Hispanic Heritage Month originated in 1968 as a week-long celebration but has been celebrated from September 15th to October 15th every year since 1988. Hispanic generally refers to people from or descended from Spanish-speaking Spain and Latin America. Latin America consists of Mexico, Central America, and South America, and parts of the Caribbean where Spanish or Portuguese are spoken.
The first week of the Heritage Month celebration is significant. September 15 is a day of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. September 16 is Mexico’s independence day, and September 18th is Chile’s independence day.
Hispanic people have been in the United States since before the United States existed. In the last US census, around 65 million people with Hispanic heritage lived in the United States.
Enjoy Illinois has some recommendations for Hispanic Heritage Month in Illinois, and Explore St. Louis has some Hispanic Heritage Month activities for the St. Louis area. At TBR Books, we have book recommendations, of course! We also have links to related pages on our website and additional resources. You can find them all below.
Book Recommendations
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Adult Fiction
Adult Nonfiction
Related Pages
Additional Resources
Hispanic Heritage Month (Enjoy Illinois)
Hispanic Heritage Month (City of St. Louis)
National Hispanic Heritage Month (.gov)
National Hispanic Heritage Month (Library of Congress Research Guides)
Hispanic Heritage Month (National Archives)
Hispanic Heritage Month (Smithsonian)
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino
Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month (PBS)
Hispanic Month 2026: 15 Ways to Celebrate Beyond the Dates (hispanicmonth.org)
National Hispanic Heritage Month (National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers)
Hispanic Heritage Month (History.com)
Hispanic Heritage Month (National Education Association)
Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet the trailblazers that the holiday honors (National Geographic)
Hispanic Heritage Month (National Museum of American History)
Hispanic Heritage Month (American Library Association)
“Hispanic” vs. “Latino”: When To Use Each Term (Dictionary.com)
What’s the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino? (Britannica)
What is the Difference Between “Hispanic,” “Mexican,” “Latino,” and “Chicano”? (Spanish Dictionary)
Understanding Latin America: Definition, Countries, and Cultural Diversity (LatinxHistory.com)
Latin America (World Atlas)
Hispanic History (History.com)
Mexico’s Independence Day marks the beginning of a decade-long revolution (History.com)
Chilean War of Independence (1810–18) (WarHistory.org)
Hispanic History Milestones: Timeline (History.com)
Latino History (National Museum of the American Latino)
Hispanic Origins in the United States: A Guide to Local History and Genealogy Sources (Library of Congress)
Timeline of Latino American History (PBS)
Understanding Hispanic Heritage (NBCU Academy on YouTube)
How Latino Americans Shaped the US, Fought for Acceptance (PBS NewsHour on Youtube)
Civil Rights and Hispanics in Texas (Texas Historical Commission on Youtube)
How Hispanics Helped Slaves Escape to Mexico on the Underground Railroad (Fox 26 Houston on YouTube)
Latino Americans: The 500-Year History That Shaped a Nation (Library of Congress on Youtube)
St. Louis, St. Charles and Spain During the American Revolution (The Historical Marker Database)
Spanish in St. Louis (St. Louis Genealogical Society)
Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet the trailblazers that the holiday honors (National Geographic)
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