Cinco de Mayo

May 5, 2009

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Profile America — Tuesday, May 5th. Today’s date in Spanish is “Cinco de Mayo,” and celebrations will be held in many cities across the country. The origin of the day’s observance is the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican troops — outnumbered 3-to-1 — defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III. The celebration has evolved to a colorful and vibrant cultural event, both in Mexico and in the U.S. One of the biggest festivals is being held on the waterfront in Portland, Oregon. Over four days, 300,000 people will gather for entertainment, dancing and ethnic food. There are more than 29 million people of Mexican descent in the U.S., some 10 percent of the total population. Nearly 11 million of these live in California. Profile America is beginning its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 254
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB09-FF.08
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013395.html