7 Facts for Hispanic Heritage Month In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are seven key facts about the Latino population in the United States. 1. Hispanic Heritage Month was first established as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. 2. It was later expanded into a month- long celebration by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, spanning from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. 3. As of 2016, the Hispanic population in the U.S. is 57 million, which makes Hispanics the second- fastest-growing racial group in the nation. 4. People of Mexican origin make up about two-thirds of the Hispanic population with 35.3 million people, followed by 5.3 million of Puerto Rican origin. 5. Research shows that 68 percent of Latinos over the age of five speak English proficiently. This is a 59 percent increase from 2000. 6. 55 percent of Hispanic adults identify as Catholic, 16 percent identify as evangelical Protestants and 5 percent identify as mainline Protestants. 7. As of 2016, a record 27.3 million Latinos are eligible to vote. This is five million more than in 2012.
