Hispanic Heritage Month is observed in the United States each year from September 15 to October 15, honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of people with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It began as a week-long observance established in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded to a month in 1988, with the dates chosen to coincide with the independence days of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile.​
The month highlights the long-standing presence and influence of Latine communities in what is now the United States, from early colonial periods and the Revolutionary era to contemporary life across fields such as the arts, science, public service, labor, education, and social movements. It also provides space to recognize the diversity within Latine identities and experiences, including different national origins, racial backgrounds, and migration histories, while affirming the importance of equity, representation, and belonging for Latine communities today.
Sources:
National Museum of the American Latino. (n.d.). Hispanic Heritage Month. Smithsonian Institution. https://latino.si.edu/learn/teaching-and-learning-resources/hispanic-heritage-month-resources/hispanic-heritage-month​
U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, September 14). National Hispanic Heritage Month: Sept. 15–Oct. 15, 2023. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/hispanic-heritage-month.html​
Many colleges, libraries, and organizations are increasingly using “Latine Heritage Month” alongside or in place of “Hispanic Heritage Month” to better reflect gender-inclusive and pan-ethnic language for people with roots in Latin America. This shift responds to critiques that “Hispanic” centers Spain and colonial history and that Spanish’s gendered grammar can render some identities invisible, especially for nonbinary and gender-expansive people.​
Terms like Latino/a, Latinx, and now Latine have emerged from community activism, scholarship, and debates about identity, with “Latine” gaining traction because it is gender-inclusive and easier to pronounce in Spanish while still recognizing the diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds within Latin American diasporas. Using “Latine Heritage Month” signals a commitment to inclusion, acknowledges ongoing conversations about naming and self-identification, and highlights that people honored during this mid-September to mid-October observance are not a monolithic group but represent many countries, races, and intersecting identities.
Sources:
Celis Carbajal, P., & Gutierrez, A. (2020, September 29). From Hispanic to Latine: Hispanic Heritage Month and the terms that bind us. The New York Public Library. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/09/29/hispanic-heritage-month-terms-bind-us​
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. (2025, August 11). Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month: Acknowledging significant figures in cultural progress. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. https://www.civilandhumanrights.org/hispanic-and-latine-heritage-month-acknowledging-significant-figures-in-cultural-progress/​