Are You Ready? It's Time to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo!

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Cultural pride or just plain fiesta?

Although Mexican immigrants celebrated Cinco de Mayo even back in the 1860s, some researchers attribute the first recognized festival to California college students who adopted the holiday as a way to honor their Mexican heritage during the 1960s, a decade of cultural and political awakening for the sons and daughters of immigrants. Critics today say the holiday has succumbed to commercialism (margaritas and sombreros, anyone?) and various efforts are underway across the country to promote the original meaning of the holiday.