Today. Another excuse for a celebration.
Today and throughout the end of this week, many will make plans to dance to mariachi music, eat chips and salsa and sip on Margaritas at Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) events throughout the Triangle. But why? Do we know the significance behind the festivities? The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, but is especially celebrated in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually September 16, 1810 (nearly 50 years difference). North Carolina’s Hispanic population totaled 600,913, or 7 percent of the state’s total population, in 2004. Only a fraction of those are of Mexican descent and an even smaller fraction of those from the city of Puebla in Mexico. That’s why it’s important to know that when you say “Happy Cinco de Mayo” to your Latino friend, it may be like hearing “Merry Christmas” in April. All in all, the celebration of diversity enriches our lives, which is why it’s important to understand why your raising your margarita glasses this week.
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