Hispanic Heritage was first celebrated in the U.S. as Hispanic Heritage Week, which was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. This week included the dates of September 15 and 16, chosen because they correspond with the independence days of several Latin American countries. In 1988, the celebration was expanded to National Hispanic Heritage Month by legislation signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, spanning from September 15 to October 15. The first National Hispanic Heritage Month was proclaimed by President George H.W. Bush in 1989.