National Hispanic Heritage Month begins today, Sept. 15. 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.
Here’s when Hispanic Heritage Month 2026 begins, what it is, the president who helped start the observance and why it starts halfway into the month.
When is Hispanic Heritage Month 2026?
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. every year, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. In 2026, the start date falls on a Tuesday and the end date will be a Thursday.
The start date coincides with the Independence Day for several American countries, including Costa Rica, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Several other countries celebrate their Independence Days
during the month.
What countries are included in 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.
The month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
“Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact Latinas and Latinos have had on the United States for generations,” according to The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino website.
“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.”
What is the Hispanic population in Ohio?
Ohio’s Hispanic community accounts for 4.8 percent of the state’s total population, comprising 566,000 people, according to the Ohio Department of Development.
The population has more than doubled since 2000 and quadrupled since 1980, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey.
Facts about the Ohio Latino/Hispanic population
Hispanics and Latinos make up a sizable portion of Ohio's population, and many are natives of the Buckeye State. According to the Center for Community Solutions, a nonpartisan research center focused on Ohio's health and human services sector, here are a few facts about the community:
- More than 1 in 10 residents in Defiance, Lorain, and Sandusky counties are Hispanic/Latinx.
- 80% of Hispanic/Latinx Ohioans are not immigrants, with 50% born in Ohio.
- Puerto Ricans tend to live in Northeast Ohio.
- Mexicans make up 75% of Hispanic/Latinx people in Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, and Wood Counties.
- Franklin County has many Hispanic/Latinx people from Central America, especially those who identify as Salvadoran.
- 24,000 people in Ohio are Spanish/Spaniards.
Additionally, this population contributes significantly to Ohio’s economy, as almost 69% of the Hispanic/Latinx population over the age of 16 participates in the labor force. That rate is higher than the state average for all races and ethnicities (62.6%).
What president first proclaimed Hispanic Heritage Month? 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, when it was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988, under President Ronald Reagan.
Why does Hispanic Heritage Month start on the 15th? 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
- Sept. 16 – Mexico
- Sept. 18 – Chile
- Sept. 21 – Belize
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.
The museum states that using the term Latino is more inclusive and acknowledges Black, Indigenous, Asian, and other heritages on equal terms with European ancestry. "Hispanic" is used to signal a connection to Spain or the Spanish language.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facts to know about Latino Ohioans for Hispanic Heritage Month
