National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15-October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time when we recognize the myriad achievements and contributions of Hispanics in the US, as well as the impact Latinos have had on the history of the Americas in general. The tradition originated as a mere week-long celebration under the Johnson administration in 1968, but was later expanded to 31 days under the Reagan administration in 1988. It straddles two months, rather than being constrained to one, beginning on September 15^th.[1]

This essay seeks to explore the relevance and impact of Hispanic culture on the American way of life, and to illustrate why this richly diverse demographic merits its own month of special recognition.

What's with the Date?

September 15^th was the date upon which five Central American countries - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua - proclaimed their independence from Spain in 1821.[2] National Hispanic Heritage Month was planned to coincide with this, as well as with Mexican Independence Day on September 16^th, Chilean Independence Day on September 18^th, and Columbus Day - referred to as el Día de la Raza, or "Race Day," by Latin Americans - on October 12^th.

Other important dates from Hispanic history occurring during National Hispanic Heritage Month include: the deposition of Juan Perón in Argentina September 19, 1955 and his return to office September 23, 1973; the rise of General Francisco Franco's insurgent government in Spain October 1^st, 1936; and the execution of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in Bolivia October 9^th, 1967.[3]

Playing with the Numbers

According to the US Census, as of July 2007 there were an estimated 45.5 million Hispanics living in the United States, making it the country's largest minority group - surpassing African-Americans by nearly 5 million. Hispanics account for 15% of the nation's total population. This does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico, all of whom have classified as US citizens since the Jones-Shafroth Act was passed in 1917. When the Census was taken back in 1990, the Hispanic population was barely half of what it is today. At present, their numbers are increasing at a rate of 3.3% a year, making them the fastest growing ethnic demographic in the US. [4]

Hispanics are a very diverse demographic to be sure, one which may be broken down into several distinct groups. Mexican-Americans account for 64% of the US' Hispanic population. "Another 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with 3.4 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent Salvadoran and 2.8 percent Dominican. The remainder are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin."[5]

Spheres of Influence

The Hispanic population of the US is, for the most part, concentrated in four key regions: the Northeast, the South, Florida, and the Southwest.

The Northeast began attracting Hispanics at an astonishing rate beginning in the 1930s, largely due to its thriving industrial sector. Puerto Ricans began pouring into New York in particular in 1945 following World War II, so much so that now nearly 1/5 of the world's Puerto Rican population lives in that state. (There are currently more Puerto Ricans living in New York City than in San Juan; more than 10% of the population of New York City is of Puerto Rican descent.[6]) Their influx was soon matched, and later eclipsed, by Dominican immigrants, many of whom came to the US beginning in 1961 after the assassination Rafael Trujillo, their island's longtime dictator.[7]

The South has been attracting Hispanics since Reconstruction due to its bustling agricultural sector. Herein, over the last century, a predominantly Mexican population has taken root - especially in Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas - working as migrant labor and harvesters in the myriad peach, peanut, watermelon, and strawberry orchards found there. In recent years, many have also found their niche in masonry, poultry processing, and maid service.

Florida, meanwhile, boasts a substantially Cuban population, particularly in the southern half of the state. Cubans were drawn to Florida both because of opportunity and proximity. Between 1959 and 1962, "Fleeing Castro's revolution, 155,000 Cubans [left] their homeland. A large number of these Cuban "exiles" settle[d] in an area of Miami known as 'Little Havana' because of its overwhelmingly Cuban population. Today, more than 60 percent of Miami's population is Latino, and more than 700,000 Cubans live in the Miami area."[8] Presently Cubans may be found in nearly every sector of Floridian business and commerce, especially in legal, educational, and governmental fields.

The Southwest, on the other hand, remains traditionally Mexican. Most of that region having formerly belonged to Nueva España (New Spain), and later to Mexico itself, there was no need to attract Hispanics to the area: Mexicans have been an integral part of the ethnic landscape there since before there was a United States. In the years since the 1848 Mexican-American War, Mexicans have continued pouring into this region, particularly California, for both agricultural and domestic jobs, including but not limited to: grape cultivation, maid service, childcare, and construction.[9]

Changing Trends

In recent years, the Southeast region has seen a substantial influx of Guatemalans. Fleeing rampant poverty, government corruption, judiciary inconsistency, and police brutality,[10] Guatemalans are now competing with Mexicans for agricultural jobs in the South, and in Florida their numbers now rival those of Cubans.

