Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Arlington Public Library
By Estefany Mendoza Salazar, Arlington Public Library
Posted on September 16, 2020, September 16, 2020

Hispanic Heritage Month graphic

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long observance honoring the contributions and culture of Hispanics and Latin Americans. This nationwide celebration runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Originally a week-long celebration, President Ronald Reagan extended the celebration to 30 days in 1988. During this time, many Latin American countries celebrate their independence, such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile. 

Hispanic refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country. Latino/a or Latinx refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 56.6 million Hispanics / Latinos in the United States with Arlington’s Hispanic population numbering 60,817 or 18.27 percent.

If you haven’t completed your census you have until September 30. Click here to respond today.

This year the Arlington Public Library will commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of virtual programs. These programs aim to highlight and celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries.

  • Tuesday, Sept. 15 – Hispanic Heritage Month Begins!
  • Wednesday, Sept. 16: Library on Topic: Hispanic Heritage Month — A brief overview of the history of Hispanic Heritage Month followed by a curated book list to enjoy during the month.
  • Monday, Sept. 21: Spanish Book Fireside Chat featuring Hispanic authors and/or characters
  • Tuesday, Sept. 22: Club de Lectura en Espanol - Spanish Book Club — ¿Eres un fanático de los libros? ¿Te gusta discutir tus pensamientos e ideas con otros. ¡Únete a este Club de libros en español! Are you a book fanatic? Do you like to discuss your thoughts and ideas with others? Join this Spanish Book Club!
  • Saturday, Sept. 26: (Bilingual) Saturday Storytime — Join our fabulous library staff for an exciting virtual storytime on Facebook. This storytime is designed for children ages 0-4 years.
  • Friday, Oct 2: DIY Piñata Video — This how-to video will be available on our Facebook page. 
  • Monday, October 5: DIY Salsa! — Join us on Facebook as we share recipes and learn how to make salsa with a local restaurant!
  • Wednesday, Oct. 7: Salsa Dancing — Put your dancing shoes on and join us on Facebook as we learn the basics of Salsa dancing.
  • Saturday, Oct. 10: Salsa Storytime — Join our fabulous library staff for an exciting virtual storytime on Facebook. This storytime is designed for children ages 0-4 years.
  • Thursday, Oct. 15: Hispanic Heritage Month ends

Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month with the following resources:

Support Youth and Families, Holidays
News, Community, Library