Lots of residents in the US know a little bit about Cinco de Mayo. Some even celebrate it each year in one way or another. There are many who do not understand its history, however. If you were to ask an average American about why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated, they will likely guess it is Mexican Independence Day. That is not right. Mexican Independence Day falls on September 16.

During the 1950s, the United States had a program called The Good Neighbor Policy that encouraged Americans to reach out to our neighboring countries. Cinco de Mayo was first introduced to Americans at this time. In the 1960s, Chicano activists made the holiday more visible as a method to inspire cultural pride among Mexican-Americans.

Through the following decades, this celebration kept growing with the “popular culture” movement. The commercialism of Cinco de Mayo finally pushed it into the mainstream, advertising it as a fun new holiday for food and alcoholic beverages. The correct meaning for this holiday, the victory over the French by Mexico in 1862, has gotten a bit watered down.