when does hispanic heritage month begin

Hispanic Heritage Month begins annually on September 15 and lasts until October 15. This period was chosen to coincide with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua celebrate their independence on September 15; Mexico’s independence day is September 16; and Chile’s is September 18. The observance started as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1988. Since then, it has been recognized each year from September 15 to October 15 to honor the contributions and influence of Hispanic culture in the United States.