Honoring the contributions of the Hispanic/Latino community
COMUNIDAD, FAMILIA, TRADICION
Community, family, and tradition are the heart and soul of Hispanic/Latino people. With a culture rich in history, customs, and contributions, we are proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
A community of many
Every year from September 15 to October 15, Americans celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by appreciating the community’s history, heritage, and contributions of the ancestors of American citizens who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South- and Central America.
A community of contributions
In the U.S., Latinas and Latinos have held significant roles throughout our country’s history. As business owners, activists, artists, athletes, politicians, entertainers, and more, Latinas and Latinos have been and continue to be strong leaders and change makers.
Roberto Clemente – Hall of Fame baseball player
Celia Cruz – Singer
Gloria Estefan – Musician
Dolores Huerta – Women’s labor rights activist, co-founder of the UFW with Cesar Chavez, and leader of the civil rights movement.
Carolina Herrera – Fashion designer
Judy Baca – Civil rights activist and fine artist
Isabel Allende – Writer
Isabel Allende – Writer
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Playwright/Composer
Rita Moreno – Pioneering actress, dancer and singer, renowned for her roles in movies, theater and television, who achieved the EGOT: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, and was awarded the Presidential Meda lof Honor in 2004
Dr. Ellen Ochoa – First Latina in space
Marcelo Balboa – Professional footballer and former captain of the United States men’s national soccer team
Sylvia Rivera – Gay and transgender rights and activist
Helen Rodríguez Trías – Physician, children’s health activist and former president of the American Public Health Association
Early Spanish explorers reach America.
Settlers from central New Spain (modern Mexico) established a settlement in what is now Los Angeles.
Mexico wins independence from Spain in the Mexican War of Independence.
Joseph Marion Hernandez becomes the first Latino member of Congress.
Mexican-American War takes place resulting in a border between Texas and Mexico, also giving America control of California, New Mexico, Utah, a majority of Colorado and Arizona, and part of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Kansas.
New Mexico enters the union as an official bilingual state, granting funds for bilingual education and voting.
Puerto Ricans granted U.S. citizenship.
Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo of New Mexico is sworn in as the country’s first Latino senator.
Multiple organizations combine to create League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the largest and longest lasting Latino civil rights group in the U.S.
Supreme Court prohibits segregation for Mexican-American students, seven years before the historic Brown v. Board of Education case.
Cesar Chavez, director of the National Farm Workers Association, leads an historic strike that would last 5 years and 26 days and culminate in the formation of the United Farm Workers Union.
Dr. Lauro Cavazos becomes the first Latino appointed to a presidential cabinet when President Ronald Reagan names him Secretary of Education.
Sonia Sotomayor is sworn in as the first Latina Supreme Court Justice.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports the Latina and Latino population at 50.5 million or 16% of the U.S. population.
Latina and Latino voters became the second-largest voting bloc in the country, changing the landscape of voting in the U.S.
Did you know...
In addition to historical milestones that shaped our country, Latinos have been at the forefront of these ground-breaking inventions that have shaped the world:
Fritos
The deliciously addictive corn chip recipe was created by Mexican-American restaurant owner Gustavo Olguin, who sold the recipe to the Doolin family in 1932. Since 1961, the curly, fried chips have been produced by the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo.
Beauty Blender
A revolutionary invention in the makeup industry, the Beauty Blender was the first sponge of its kind to reproduce an airbrush-effect when applying foundation to skin. It was created by Latina makeup artist and entrepreneur Rea Ann Silva.
Life-long nickel-hydrogen batteries
Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria a chemical engineer from Puerto Rican descent and her team at NASA created the batteries which are used in space satellites to improve their performance.
Apple’s Emojis
Angela Guzman is a Colombian-American UX designer who co-created the original set of Apple emojis in 2008. 😊
X-ray reflection microscope
Mexican-American physicist Albert Vinicio Báez was the co-creator of the X-ray reflection microscope which uses X-rays to produce enlarged images of small or distant subjects. Thanks to this invention, we have the ability to examine things as small as living cells and as far away as galaxies.
Mi Comunidad
M&T honors and celebrates our Hispanic/Latino employees who come to work each day as their authentic self, sharing their culture and experiences. Hear from our employees and customers on what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them:
Travis Baird
Founder, Innovation Treatment Centers
“Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the vibrant cultures and rich histories that shape us as multicultural individuals. Growing up in Venezuela and traveling to different places while I was in the military, I’ve learned that our diversity is our strength.”
Vickie Quezada Mejia
M&T Retail Regional Sales Manager
"Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for non-Hispanics to recognize the historical accomplishments by Hispanics in the United States. It is a time to celebrate and share our culture; Hispanics are always celebrating who we are."
