The beginning of German American Heritage Month and National Hispanic Heritage Month

It’s estimated that 50 million Americans have German ancestry, around 17% of our population. With such a significant portion of our society being of German decent, with immigrants recorded as far back as the Jamestown settlement, it’s not surprising that German-Americans have made a great deal of significant contributions to society, both in the US and globally.

German American Heritage Month is observed annually in October to commemorate the contributions of German immigrants and German-Americans to American society and culture. The month was selected in alignment with the centuries old observance of German American Day on October 6 and the end of Oktoberfest on October 3.

German American Heritage Month in recognition of the founding of Germantown, Pennsylvania in October 1683.

We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.