This blog post is by Samantha N., Library Program Instructor in the Community Engagement Office.
Did you know?
Mexican Independence Day is celebrated in the late hours of September 15 until the early hours of September 16, and not on the fifth of May.
In the early hours of September 16, 1810, the priest Miguel Hidalgo rang the church bell of his parish in Dolores, Guanajuato, Mexico, and made what would be remembered as the Grito de Dolores, or the Cry of Dolores. His exact words are not known, and several versions were recorded, but often his words are remembered as being something along the lines of “Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Long live Fernando VII! Long live América and death to the bad government!” This is considered the spark of the Mexican War for Independence from Spain.
Mexico and some parts of the United States celebrate Mexican Independence every year with a reenactment of El Grito. The president shouts a modified Grito from the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City’s Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo). In 2023, even though it was raining, thousands of people were already in the Zócalo by 6:52 a.m. on September 15. The Grito was not until 11 p.m.!
These were the words President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (also known as AMLO) spoke:
Mexicanas, mexicanos:
¡Viva la Independencia!
Long live Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla!
Long live Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez!
Long live Ignacio Allende!
Long live Leona Vicario!
Long live José María Morelos y Pavón!
Long live Vicente Guerrero!
Long live the anonymous heroes!
Long live our freedom!
Long live equality!
Long live justice!
Long live democracy!
Long live our sovereignty!
Long live universal fraternity!
Mexicanas, mexicanos:
Death to corruption!
Death to greed!
Death to racism!
Death to discrimination!
Long live love!
Long live our migrant brothers!
Long live our indigenous communities!
Long live the cultural richness of Mexico!
¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México!
After that, the people gathered, sang “Cielito Lindo,” and watched music, dance, and fireworks.
Mes de la Cultura!
September 15 is also the start of Mes de la Cultura, or Hispanic Heritage month, a celebration of the culture and diaspora from all Latin American countries. However, you can celebrate la cultura every day of the year with Pima County Public Library! Want some suggestions? Here are a few:
- Check out a book from our catalog. There are many lists of general recommendations for all ages and tastes from the Nuestras Raíces team.
- Watch a movie on DVD, or stream on Hoopla or Kanopy (there are lists for that, too). In fact, Kanopy has an entire Hispanic Heritage Month collection to stream!
- Soar across Latin America with this list or explore Latin American countries in the Countries & Geography section of the E-Library.
- Check out a Culture Pass and visit some of the exhibits at the Tucson Museum of Art, like POPOL VUH AND THE MAYA ART OF STORYTELLING which closes on September 22, 2024, or the museum’s collection of Latin American Art.
- Cook something delicious. Celebrate Mes de la Cultura con sabor! with the recipes from one of the many cookbooks in our catalog or look for a recipe on Culture Grams. (For some of the latest Latinx/Latin American cookbooks in our catalog, check out ¡Provecho!)
- Find your Mexican American Heritage in Southern Arizona/Encuentre su herencia mexicoamericana en el sur de Arizona.
- Explore Latin American countries in the Countries & Geography section of the E-Library.
- Read the biographies of notable Hispanic Americans.
- Listen to music by Latinx and Latin American artists on Freegal through the library. Check out the ¡Viva México! and ¡Viva Latinoamérica! playlists curated by yours truly.
- Learn (or brush up on) Spanish or Portuguese.
- Watch the Global Arts Showcase: Mes de la Cultura 2021 on AZPM or take a virtual tour on Latino Cultures in the US like this one of Chicano Park.
¡Feliz Mes de la Cultura!
Sources:
- "Father Hidalgo Proclaims Grito de Dolores : September 16, 1810." Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History, edited by Jennifer Stock, vol. 3: Central and South America, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: World History. Accessed 9 July 2024.
- "Grito de Dolores." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 24 Sep. 2018. Accessed 9 Jul. 2024.
- "This is how the Grito de Independencia 2023 was lived September 15, 2023 LIVE, follow it here minute by minute." CE Noticias Financieras: English, sec. News, 16 Sept. 2023. NewsBank: Access World News.
- "Grito de Dolores: 5 mitos y verdades del hito que marca el inicio de la independencia de México." BBC News Mundo. Accessed 10 Sep. 2024.
