September 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic American Heritage Month. 

Here's a little history found on Wikipedia: Hispanic Heritage Month heritage began as Hispanic Heritage Week. Hispanic Week was established by legislation sponsored by Rep. Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles and was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. In 1988, the commemorative week was expanded to a month (September 15 to October 15) by legislation sponsored by Rep. Esteban Edward Torres (D–Pico Rivera), amended by Senator Paul Simon, and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the commemoration because it is the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores (early morning, 16 September 1810), which marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence and thus resulted (in 1821) in independence for the New Spain Colony (now Mexico and the Central American nations of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua) which became the Federal Republic of Central America.

Hispanic Heritage Week was first proclaimed by President Johnson in 1968 in Presidential Proclamation 3869. Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan gave annual proclamations for Hispanic Heritage Week between 1969 and 1988. National Hispanic Heritage Month was first proclaimed by President George H. W. Bush on September 14, 1989, in Presidential Proclamation 6021. 

In celebration, I wanted to encourage you to look for ways to appreciate the Hispanic culture in America, and to read my books that include Mexican American characters:

Jalapeno Bagels: While trying to decide what to take for his school's International Day, Pablo helps his Mexican mother and Jewish father at their bakery and discovers a food that represents both his parents' backgrounds. Includes recipes and glossary of Spanish and Yiddish words.

The Night Before My First Communion: On the night before their First Communion, an Hispanic brother and sister get ready for this Catholic rite of passage. All the family is there--family, grandparents, godparents--to help them prepare for the following day.

And coming soon: a Spanish version of The Night Before the Night Before Christmas.

Thank you!