Cinco de Mayo 2024: The civil rights movement that made Cinco de Mayo popular in the US
Cinco de Mayo isn’t a really popular holiday in Mexico, believe it or not.
But since the 1960s, it’s become widely celebrated in the United States due to a civil rights movement called the Chicano Movement.
Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, celebrates Mexico’s victory in the Battle of Puebla (no, not their independence day, that’s on September 16), but it became popular in the United States because Mexican-Americans wanted better treatment in the United States.
Grab your notebook and your thinking brain, and enjoy this history lesson.
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What does the Chicano Movement have to do with Cinco de Mayo?
The celebration of Cinco de Mayo began as a form of resistance to the effects of the Mexican-American War in the late 19th century and the Chicano Movement.
Cinco de Mayo gained popularity and became a symbol of empowerment during the Chicano Movement. It was widely celebrated in America by Mexican and Hispanic Americans during this movement and was linked to the Battle of Puebla.
What is the Chicano Movement?
El Movimiento, or the Chicano Movement, sought civil rights of all Mexicans living in the United States, according to the National Archives. This movement lasted from the 1940s to the 1970s.
The movement was on the rise during the 1960s, as it was a time of widespread social, economic, cultural, and political change in America. The Chicano Movement entwined with the Black Power movement, which focused on racial pride and creating institutions for black people in America.
The Chicano Movement not only advocated for the rights of Mexicans but all Hispanic groups.
How did the Chicano Movement begin and what happened?
After World War II, this Hispanic community, particularly on the West Coast, faced severe discrimination. Farmworkers and children were the primary focus, as Hispanic laborers faced daily unfairness and Hispanic children faced many of the similar prejudices as Black children with segregated schools. The movement was led by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and several unionized farmworkers.
In 1947, Mendez v. Westminster ended segregation between White and Mexican schools in California and was notably cited in Brown v. Board of Education, according to the United States Courts. Then, in 1954, in a case titled Hernandez v. Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Mexican Americans and all other nationality groups were guaranteed equal protection according to the 14th Amendment.
Later, in the 1960s, civic leaders collectivized farm laborers and helped them register to vote. In 1965, Chavez and Huerta organized the Delano grape strike, which demanded higher wages. It was the longest strike in U.S. history, lasting from September 1965 to July 1970.
The phrase "Sí se puede" (which roughly translates to "yes, it can be done") was a famous chant heard at these strikes, and became a motto of the United Farm Workers of America, according to their website.
What happened during the protests and strikes of the Chicano Movement?
Political involvement empowered the Hispanic community. College students organized, forming groups to combat institutional racism and discrimination at campuses. Student organizations focused on voter registration, educational equality, and labor rights. In 1968, thousands of students organized a walkout against education inequality in East Los Angeles, protesting discrepancies in the district, according to the California State University website.
As the war in Vietnam intensified, broad anti-war sentiment grew in Hispanic communities as Latino draftees were sent overseas. Many protested drafts, like activist Rosalio Muñoz, who publicly avoided the draft.
Similar to many civil rights movements in the 1960s, strikers also experienced heavy state surveillance and police brutality. Munoz led a demonstration with over 30,000 protestors against the Vietnam War. Police tried to break up the protest and various weapons were used, leaving four people dead and dozens more injured. During these protests, LA Times journalist and civil rights activist Ruben Salazar was killed when a tear gas canister hit him.
The Chicano Movement and its leaders allowed the Hispanic community to have room in conversations in modern-day America and have empowered them to exercise their rights. Cinco de Mayo was borne of resistance in the 19th century. The Chicano Movement tapped into that spirit as it resisted the status quo and fought for equality of Mexicans and Hispanics in the United States.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The US civil rights movement that made Cinco de Mayo a popular holiday
