September is Hispanic Heritage Month

In 1968, Congress first designated the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week.  This week was chosen because of two historical events:  Independence Day (Sept. 15), which celebrates the formal signing of the Act of Independence of Central America in 1821; and Mexico's Independence Day (Sept. 16), which commemorates the beginning of the struggle against Spanish control in 1810.  In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a full 31-day period.