The Hispanic Day Parade celebrated Latin culture and the Hispanic Heritage Month in Manhattan on Sunday.
The parade marched up 5th Avenue from 47th street to 72nd street, bringing the colors, costumes, and rhythms of all the Latin countries to the streets of New York. The theme for this year’s event was “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation”, focusing on recognizing diversity within the Latin community.
The Hispanic Heritage Month tradition started in 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Week.
A Congress bill extended the celebration to last a whole month.
Ronald Reagan signed the bill into lawin 1988.
Since 1989, the National Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated annually.
The dates of the Hispanic Heritage Month coincide with the Independence Day celebrations of many Latin American countries.
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.
Chile, Mexico, and Belize have their Independence Day celebrations on days throughout the month as well.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the contributions Hispanic Americans made over the years to the United States and to New York City in particular.
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