September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
National Archives Hispanic Heritage Month Site
We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Discover documents, exhibits, films, blog posts and more from the National Archives and Presidential Libraries that highlight Hispanic culture.
Explore the site »
Photo credit: Detail of Hispanic Heritage Select Photos, by David Valdez.
National Park Service Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. During this month and throughout the year, the National Park Service and our partners, share history, heritage, and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans of past and present.
Explore the site »
Image credit: National Park Service
La Biblioteca Podcast Season 2
Each Tuesday starting October 5, listen to new episodes of the La Biblioteca podcast. Huntington Fellows Herman Luis Chavez and María Guadalupe Partida from the Library's Hispanic Reading Room speak with community advocates, scholars, and Congress members about Latinx civil rights in the United States.
Latinx Resource Guide discussed during the first episode.
Listen to La Biblioteca podcasts »
Photo credit: Collage created by Herman Luis Chavez. Clockwise from top left: Frank Espada. Reagan la roba a los pobres Migrant farm worker at a demonstration, Washington, D.C. 1981.; Al Aumuller. Group [of Puerto Rican children] in C class. 1947.; Al Ravenna. Puerto Ricans demonstrate for civil rights at City Hall, New York City. 1967.; Dorothea Lange. Cotton picker. Southern San Joaquin Valley, California. 1936. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Smithsonian Latino Center
The Smithsonian Latino Center unlocks dynamic U.S. Latino stories
that shape our national experience and identity. It empowers a greater understanding
and deeper appreciation for the enduring contributions of Latinos to our country. It
preserves a growing collection of diverse stories and experiences that reflect Latino
presence in our history and culture, and convenes conversations, inclusively, about
the stories and connections that continue to inspire generations to come.
Visit the website
Image credit: Detail of Maíz Flor Serpiente/ Flower Maize Serpent commissioned digital art work by the Indigenous Design Collection, 2015.
Hispanic American Veterans
Asked to serve their country in time of war, Hispanic Americans displayed courage and valor in the face of adversity. Familiar with discrimination back home, many saw their service as affirming the ideals of democracy. In this presentation, the Veterans History Project recounts their inspirational stories.
Read More about Hispanic American Veterans »
Image credit: Jose Sol, USAAF, Library of Congress
For Teachers
Put the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Browse lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids from the nation's premier cultural heritage preservation institutions.
EDSITEment Teacher's Guide: Hispanic Heritage and History in the United States »
Additional Resources for Teachers »
Image Credit: Latin Jazz stamp. Image provided courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service.
2021 Event Highlights
Kids & Families Event
September & October Dates
Young Portrait Explorers
Join our virtual workshop for children ages 3-6 and their adult companions as we learn about art, history and more! Register to explore these portraits in thirty-minute programs incorporating close looking at portraiture as well as movement and artmaking.
• Marisol Escobar (Sept. 22)
• Pedro Martínez (Sept. 29)
• Dolores Huerta and César Chávez (Oct. 6)
• Carmen Herrera (Oct. 13)
(National Portrait Gallery—Smithsonian Institution)
Kids & Families Event
September 25
Virtual Pajama Party
This online event for kids aged 8–12 and their families will focus on Sylvia & Aki, an inspiring book based on a true story about the school desegregation court case Mendez v. Westminster School District and Japanese Internment during World War II. The program will feature civil-rights activist and title character Sylvia Mendez, and acclaimed author Winifred Conkling.
(National Archives)
Performance
September 29
Homegrown Concert: Cambalache
Cambalache, named for a Spanish word that means "exchange," is a Chicano-Jarocho group based in East Los Angeles. Cambalache plays and promotes traditional son jarocho through performance, music workshops, and educational demonstrations.
This presentation will premiere on both Facebook and YouTube .
(Library of Congress)
New Streaming Content
October 1
The PALABRA Archive Releases New Digital Content
The Hispanic Reading Room will release 50 new recordings from the PALABRA Archive for online streaming. Uploads will include recordings with Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska, Cuban-American author, poet, and anthropologist Ruth Behar, Spanish poet José Manuel Caballero Bonald, and Portuguese author Dulce María Cardoso.
(Library of Congress)
Panel Discussion
October 11
Celebration of Children's and YA Latin American and Latinx Literature
Join the Hispanic Reading Room at the Library of Congress and Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) in a virtual celebration of children's and YA Latin American and Latinx literature.
Panelists Angela Burke Kunkel, Aida Salazar, Raúl The Third, Sili Recio, and Yamile Saied Méndez will share their creative processes, discuss where they find inspiration, and how they address difficult themes.
(Library of Congress)
Additional Events
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