Today’s guest post is by Elizabeth Osborne, chief of the Public Services Division at the Law Library of Congress and a recent addition to the In Custodia Legis blog team.
Since 1968, the United States has observed National Hispanic Heritage Month annually. In 1988, this observance was expanded to a month-long period from September 15 to October 15. During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the “histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.”
The legal history of this yearly observance is highlighted in the Law Library’s research guide, National Hispanic Heritage Month: A Commemorative Observances Legal Research Guide. On the Legislative History Overview page, users can find a short summary of the evolution of the celebration, from its origins as “National Hispanic Heritage Week” to its current month-long observance. The Legislative Branch Documents page provides links to legislation passed by the U.S. Congress authorizing the president to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe the month (or week, initially) with ceremonies and activities. The Executive Branch Documents page, which has been recently updated, lists all the published presidential proclamations for this commemorative observance, along with links to the full text of proclamations in either the Code of Federal Regulations or the Federal Register.
To learn more about the legal history of National Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States, and find links to additional resources, visit the National Hispanic Heritage Month: A Commemorative Observances Legal Research Guide.
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