The Postal Service will observe National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration held each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
Around 13.5 percent of USPS employees identify as having Hispanic ancestry.
It may seem unusual to have a monthly observance start and end in the middle of a month, but it makes sense in the context of Hispanic history. Mid-September holds a number of meaningful dates throughout much of Latin America.
Sept. 15 marks the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.
Toward the end of National Hispanic Heritage Month, on Oct. 12, is Dia de la Raza, or Day of the Races. This holiday acknowledges the hardships brought by colonization and celebrates the multicultural, multiethnic societies that evolved as a result.
Each year, the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers chooses a theme for National Hispanic Heritage Month. This year it is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.”
The National Hispanic Heritage Month and the National Museum of the American Latino websites have more information.