Latinx Heritage Month, recognized annually from September 15 through October 15, honors the history, cultural diversity, and unique contributions of individuals and communities whose ancestry can be traced back to Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period and enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988. Sept. 15 coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, followed shortly thereafter by Mexico (Sept. 16) and Chile (Sept. 18). Día de la Raza and Indigenous Peoples Day, recognized on the second Monday of October, also fall within this period. The term “Latinx” relates to people of Latin American origin or descent and is used as a gender-neutral or non-binary alternative to Latino or Latina. The term Latinx grew in usage in late 2014 and became more widely used following the Orlando nightclub shooting of June 2016.
- Check back later in the year for future programs.