In May 1862, the invincible French troops of Napoléon Bonaparte III marched from the Port of Veracruz to invade Mexico City.  Along the way they encountered the meagerly armed Mexican army of President Benito Juárez and were unexpectedly trounced and defeated. Today the Battle of Puebla is commemorated on May 5th in Mexican American communities across the U.S. Cinco de Mayo has become a rite of spring as much as tortillas and salsa have become a common part of American cookouts.

Cesáreo Moreno, Chief Curator of the National Museum of Mexican Art, leads a conversation about the history of Cinco de Mayo. He will discuss its connections to immigration and Mexican American culture and why the holiday is a reason for all, regardless of ethnicity, to come together and enjoy a few cervezas to celebrate history, heritage and community.

This fiesta happens via Zoom. Vámonos!

Image Above:
Alejandro Romero (b. 1948)
La Batalla de Puebla (The Battle of Puebla)
1987, acrylic on canvas, 50” x 98”
National Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection 1992.52
Gift of the Anheuser-Busch Company