Contexto Latino Y Jolie R . Gonzalez
Latinos know that Hispanic Heritage Month means more than bylaws and speeches . They are keen to the fact that the month ’ s most important aspect is educating others on preserving Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula ’ s culture and values . Nevertheless , it is important to note the history behind the above-mentioned holiday .
In 1968 , under Public Law 90-498 , US Congress approved the glorification of the Hispanic flavor -- and the influence of it in politics , economy and society -- as a weeklong celebration . Some time thereafter , 20 years to be exact , President Ronald Reagan extended the holiday for a period of 30 days ( replacing the word “ week ” with “ month ” in the original proclamation ) with the hopes that the selected dates would coincide with the Independence Day celebrations of Costa Rica , Nicaragua , Mexico , Guatemala and Chile .
Today , Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance authorized by Public Law 100-402 , which states that the President is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the 31-day period beginning September 15 and ending on October 15 as “ National Hispanic Heritage Month ”. Due to this , and to the enthusiasm produced at Hispanic neighborhoods around the country , during the month tribute is paid ( through ceremonies , workshops , festivals and public displays ) to the achievements , contributions and traditions that millions and millions of US Hispanics have to offer .
President Reagan ’ s decision in 1988 could not have been more true : the US Hispanic population has grown more than 50 % in the last 10 years , and it is expected to continue changing the face of the country throughout the 21st century .
So how can we doubt this celebration ? One could say that it is almost impossible to ignore it , much less if you take into consideration that Hispanics are expected to make up much of the US population by the year 2050 . Whoever has any doubts can just look around them to see the effect of the wave of Hispanic : ads springing up in Spanish , Spanish-language dailies and magazines in every corner , Hispanic athletes involved in the day ’ s most important plays , a salsa or a reggaeton song on a car ’ s stereo , etc . Due to all of this , and other reasons that I was just not able to mention , having a special period every year designated as Hispanic Heritage Month is simply fundamental .
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month , Latin Times Magazine would like to dedicate this feature to the many Hispanics / Latinos living in the United States . Hispanic Heritage month began on Monday , September 15th and runs thru Wednesday , October 15th , 2008 . This month serves as a celebration of the beauty of our culture . May our language , our foods , and our customs continue to prosper as one , and let us remember always that it is through this unity that we have achieved our strength .
The word “ Hispanic ,” once used as a reference to people originating from Spain , has today taken on new meaning , because in modern-day America , the overwhelming majority of the U . S . Hispanic population actually comes from Latin America .
The Hispanic presence in what is now the United States actually began before the country existed . Spanish explorers established colonies in what would be called Florida .
In 1513 , the explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sailed from the island of Puerto Rico to the east coast of the United States to land on what is today called Florida . De Leon claimed the peninsula , which he thought was an island , for Spain , thus becoming one of the first explorers to stake a Spanish claim in North America .
The Spaniards first established a permanent settlement in Florida in 1565 . In that year , the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded St . Augustine in Florida . This was the first permanent European settlement in what would become the United States , even before Jamestown , --the first permanent British settlement in North America--by more than 40 years . The roots of the Hispanic experience in America lay in St . Augustine , Florida , the oldest city in the United States . St . Augustine served as Spain ’ s military headquarters in North America during the 1500 ’ s .
Florida remained under Spanish rule until 1763 , at which time Spain was forced to give the territory to Britain . Spain later regained Florida in 1783 , only to sell it to the U . S . government in 1821 . As Florida came under the control of the United States , thousands of Americans poured into the territory . Soon the Spanish presence in Florida was overwhelmed by the stream of English-speaking settlers , fast forward to 2006 .
Today , Florida is home to over 3.6 million Hispanics with the purchasing power of over 807 billion dollars . In fact , the State of Florida has the third-largest Hispanic market in the U . S . after California and Texas . And that , my fellow Latino ( a ) s , is a review of Hispanic Heritage and our great State of Florida !