We recognize the contributions and historic impacts of people with Hispanic heritage from September 15 through October 15. Hispanic Heritage Week was introduced in 1968 and evolved into Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988 to allow for further awareness of Hispanic contributions to the United States. The extended time provides more opportunities for festivals and other celebrations that reflect the rich, diverse culture of Hispanic Americans. To honor milestones in Hispanic heritage, the celebrations begin mid-month on September 15th. September 15th commemorates the independence of five nations – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, while September 16th is Mexico’s Independence Day. In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, please see the information below.
- In 2022, Hispanics made up 17.6 percent of workers and owned 13.8 percent of businesses in the United States.
- In 2019, 6.2% of employer firms were Hispanic-owned.
- The 2017-2019 two-year survival rate for young employer establishments (2- to 3-year-old firms surviving to at least 4-5 years old) was 82% for Hispanic-owned businesses.
Advocacy outreach and resources:
- The Impacts of COVID-19 on Racial Disparities in Small Business Earnings
- Minority-owned Employer Businesses and Their Credit Market Experiences in 2017
- Latino Business Ownership: Contributions and Barriers for U.S. -Born and Immigrant Latino Entrepreneurs
- Data from the Census Bureau Shows Growth in Hispanic-Owned Businesses