National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize the contributions made and the presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the American melting pot. This celebration runs from September 15th to October 15th, and the new display in the IRC Reference area is full of young adult and adult fiction written by Hispanic/American authors and DVDs with stories from other countries, including Cuba and Spain. There are also CDs with music from Mexico and other lands.
Through the stories on display, readers, listeners or watchers can learn about the influence Hispanics have had on this country with their centuries’ old traditions. Those who immerse themselves in these stories will learn about the multiethnic and multicultural customs of the Hispanic community.
The roots of Hispanic Heritage Month go back to 1968 and begin with the anniversary of the independence of these Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days during this period.
Puerto Rican, South or Central American and Spanish culture or origin are all included under the umbrella of the terms Hispanic or Latino, according to the website hispanicheritagemonth.org.
The Hispanic population is growing in the United States and the National Hispanic Heritage Month display is a good resource to learn about this segment of our population. All of the items on display can be checked out.
