Hispanic Heritage Month is a national celebration that begins on September 15 and ends on October 15. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period . It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.

Celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Many Hispanic Americans trace their roots to the cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas -- including the Arawaks (Puerto Rico), the Aztecs (Mexico), the Incas (South America), the Maya (Central America), and the Tainos (in Cuba, Puerto Rico and other places).

Some trace their roots to the Spanish explorers -- who in the 1400s set out to find an easier and less costly way to trade with the Indies. Other Latinos trace their roots to the Africans who were brought as slaves to the New World. For purposes of the U.S. Census, Hispanic Americans today are identified according to the parts of the world that they or their ancestors came from, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, or the nations of Central or South America.

Día de los Muertos Celebrations in Guatemala

The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos)[1][2] is a holiday celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November. It originated and is mostly observed in Mexico but also in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. Although associated with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning.[3] The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died.

Spanish for “rug,” Dia de los Muertos tapetes are large, colorful piece of art made on the ground as part of the Dia de los Muertos celebration in parts of Mexico. They are made of colored sand, sawdust, or even pieces of flowers, feathers and other organic material. Tapetes can measure up to ten meters long and wide, and depict playful images of death.

Premiering in 2013, The Latino Americans was the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have helped shape North America over the last 500-plus years and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S.

Learn more about the documentary here.

The Smithsonian Latino Center was created in 1997 to promote Latino presence within the Smithsonian. The Center is not represented in one physical location; rather, it works collaboratively with the Institution's museums and research centers, ensuring that the contributions of the Latino community in the arts, history, national culture and scientific achievement are explored, presented, celebrated and preserved.

Construction of the Inka Road stands as one of the monumental engineering achievements in history. A network more than 20,000 miles long, crossing mountains and tropical lowlands, rivers and deserts, the Great Inka Road linked Cusco, the administrative capital and spiritual center of the Inka world, to the farthest reaches of its empire.
View the online exhibition

The first thing to pop into your mind when you hear "Latino" is probably people from Latin America - places like Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, etc. But where exactly did the history of that word come from, and has it always meant Central America and South America as well as the Caribbean? Today Danielle traces the origin of the term "Latino" and the debates that still surround it as well as the term "Hispanic" and "Latinx."

Have you ever heard a salsa rhythm that just made you want to groove? Perhaps bitten into a loaded taco bursting with flavor that makes you wonder how all of these flavors got into one bite? Maybe you have heard a friend from the Dominican Republic speaking Spanish to a companion from Argentina and thought, wow are they both really speaking the same language? Take a dive deeper into the world of Hispanic and Latinx heritage! Meet National Park Service and other Department of the Interior staff as they share their heritage and get just a small taste of the immense diversity of the Hispanic and Latinx experience. Take advantage of this time set aside to learn something new about the many flavors of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage! (Video made in partnership with the Department of the Interior's National Association of Hispanic Employees and National Park Service's Hispanic Organization on Relevancy, Advising, Leadership, and Excellence.)

To learn more here.

What are the stories of U.S. Latinos and how do they inform the broader American narrative? From southern Florida to the San Juan Islands of Washington state, from the pre-history of the nation through today's most contentious issues, Latino experiences illuminate our country’s history and its struggle to live up to its ideals. This collection of lesson plans, videos and classroom resources invites teachers and students to explore the history, people and issues chronicled in the PBS series, Latino Americans. Along the way, it engages students in dramatic real-life stories and offers primary texts that serve the goals of the Common Core.

For information on Latino Americans, click here.

Music is an excellent way to share language and culture at the same time. TCheck these out.

por Alfredo Carpio Florescanta Dúo Benítez y Valencia

Expose your students to one of the great classics in Spanish, by the legendary Celia Cruz.

Juan Luis Guerra (born June 7, 1957) is a Dominican singer, songwriter and producer who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 15 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards. He recently won 3 Latin Grammy Awards in 2010, including Album of the Year.