Latino restaurants and bars feature drink specials galore. But beyond a day for boozing, what the heck is Cinco de Mayo anyway? Contrary to what most people think, it’s not Mexican Independence Day, which is observed on Sept. 16.
Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates the 1862 Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla and it is actually more of a U.S. holiday than a Mexican one. According to ABC News, “”The holiday, which has never really been much of one in Mexico, crossed over to this side of the border in the 1950s and 1960s, as civil rights activists were attempting to build harmony between the two countries and cultures,’ wrote Oscar Casares. ‘The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday.’”
Nonetheless, Cinco de Mayo has become a celebrated holiday in the U.S. and may even have more significance due to the contentious national debate about immigration.
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