Iowa and the nation set aside time between September 15 and October 15 to recognize and celebrate the rich heritage, culture and the contributions made by Latinos and Hispanics during Latino & Hispanic Heritage Month. 

This celebration started in September, 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson was authorized by Congress to proclaim national Hispanic Heritage Week, and directed that this week included September 15 and 16 to celebrate the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. In 1988, the National Hispanic Heritage Month was established.

Latinos are classified as individuals living in the U.S. whose ancestors originate from the Caribbean Islands, Central America, Mexico, and South America, all countries that were colonized by Spaniards and Portuguese. Latinos speak Romance languages: French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Latinos are the largest ethnic minority population in Iowa and in the U.S. 

Latinx is a gender-neutral term that is used as an alternative to Latino/Latina/Latin@.

The term Hispanic refers to people whose heritage is derived from Spanish speaking countries - the term is about language and doesn’t include people from Brazil who speak Portuguese, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin who speak French.

You can celebrate Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month by learning more about Latino and Hispanic history in Iowa. A great places to start is the University of Iowa Women’s Archives’ Mujeres Latinas Project at https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa/mujeres/. You can also experience contemporary Latino and Hispanic culture by attending the different parades, street parties, and festivals across Iowa.

Many outstanding Latinos/as helped shape Iowa and continue to contribute their talents and skills to improve the quality of life in this state. To recognize and honor these achievers and to provide visible examples for tomorrow’s Latino leaders, the Iowa Commission of Latino Affairs established the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame in 2017 with the goal of ensuring that the efforts of Latino leaders are honorably recognized and celebrated. 

Among the many strong Latino leaders are political and social activists, scientists, educators, writers and spiritual and community leaders. They represent the Latinos who have helped shape Iowa, the United States, and the world. Their induction into the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame will enhance the visibility of their contributions to their work, communities, and the status of Latinos in Iowa. 

Meet the five remarkable Iowans that will be inducted into the 2019 Iowa Latino Hall of Fame: