From September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month.

Learn more about the people and countries that gained their independence during this month.

September 15 is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries:

• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua

In addition, Mexico declared its independence September 16 and Chile on September 18.

The term Hispanic refers to Spanish-speaking people in the United States of any race.

Topics of interest to learn more about Hispanic Heritage:

• Hispanic Americans.
• Hispanic Americans -
  Social Life and customs.

Calisphere: Hispanic Americans
California Digital Library - www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu

Hispanic heritage of California portrayed in photographs, artwork, and documents of missions and early settlement, migrant workers and braceros, barrios, cultural traditions, racial tensions, and art.

Facts for Features
"Hispanic Heritage Month,
Sept 15 - Oct 15, 2006"
www.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau provides population figures, as well as information about businesses, families and children, Spanish language, immigration, income and poverty, education, jobs, voting, and military service.

Hispanic Heritage
www.gale.com/free_resources/chh/

Read about significant Hispanic individuals, take a quiz about Hispanic culture, follow a timeline of events that helped shape Hispanic culture, or explore holidays, musical genres and other Hispanic topics.

Latinos in the US Census
www.nflc.org/REACH/3latinos/latinoscenen.htm

Census map provides a glimpse of the population density of Hispanics for each state, based upon the person's origin, as of the 2000 census.

Smithsonian Education: Hispanic Heritage
Teaching Resources
www.smithsonianeducation.org

Online exhibits of art, social life and customs, sports, fashion, culture, crafts, and stories of individuals.

Photo credits: "Mariachis," photo courtesy of Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library, "Viva la Fiesta!," photo by - ART -, "Honduran Flag" by littlewoodenman, and "IMG_1254" [Guatemalan Flag] by Granada!!!=oP at flickr.com some rights reserved; "Bandera Chilena" by carlosyanez at flickr.com - some rights reserved; "Costa Rican Flag" by kasthor at flickr.com - some rights reserved; "La Bandera de Mexico" by Carsten Hahn and "Young Mayan Indian Woman" [Chortí, Honduras] photo by Sean Hawkey at flickr.com - some rights reserved.