Additionally, new Hispanic population hubs are popping up all across the country. Colorado now boasts 2% of the nation's Hispanic population, while another 4.5% now reside in New England. Even far-flung Hawaii now ranks 38^th in the nation for Hispanic population.[11]

Currently the only country with a larger Hispanic population than the US is its neighbor to the south, Mexico. Projections suggest that by the year 2050 the Hispanic population of the US will balloon to nearly 133 million and will make up 30% of the nation's population.[12]

Melting the Pot?

Of the tens of millions of Hispanics living in the US, a good number are here illegally - an estimated 12 million as of 2006, many of whom entered the US by way of its 2,000-mile long, largely unpatrolled border with Mexico. "Many of these people are poorly educated, unskilled workers, yet in their thousands they fill the sort of jobs that most native-born Americans will not take, at least not for the same price."[13]

Coupled with the fear of market infiltration posed by so many undocumented Hispanics residing in the US is the inherent security threat. Many of the Latin American countries from which the US receives so many of its illegal immigrants are those with rampant government and police corruption (i.e. Guatemala; Cuba), chronic gang violence (i.e. Mexico), and human, weapons and drug trafficking problems (i.e. Colombia; the Dominican Republic). The concern among many Americans - and perhaps rightly so - is that these problems will accompany illegal immigrants as they make their way to the US. This has already proven to be the case in Arizona and California where Mexican and Central American gang activity and drug smuggling along the border have escalated dramatically in recent months.[14] However, it should be noted that, despite the media hype, such instances as this have been few and far between.

Forget the Hype

In spite of the political quandary the two aforementioned issues represent, it is important not to lose sight of the greater and more positive role Hispanics have played - and continue to play - in this country. The American landscape, both geopolitically and metaphorically, would be a fundamentally different place if not for the contributions of Hispanics. We are made better and stronger in our diversity, and Hispanic Americans are an integral part of that process. Pues, gracias a ellos todos. (So, thank you to all of them.)

[1] "Legislative History, Hispanic Heritage Month." Fort Carson MEDDAC & Evans U.S. Army Hospital. http://www.evans.amedd.army.mil/eo/observances/nhhm.htm 2008.

[2] Smitha, F. "Independence in Latin America." Macrohistory and World Report. http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h39-la.html 2002.

[3] "This Day in History." Info Please. http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory/ 2000-2008.

[4] "Hispanic Heritage Month2008: Sept. 15-Oct. 15." Facts for Features. US Census Press Releases. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/012245.html 8 September, 2008.

[5] Ibid

[6] "Key Moments in the Hispanic History of New York." Celebrate Hispanic Heritage. Scholastic. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hispanic/nyhistory.htm 2008.

[7] "Events in Hispanic American History." Hispanic Heritage. Gale-Cengage Learning. http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/chh/timeline/index.htm 2008.

[8] "Key Moments in the Hispanic History of Florida." Celebrate Hispanic Heritage. Scholastic. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hispanic/flahistory.htm 2008.

[9] "Events in Hispanic American History." Hispanic Heritage. Gale-Cengage Learning. http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/chh/timeline/index.htm 2008.

[10] "Universal Periodic Review of Guatemala." Human Rights Watch. http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/04/07/global18579.htm 5 May, 2008.

[11] "State Fact Sheets: Hispanics in the 2008 Election." Pew Hispanic Center. http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=40 7 March, 2008.

[12] " Hispanic Heritage Month2008: Sept. 15-Oct. 15." Facts for Features. US Census Press Releases. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/012245.html 8 September, 2008.

[13] "Q&A: US immigration debate." BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4850634.stm 28 June, 2007.

[14] Webster, M. "United States-Mexican border experiencing alarming rise in drug-human and terrorist smuggling." American Chronicle. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/52402 13 September, 2008.