Proclamation 5859—National Hispanic Heritage Week, 1988

Across the centuries and all around our land, people of Hispanic descent from Europe and throughout the Americas have written countless chapters in the unique saga of the United States. Let us pause during National Hispanic Heritage Week, 1988, to reflect on the many and varied cultural heritages of Hispanic Americans and on the continuing and growing part these citizens play in affirming America's heritage of faith, freedom, brotherhood, and opportunity, and in creating that heritage anew.

Hispanic Americans give many gifts to our Nation, such as perpetuating the traditions of their ancestral homelands and offering a great array of talents and insights as they achieve and excel in every area of endeavor. But perhaps their most notable gift is their testimony about the power of the American dream to inspire miracles. The accomplishments of Hispanic Americans through the years remind all of us that in America we are blessed with the freedom to live, work, and worship in peace and to build a better life for ourselves and our children. Generations of proud, hardworking, enterprising Hispanic Americans have strengthened our communities and fought for our country. They have believed in America's miraculous promise and have helped preserve that promise for the future.

This is good reason during National Hispanic Heritage Week for every citizen who loves our Nation to salute Hispanic Americans. We should do so in gratitude for their love of this country and for the many ways they have expressed that love in accordance with the creed, "Creemos en milagros—we believe in miracles."

In recognition of the outstanding achievements of Hispanic Americans, the Congress, by Joint Resolution approved September 17, 1968 (Public Law 90-498), has authorized and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as "National Hispanic Heritage Week."

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning September 11, 1988, as National Hispanic Heritage Week. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirteenth.

RONALD REAGAN