Teachers usually get so caught up in back to school that they can miss a great cultural celebration and oppotunity to teach diversity. September 15-October 15 each year marks Hispanic Heritage Month. It is celebrated during this time frame because many Hispanic nations celebrate independence during this time. From the Library of Congress:
"National Hispanic Heritage Month had its origins in 1968 when Congress passed Pub. L. 90-498 (PDF, 153 KB), which authorized and requested the President to issue an annual proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week. By directing that this week should include September 15 and 16, this law celebrated Hispanic Americans and the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as Mexico’s independence on September 16. In 2010 Mexico is celebrating the bicentennial of its independence. President Lyndon Johnson issued the first such proclamation, Presidential Proclamation 3869, which stated in part: Wishing to pay special tribute to the Hispanic tradition, and having in mind the fact that our five Central American neighbors celebrate their Independence Day on the fifteenth of September and the Republic of Mexico on the sixteenth, the Congress by House Joint Resolution 1299, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week."
Here are some resources:
Book Suggestions from Scholastic
Recommended Reading from State of Florida
History of Hispanic Heritage Month (Library of Congress)
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