Each year, Americans commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by hosting concerts, parades, festivals, and more. 

This year, Fremd High School celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month in various ways. 

To kick off the month, the Spanish club announced why Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated and Spanish club member Martha Sanchez recited the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. Additionally, the Spanish club partnered with Latinos Unidos to decorate the world language hallways with flowers and flags of Hispanic countries. 

This celebration originated almost one hundred years ago. 

In June 1968, Congressman George E. Brown first introduced the event as a week-long observance. In 1987, Representative Esteban E. Torres from California proposed expanding Hispanic Heritage Week into a 31 day period. Following Torres, Senator Paul Simon proposed a similar bill in 1988. Eventually, Simon’s bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. 

The following year, President George H.W. Bush became the first president to announce the period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Hispanic Heritage Month contains the independence days of several Latin American countries. Sept. 15 is significant because it marks the day Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua became self-governed nations. Mexico celebrates its independence on Sept. 16, and Chile does so on Sept. 18. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of those with Spanish ancestry. 

Spanish teacher and Spanish club sponsor Nicole Clement talks about the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month. 

“I think we all need to be made aware of the achievements and advancements that are a part of this nation and society and recognize that we are surrounded by a variety of cultures and heritages,” Clement said. “This month-long celebration shines a light on what Hispanics have done to make this country and society what it is today.” 

Today, the Hispanic population in the United States is over 60 million, which comprises 18.9% of the total population. This makes Hispanics the second largest racial or ethnic group in the U.S. after non-Hispanic whites. Hispanic people continue to grow our economy and enrich the United States as athletes, artists, entertainers, and more.