Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Arlington Public Library

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long observance that honors the contributions and culture of Hispanics and Latin Americans. This nationwide celebration runs from September 15 to October 15. Originally a week-long celebration, President Ronald Reagan enacted a law in 1988 to extend the celebration to 30 days. 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. 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, September 15th – Hispanic Heritage Month Begins!
- Wednesday, September 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, September 21: Spanish Book Fireside Chat
Featuring Hispanic authors and/or characters
- Tuesday, September 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, September 26: (Bilingual) Saturday Storytime
Join our fabulous library staff for an exciting virtual storytime on Facebook @ArlingtonTXLib. This storytime is designed for children ages 0-4 years.
- Friday, October 2: DIY Piñata Video
This how-to video will be available on our Facebook @ArlingtonTXLib.
- Monday, October 5: DIY Salsa!
Join us on Facebook @ArlingtonTXLib as we share recipes and learn how to make salsa with a local restaurant!
- Wednesday, October 7: Salsa Dancing
Put your dancing shoes on and join us on Facebook @ArlingtonTXLib as we learn the basics of Salsa dancing.
- Saturday, October 10: Salsa Storytime
Join our fabulous library staff for an exciting virtual storytime on Facebook @ArlingtonTXLib. This storytime is designed for children ages 0-4 years.
- Thursday, October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month ends
Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month with the following resources:
- Census: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2020/hispanic-heritage-month.html
- Smithsonian: https://latino.si.edu/learn/family-and-public-programs/hispanic-heritage
- American Libraries: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/tag/hispanic-heritage-month/
- Texas Library Association: https://txla.org/tla-groups/tla-round-tables/latino-caucus-round-table/about/