According to the U.S. Census Bureau, President Lyndon B. Johnson was authorized by Congress to declare National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. In 1988, Congress expanded the celebration, and September 15 was chosen as the beginning of the monthlong event because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and 18, respectively.
Here are some statistics about Hispanic Americans from the Census Bureau:
- As of July 1, 2009, the Hispanic population of America was 48.4 million, constituting 16 percent of the nation’s total population and making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority.
- The Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050, is projected to be 132.8 million.
- In 2007, there were 2.3 million Hispanic-owned businesses, up 43.6 percent from 2002.
- In 2007, Hispanic-owned businesses generated $345.2 billion, up 55.5 percent from 2002.
- In 2007, 23.6% of businesses in New Mexico were Hispanic-owned, which led all states. Florida (22.4 %) and Texas (20.7 %) were runners-up.
- Thirty percent of Hispanic-owned businesses are in construction and other services sectors; 50.7 percent of the receipts of these businesses were concentrated in wholesale trade, construction, and retail trade.
- In 2008, 39% of Hispanics or Latinos 16 years and older were in the civilian labor force.
- In 2008, 18% of civilian employed Hispanics or Latinos 16 years and older worked in management, professional, and related occupations in 2008. The same percentage worked in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Another 15 percent worked in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older worked in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations; and 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations.
- There are 79,440 Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 50,866 physicians and surgeons, 48,720 postsecondary teachers, 38,532 lawyers, and 2,726 news analysts, reporters, and correspondents are Hispanic.
- In 2008, there were 1.1 million Hispanics or Latinos 18 years and older veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.