ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Anniston Army Depot will observe National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The U.S. government designated this month in recognition of the many cultural contributions made by Hispanic/Latino citizens who live and work alongside us on a daily basis.
Here are some facts which can be researched at the official website of the Library of Congress, http://www.loc.gov/index.html:
Between 1969 and 1988, presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan, issued a series of annual proclamations designating a week in the month of September as National Hispanic Heritage Week. Reagan expanded that time period to a month Aug. 17, 1988.
We can see the cultural impact of Hispanic and Latino Americans when we eat, seek medical treatment, watch TV, look at houses, etc.
A few examples of this impact are:
• Spanish-style architectural traditions of the early Spanish colonial homes, which are still found and replicated to this day. These type homes, sometimes called Spanish eclectic houses, are found mostly in tropical or ocean-side settings, as well as the desert Southwest and Florida.
• As we watch television or attend Broadway plays, Hispanic actors like Benjamin Bratt, Cheech Marin, Edward James Olomos and Emilio Estevez, just to name a few, are part of a long list of actors who've captivated us on the big screen and on stage.
• For those who enjoy Hispanic cuisine, some of the more famous restaurants include Alma Cochina in Atlanta, Ga.; La Posta de Mesilla in Mesilla, NM; Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen in Houston, Texas; and many more scattered throughout each state.
• Luis Miramontes, a chemist, co-invented the contraceptive pill.
• Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena invented an early color television system and publicly demonstrated this with a transmission Aug. 31, 1946.
Anniston Army Depot currently employs 17 Hispanic/Latino employees.
Some individuals work side-by-side with these employees every day. They gain knowledge and information through contact with these employees, which is adopted and instituted in processes, sometimes without even realizing it.
So, look around during this month and see if you can recognize the cultural input the Hispanic/Latino culture has introduced in our society.
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