National Hispanic Heritage Month Starts Today!

September 15, 2008 -- National Hispanic Heritage Month is the period to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States and to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture.  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 starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.  September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries:  Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.  In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.