{"id":38055,"date":"2021-09-15T12:00:48","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T16:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=38055"},"modified":"2021-09-22T13:01:34","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T17:01:34","slug":"national-hispanic-day-runs-through-oct-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/09\/national-hispanic-day-runs-through-oct-15\/","title":{"rendered":"National Hispanic Heritage Month runs through Oct. 15"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Edwin Murillo teaches his Hispanic Cultures\/Americas class Monday, Jan. 24, 2020 Guerry Center.<\/p><\/div>\n

Edwin Murillo gets excited he talks about National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoy this month because it gives me a chance to talk about something that I find to be very important,\u201d said Murillo, an associate professor of Spanish in the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince 2010, Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States. Although we aren\u2019t historically new, the country is becoming more aware of us, and this is why Hispanic Heritage Month is so important to continue to educate the United States about its history, its own culture and how Hispanics are an important part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Initially started as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a month-long observation in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan.<\/p>\n

Murillo said there is a historical reason why Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of one month and continues through the middle of the following month\u2014most Latin American countries gained their independence from Spain between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. For example, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua celebrate their independence on Sept. 15, while Mexico\u2019s Independence Day celebration follows on Sept. 16.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis month also gives me the opportunity to conflate both Hispanic heritage and a talk on the history of Hispanics and their involvement in every single military engagement the United States has ever waged,\u201d Murillo said. \u201cFrom the American Revolution up until 2021, Hispanics have been a part of every single military engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis sort of awakening to Hispanic presence isn\u2019t technically new. In 1990, then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney commissioned a booklet that recognized Hispanic presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The UTC Office of Multicultural Affairs, in partnership with divisions and organizations across the campus, has numerous events planned as part of \u201cEsperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

The month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latin culture begins Sept. 15 with a kickoff event at the Multicultural Center\u2019s Lupton Hall location from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

Highlights of the month\u2019s festivities include:<\/p>\n