The Story Behind the Great Cinco de Mayo Party – The Cinco de Mayo holiday, which commemorates the improbable victory of poorly armed Mexican troops against the mighty army of the French Empire, was celebrated in California before Mexico or anywhere else in the world. The first Cinco de Mayo celebrations by Mexicans and Latinos in the United States were held in 1862, just after the news of the surprise victory in the Battle of Puebla broke out. In his book, “El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition,” the eminent historian David Hayes-Bautista tells us why this day is a bigger occasion in the United States than in Mexico.
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