Cinco de Mayo

What You Didn't Learn In School

We've forgotten the true meaning of Cinco de Mayo.

The Civil War, French imperialism, and the blossoming of diverse Latinx communities in the United States. There's so much more to Cinco de Mayo than you know.

Voices in this Episode

Thanks for listening to News Beat!

Introduction

Manny: Hey everyone. This is Manny Faces, co-producer, audio editor, and host of News Beat. Our initial vision for the show is pretty much what you hear in our full, award-winning episodes—a deep dive into important social justice issues that usually only get the surface treatment by mainstream media, delivered in our unique style—interviews with experts, activists and those affected by injustice, mixed with music, and often, original lyrical contributions from brilliant, independent Hip-Hop artists.

As we often say, it’s like Democracy Now! and Black Thought from The Roots had a podcast baby.

Today’s episode is yet again a new twist on what we do. Longtime listeners will recognize one of our recurring themes: Whether it was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s unfinished business, or the depth of Rosa Parks’ activist spirit, we’ve labeled a few select episodes, 'What You Didn’t Learn in School.'

This will be the first of a new style of episode...

The Players

Chris: So we’ve got Mexico, France, the United States, and California.

  • Mexico - So Mexico at the time was under the leadership of President Benito Juarez, who was elected president in 1861.
  • France - And ruled by Napoleon the Third, France’s military was widely considered one of the mightiest fighting forces in the world.
  • United States - Eighty-five years after declaring independence, the United States was fracturing over slavery. Eleven states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina—seceded from the Union over the preservation of slavery.
  • California - Now the most populous state in the country, California was under Mexican rule from 1821 to 1848 when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. It officially joined the United States as part of the Compromise of 1850, which permitted its entry as a “free state.”

The Background

  • There’s a lot going on in the Americas around this time. In Mexico, newly elected President Benito Juarez is facing significant challenges and decides to suspend debt payments to several European powers, including Spain, England, and France.
  • Speaking of the French, Napoleon III ostensibly invades Mexico in retaliation for Jaurez’s pause in paying off Mexico’s debt—even though France was on the hook for less than 5 percent of the collective debt owed by the Alliance.

Battle at Puebla

Rashed: Meanwhile, at 9 a.m. on May 5, 1862, the French began their assault on Puebla, located less than 100 miles southeast of the capital, Mexico City. The Mexican forces defending Puebla have been described as a “rag-tag” group of soldiers that were dangerously outnumbered...

Chris: It took weeks for news of the outcome of the David versus Goliath battle to reach Mexican Americans in California, and they rejoiced...

Cinco de Mayo Was Born

Manny: And there you have it, folks: Cinco de Mayo was born. But the story doesn’t end there. The celebration of the victory on that day…gave rise to community-based organizations that would go on to fundraise for additional efforts to support their neighbors.

Rashed: The Cinco de Mayo we celebrate today is largely disconnected from its roots...

Ultimately, Cinco de Mayo symbolizes the resilience and importance of understanding the history that lies beneath celebratory actions. Cheers!