Most textbooks include little on the period of Spanish colonization, preferring to concentration the history and development of the United States from its Mayflower roots. Within the borders of the United States there is a general lack of understanding of the colonial historical presence of Hispanics. Most citizens also do not realize how successful Hispanics have been in assimilating into the United States. The continual migrations into the continental United States by Spanish-speaking newcomers, of many racial groups, have perplexed many. The five hundred years of Hispanic presence in the United States is difficult to comprehend.
Understanding is needed.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to share that history to the entire community. The values passed from generation to generation in Hispanic American families are values central to the American experience. Approximately 68.2 percent of all Hispanic families were comprised of married-couple families. 1974 September 4, 1974. All Rights Reserved.