[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 180 (Thursday, September 17, 1998)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 49815-49816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25110]



[[Page 49813]]

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Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 7121--National Hispanic Heritage Month, 1998



Proclamation 7122--National Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities Week, 1998
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 180 / Thursday, September 17, 1998 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 49815]]

                Proclamation 7121 of September 15, 1998

                
National Hispanic Heritage Month, 1998

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The presence of Hispanics on this continent predates 
                the founding of our Nation, and, as among the first to 
                settle in the New World, Hispanics and their 
                descendants have had a profound and lasting influence 
                on American history, values, and culture. Since the 
                arrival of the earliest Spanish settlers more than 400 
                years ago, millions of Hispanic men and women have come 
                to the United States from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and 
                other Caribbean regions, Central America, South 
                America, and Spain, in search of peace, freedom, and a 
                more prosperous future. They brought with them a deep 
                commitment to family and community, a strong work 
                ethic, and an unwavering belief in the American Dream.

                In a Nation that derives so much of its strength from 
                many cultures and races, Hispanic Americans are a 
                thriving force in our society and a vital part of our 
                economy. For example, businesses started and operated 
                by Hispanic women constitute one of the fastest-growing 
                categories of small business in the United States 
                today. This entrepreneurial spirit has contributed to 
                the strongest U.S. economy in a generation.

                As we approach the 21st century and face the challenges 
                of a global economy, we recognize that the success of 
                our Nation is closely tied to the success of our 
                citizens of Hispanic heritage, who are a large and 
                increasing segment of our population. My Administration 
                is committed to ensuring that Hispanic Americans have 
                the opportunities they need to realize their dreams of 
                a better life.

                The key to those dreams is education. We must continue 
                to reach out to Hispanic youth, encouraging them to 
                stay in school, graduate from high school, and go on to 
                college so that they can compete successfully for good 
                jobs and take advantage of promising career 
                opportunities. As part of these efforts, my 
                Administration is committed to ensuring that our $600 
                million Hispanic Education Action Plan is fully funded. 
                This initiative will provide the investments needed to 
                help Hispanic students master basic skills and become 
                proficient in English. It will also assist schools in 
                implementing reforms to reduce dropout rates, enable 
                adults to receive basic skills training and participate 
                in English-as-a-second-language programs, and offer 
                assistance to colleges and universities that serve 
                large numbers of Hispanic students.

                This month, as we remember with special gratitude the 
                gifts that Hispanic Americans bring to every aspect of 
                our national life, let us reaffirm our efforts to 
                ensure that all Hispanic American families have the 
                tools and opportunities they need to make the most of 
                their lives. Working together, we can meet the 
                challenges of the 21st century in a way that will 
                celebrate our differences and unite us around our 
                common values.

                To honor Hispanic Americans for their many 
                contributions to our Nation and our culture, the 
                Congress, by Public Law 100-402, has authorized and 
                requested the President to issue annually a 
                proclamation designating September 15 through October 
                15 as ``National Hispanic Heritage Month.''

[[Page 49816]]

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 
                15 through October 15, 1998, as National Hispanic 
                Heritage Month. I call upon all government officials, 
                educators, and the people of the United States to honor 
                this observance with appropriate programs, ceremonies, 
                and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord 
                nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and of the 
                Independence of the United States of America the two 
                hundred and twenty-third.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 98-25110
Filed 9-16-98; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P