National Hispanic Heritage Month is coming up soon! The name is relatively self-explanatory, but if you didn’t know, it’s a month of observance for the cultural impact Latino-Americans have had on the U.S. throughout our nation’s history.
And it doesn’t begin on the first day of a month; it starts halfway into September.
Here’s when Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 starts, what it is, when it began and why it starts halfway into the month.
When is Hispanic Heritage Month 2025?
Rendering from the legislation of the new Hispanic heritage month flag that will fly from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. every year, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. In 2025, the start date falls on a Monday and the end date falls on a Wednesday.
What countries are included in the Hispanic Heritage Month?
Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance in the United States. It aims to celebrate the impact of the Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S.
“Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations,” The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino website says.
“The Latino presence in America spans centuries, predating Spain’s colonization of what is now part of the United States, and they have been an integral part of shaping our nation since the Revolutionary War.”
When did Hispanic Heritage Month start?
The month of observance of Hispanic Heritage originally started as just one week in 1968, under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
According to the Hispanic Heritage Month website, it didn’t become a national month of observance until 20 years later under President Ronald Reagan and was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988.
Why is Hispanic Heritage Month in two months? Here’s why it starts mid-September
You might be wondering why Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of the month, instead of on the first of the month, starting in September and ending in October.
This is because Sept. 15 is the Independence Day of many Central American countries, marking the anniversary of their freedom from Spanish rule.
“The timeframe of this month is significant because many Central American countries celebrate their independence days within these dates, beginning on Sept. 15 with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua,” the National Museum of the American Latino says.
“By aligning with these independence dates, Hispanic Heritage Month honors the resilience and determination of the Hispanic community.”
Here are some of the key independence dates within Hispanic Heritage Month:
Sept. 15 – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
Are Latino and Hispanic the same thing? Here’s the difference
“Hispanic” and “Latino” are often used interchangeably, but they don’t have the same meaning. Latino, by definition, is more inclusive than Hispanic.
“Hispanic and Latino are the two most used terms to describe Americans with Latin American and Caribbean ancestry… The National Museum of the American Latino uses the term ‘Latino’ to describe the diverse residents of the United States with cultural or ancestral ties to Latin America or the Caribbean,” the museum’s website says.
“For many, the term ‘Latino’ also creates room for acknowledging Black, Indigenous, Asian, and other heritages on equal terms with European ancestry. The term ‘Hispanic’ is used to signal a connection to Spain or the Spanish language.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Hispanic Heritage Month 2025: Here’s when, what it is, why we celebrate