Residents of southwestern Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, with upcoming events and learn more about the month through a variety of resources.
Origins
In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation to establish Hispanic Heritage Week. President George Bush proclaimed the 31-day period between mid-September and mid-October as National Hispanic Heritage Month in 1989.
The month includes the celebration of a number of independence days, including September 15 (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua), September 16 (Mexico), September 18 (Chile), and September 21 (Belize).
The name of the month emphasizes the word Hispanic because it is used to signal a connection to Spain or the Spanish language, whereas Latino describes the diverse residents of the United States with cultural or ancestral ties to Latin America or the Caribbean, according to the National Museum of the American Latino.
Events in the Pittsburgh Region
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in the Pittsburgh region will be held throughout September and October.
The Heinz History Center will host Little Historians Storytime: Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday, September 23 from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The storytime, which is aimed at children ages 5 and below and their caregivers, will also include songs and crafts.
The Indiana Free Library in Indiana will hold DOL Homeschooler’s Club: Hispanic Heritage Month and Paper Picados from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23. The children’s program is for homeschooled children, ages 6 to 11.
The Andy Warhol Museum will hold an event on Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that will be free with museum admission. It will include Latin dance and drag performances, Spanish-language tours, screen printing, music and dance lessons with Flamenco Pittsburgh, and other activities.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will hold a special author talk with Jared Lemus at the library’s Main (Oakland) branch, located at 4400 Forbes Avenue, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 10. Lemus is a Guatemalan-American author who has released a short story collection titled “Guatemalan Rhapsody” and will debut his first novel, “Magic in the Land of Eternal Spring,” in 2027.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will honor Hispanic Heritage Night on Saturday, October 10 at Highmark Stadium with a celebration honoring the cultures, traditions, and contributions of the region’s Hispanic community during a game. Ticket prices will vary by seating.
More Resources
To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and to read books on Spanish-speaking cultures, check out these resources:
- Upcoming Events, Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Hispanic Heritage Month, National Museum of the American Latino
- National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers
- Latino Books Month Highlights Authors from Spanish-Speaking Countries, Trying Together
- Family Guide to Discussing Race and Equity with Young Children, Trying Together
- Characteristics of the Early Childhood Workforce Serving Latino Children, National Research on Hispanic Children & Families
