JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Sept. 16, Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson made a proclamation to recognize National Hispanic Heritage Month or Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, with special acknowledgment of the Hispanic and Latino peoples within the Jackson community.
“The heritage celebration provides a wonderful opportunity to highlight the variety
of the Hispanic community and its many and rich contributions to the United States, to
Wyoming and to our Town,” Mayor Morton Levinson said in the proclamation.
The month long celebration honors the history, culture and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The month also includes the independence days of several Latin American countries, including Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
“The Latino community comprises the largest ethnic and racial group in the United States and represents over 20% of the Town of Jackson’s population,” Mayor Morton Levinson said. “Members of the Latino community have made countless contributions to the United States’ economy and culture, serving in all branches of the Armed Forces, as dedicated public servants, and as leaders in education, healthcare, business and entrepreneurship.”
Celebrated for over 50 years, National Hispanic Heritage Month began as commemorative week during the height of the civil rights movement. In the 1960s, a growing awareness of multicultural citizens shed light on Hispanic American contributions.
President Lyndon Johnson established a celebration of a Hispanic Heritage Week in
1968, and President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebration to a month in 1988.
Communities across the country continue to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with family festivities, art exhibits and dance.
On Sept. 13 President Joe Biden proclaimed, “In our country, Latino leaders are striving for the American Dream and helping those around them reach it too. From those who have been here for generations to those who have recently arrived, Latinos have pushed our great American experiment forward … They are the first responders, who put themselves in harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe. And they represent the best of who we are as a Nation — the teachers and doctors, athletes and artists, business leaders, public servants and so much more.”
