National Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 (through October 15) the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18. Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the United States since 1974, when President Gerald Ford issued a Presidential Proclamation extending Hispanic Heritage Week into a month-long observance. The theme for this year's Hispanic Heritage Month is "Getting Involved: Our Families, Our Community, Our Nation."

See the President's 2008 National Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation.

Learn more about the National Association of Professional Hispanic Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees.