West Palm Beach Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

By LuAnn Warner, Customer Relations Coordinator, West Palm Beach

Riviera Beach Manager, Customer Services, Pablo Estupinan dedicated an enlargement of the Puerto Rican Flag Stamp to the Herencia Experiential Art Center. The dedication was part of the Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s closing celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month.  West Palm Beach Postmaster Rich Fermo presided over the event. Sam Roman, President and Chairman of the PRHCC, will accept the enlargement on the Chamber’s behalf.

Fermo also will welcome the Postal Customer Council of the Palm Beaches to the event as educational information will be provided on using U.S. Postal Service webtools to grow your business to PRHCC members. 

The Puerto Rican flag stamp was issued on August 11, 2011 as a Forever stamp in the fifth set of ten stamps in the Flags of Our Nation series. Puerto Rico's flag features horizontal red and white stripes and a blue triangle with a star. Shown in the lower right corner of the stamp, is a colorful little bird, the Puerto Rican Tody. Art director Howard E. Paine collaborated with award-winning artist Tom Engeman on the 60 stamps in this series.  In addition to the official flag, each Flags of Our Nation (Forever®) Set 5 stamp design includes artwork that provides a "snapshot view" of the state or other area represented by the pictured flag. In most cases, an everyday scene or activity is shown, but occasionally the view is of something less commonplace — rare wildlife, perhaps, or a stunning vista. 

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.  The observations started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.