Cinco de Mayo 2025: How is the Mexican holiday related to the Chicano movement?
Explore the connection between Cinco de Mayo and the Chicano Movement. Learn how the holiday became a symbol of Mexican American identity and resistance against oppression in the U.S.
Cinco de Mayo, celebrated each year on May 5th, holds deep cultural and historical meaning for many across the United States, especially within Mexican American communities. While the holiday originally marked Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, its significance has evolved.
In particular, the Chicano Movement of the 1950s to 1970s helped reshape Cinco de Mayo into a powerful symbol of Mexican American identity and resistance.
What was the Chicano movement?
The Chicano movement was a socio-political effort in the U.S. whose goal was to empower Mexican Americans and fight for their right to equality. They focused on issues, such as civil rights, political representation, education, and the preservation of Mexican culture.
The Chicano movement fought for the right of Mexican Americans to education, civil rights and political representation. Photo: American Magazine
Mexican Americans have always been sidelined, and they faced many struggles such as discrimination and racism. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo became a way for them to show how much proud they were of their heritage.
Cinco de Mayo’s role in U.S. social movements
The Chicano activists, during the 1960s and 1970s, used Cinco de Mayo as a way to draw attention to the Mexican community and to highlight their importance to the country. The holiday became an annual occasion to celebrate Mexican food, music and culture.
While now, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday with many economic factors involved, it is important to remember to acknowledge the cultural pride beneath it instilled by the Chicano movement.
