, cities, streets and iconic places. García is the most widespread surname of Hispanic origin in the United States, with more than one million Americans, followed by Rodríguez, Martínez and Hernández.
The use of Spanish is growing in politics. According to the report Spanish in U.S. politics: analysis of its use in the House of Representatives and the Senate, prepared by The Hispanic Council, a total of 74 congressmen and 28 senators use Spanish in their digital communication. In addition, more than 34 million Hispanic voters have been called to the polls for the mid-term elections on November 8.
The study also reveals that the number of workers of Hispanic origin has tripled in the last 30 years (from 10.7 million to 29) and is estimated to exceed 35 million by 2030. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses also grew 34% in the last decade. Until the onset of the pandemic, the Hispanic community was growing its businesses faster than the national average in almost every sector. Likewise, the Hispanic presence in the U.S. military is growing. Twenty-one point four percent of enlisted women are of Hispanic origin, and among men, the figure is 18%.
