Every year, the National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed between September 15 and October 15. This month celebrates the history and contributions made by the citizens of the country whose ancestors were from Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain and Central America.
National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the Hispanic culture and its heritage. The period between September 15 and October 15 was chosen as September 15 is the anniversary of independence for Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua and the 12th of October commemorates the day on which Christopher Columbus arrived in the U.S.
This month grants the Latinos an opportunity to celebrate Hispanic heritage through festivities. Here are few ways to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage Month.
Famous Hispanic Americans:
To make this month more meaningful, Americans can make an attempt to learn about some or at least one famous Hispanic American. Following are few famous Hispanic Americans: Cesar Chavez, labor leader; Jennifer Lopez, actress and singer; Cameron Diaz, actress; Carlos Noriega, astronaut; Mario Molina, Nobel Prize-winning chemist; Luis Walter Alvarez, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and Salma Hayek, actress.
Books written by Hispanic-American writers:
Latin American literature dates back many centuries and it has a rich tradition of literary production. Here are few books written by Hispanic-American writers: Chronology of Hispanic-American History: From Pre-Columbian Times to the Present, Everything you need to know about Latino History, Strangers Among Us: How Latino Immigration is Transforming America, This Is How You Lose Her. Click here for the list of books written by Hispanics.
Latin music:
Listening to Latin music is another fun way to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage Month. Americans can have fun listening to different types of music from the Caribbean, South and Central America. A lot of Hispanic American singers like Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Selena, Enrique Iglesias, Carlos Santana, Ricky Martin, Kat DeLuna, Jennifer Lopez, La Mafia and Daddy Yankee have achieved international fame. Latin music has also influenced music across the U.S. to a great extent.
During this month, it would be fun to cook authentic Mexican food and travel to Hispanic Heritage sites. Our readers can let us know how they are celebrating the Hispanic Heritage Month by visiting our Facebook, Twitter and G+ pages.
