Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. At South St. Paul Public Schools our students are learning about the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month and why we celebrate it.

One of the ways we are recognizing the month is by celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States with a display at Kaposia and Lincoln shining a light on who and what some Hispanic Americans are known for. At the Secondary Building, our Comunidad de Latinos Unidos (CDLU) Affinity Group is celebrating their Hispanic Heritage by showing off the flag of the country their families are from.

Hispanic Heritage celebrations began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988 it was expanded by President Ronald Reagan to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.