Cinco De Mayo

Why is Cinco de Mayo—a holiday commemorating a Mexican victory over the French at Puebla in 1862—so widely celebrated in California and across the United States, when it is scarcely observed in Mexico? As David E. Hayes-Bautista explains, the holiday is not Mexican at all, but rather an American one, created by Latinos in California during the mid-nineteenth century. Hayes-Bautista shows how the meaning of Cinco de Mayo has shifted over time—it embodied immigrant nostalgia in the 1930s, U.S. patriotism during World War II, Chicano Power in the 1960s and 1970s, and commercial intentions in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, it continues to reflect the aspirations of a community that is engaged, empowered, and expanding.

Marco loves the food, parades, and fun of Cinco de Mayo. This year he's one of the dancers. As he listens to the mariachi music, Marco thinks of the brave Mexicans at the first Cinco de Mayo. Find out the different things people do to celebrate this holiday!

Introduces the holiday Cinco de Mayo and describes how it is celebrated in Mexico and in the United States.

Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, honors an important battle fought by the Mexican army in 1862. On this day, people celebrate with Mexican food, music, and dancing. Sing along as you explore Holidays in Rhythm and Rhyme!

"Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for May 5th, on this date Mexican culture is celebrated. On Cinco de Mayo everyone gets to be Mexican for a day!" --from publisher.

Describes the role of the battle that took place in Puebla, Mexico, on May 5, 1862 in Mexican history, and explains how its anniversary is celebrated in Mexico and the United States and the customs and symbols associated with the holiday.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! This annual fiesta began after a historical Mexican military victory, and now it is celebrated in many parts of the United States. Learn about food, music, and more through full-color photographs, diagrams, and other nonfiction text features. Age-appropriate critical thinking questions help readers delve more deeply into the content.

It's Cinco de Mayo! Everyone is celebrating the holiday in their own way. A very simple history of the holiday is interspersed with the story of a young boy celebrating Cinco de Mayo with his family.