As year-rounders (or “townies”) in the University City, most of us look upon Cinco de Mayo as a Latino- or Mexican-themed bacchanalia that leaves downtown uninhabitable for those under 18 and over 35, if we acknowledge it at all. Since Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow, we thought it would be interesting to explore what this holiday means beyond partying and a trip to your favorite Mexican-food joint.
May 5, or Cinco de Mayo, is not, in fact, Mexico’s Independence Day — that’s Sept. 16 — though it does celebrate Mexican national pride. Rather, it commemorates a Mexican military victory over the French in the late 1800s.
In 1861, the president of an already independent Mexico decided to halt government repayments to England, France and Spain because the country was drowning in debt. All three European nations sent troops to Mexico to collect what was owed; England and Spain withdrew their troops after receiving promise of future repayment. France, however, under the leadership of Napolean III, pursued military action in hopes of establishing a foothold for a new empire.
Roughly a year into Mexico’s fight against French invaders, on May 5, 1862, Mexico’s President Juarez wrangled together 2,000 men under Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza to fight against France’s 6,000 soldiers at Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. In a military miracle, Zaragoza and his men defeated the French, holding the town and suffering fewer causalities. That victory became the shining moment of hope that carried Mexico through a war that would last another five years.
That historic day was and still is celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla and a few other places, but Cinco de Mayo isn’t as widely celebrated in Mexico as it is in America. Mexican immigrants brought the tradition of Cinco de Mayo with them as a way to remember and honor their heritage. Then, in the 1960s, Mexican-American activists promoted the holiday as a way to emphasize and embrace their multicultural roots. Even though May 5 wasn’t the day of Mexico’s independence, it still represented an important historic moment and came to embody a deep national pride.
According to Axios, the modern American version of Cinco de Mayo took off in the 1980s when food and beverage (particularly those that produced alcohol) co-opted the day to encourage people to consume Mexican or Latin American meals, snacks and drinks. So for most Americans, that is the holiday we know: a feast of Tex-Mex cuisine, strong drinks and gathering with friends (and strangers).
Now, when we patronize our favorite Mexican restaurants tomorrow to enjoy some tacos and margaritas, we know what to toast to.
