On Saturday, October 3rd at 9:30am, NBC4 will air "Celebrating Hispanic Heritage," hosted by NBC4/T44's Erika Gonzalez and Alberto Pimienta. The special will feature stories of the achievements of Hispanic people both locally and nationally, in business, science, sports and the arts. Other segments include Afro-Latinos talking about their unique experiences, and a re-examination of the legacy of Christopher Columbus in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The special also aired in Spanish on Telemundo 44 on Wednesday, September 15th and will be re-broadcast later this month at a time to be announced.
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.
Learn more at hispanicheritagemonth.gov from which this information has been excerpted.
NBC4 THANKS OUR PARTNERS AT DONATE LIFE FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR HERITAGE MONTH PROJECTS AND SPECIALS.
