Frequently Asked Questions About Cinco de Mayo
Q: What is Cinco de Mayo about?
A: It’s a small holiday in Mexico, commemorating the Batalla de Puebla (5/5/1862). In this battle, 4,000 Mexican soldiers faced 8,000 French soldiers, and won the battle. 462 French soldiers were killed, compared to 83 Mexican soldiers killed.
Q: Okay, why did we start celebrating this holiday in the United States?
A: In the 1950s, Mexican-American activists started promoting the holiday. At this time, there was strong (comparable to now, possibly worse if you can imagine) anti-Mexican and anti-Latino sentiment in the country. This was the environment that led the Eisenhower administration to deport several million Mexican people from the United States in 1954. The idea the activists had with Cinco de Mayo was to help other Americans recognize they were people too, and to help their kids find pride in an environment where that was not forthcoming.
Q: Oh, so, why do so many people get drunk and wear sombreros and stuff today?
A: I think it’s because a lot of ordinary Americans love to find reasons to get drunk, appropriate culture, and make it about them. It’s why you see so many jerks put on a Sombrero and “dress like a Mexican” and stuff today.