Websites to Help Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
By Tracey Dowdy
From September 15 – the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries – to October 15, America will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Established by the government in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the accomplishments of Latino citizens of the U.S. or those with ancestors in Spain, México, and Central or South America. With over 58 million Hispanic individuals living in the United States, they are a significant cultural presence.
Many schools, libraries and communities will celebrate the contributions of our Latino neighbors and, if you’d like to participate, these websites, apps and resources can help.
The National Hispanic Heritage Month website provides access to documents, exhibits, films, blog posts and other resources that highlight Hispanic culture from both the National Archives and Presidential Libraries.
The Smithsonian Institution Hispanic Resources site lets you explore the vast resources and archives of the Smithsonian, including Learning Lab Collections on Hispanic heritage and culture. Search the archives for interviews with Hispanic immigrants, listen to Latin American music, or browse the collection of stamps commemorating seminal moments in Hispanic history. You can read thought-provoking articles like “Why the Universe Needs More Black and Latino Astronomers,” or learn about Hispanic foods like the tomatillo, a favorite in Mexican and Guatemalan cooking.
The National Endowment for the Humanities site has lots of great resources including The Roots of Hispanic Culture in the New World, Hispanic Culture and Literature today, and access to websites that explore the cultural legacy of Mexico, Central America and parts of the Caribbean, as well as other Latin American nations.
The Library of Congress website has Primary Source Sets that dig into “Hispanic Exploration in America” and “Mexican American Migration and Communities.”
In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, EBSCO librarian Kendal Spires created a list of novels from the Graphic Novels Core Collection featuring stories about The Day of the Dead or highlighting Hispanic icons like Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente.
EBSCO Flipster lets you explore online magazines, and they have an extensive collection of Spanish language editions of popular magazines like Newsweek, People, Babybug, and Rolling Stone en Español as well as Hispanic magazines such as Semana, Mercados & Tendencias, Ciencia Hoy de los Chicos, and Ambientes.
Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.
