El Grito de Dolores

 By Felix Alvarado

El Grito de Dolores, uttered by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on the 16th of September 1810 was the start of the Mexican Revolution.  The revolution ended with the Treaty of Cordoba of August 24, 1821 with Spain granting Mexico its independence.

The question many Mexican-Americans ask is “why do I celebrate Mexican Independence Day in America?”  I am an American.  We all know that America is a nation of immigrants.  Mexicans is one of the many ethnic groups that migrated to America.  Each one of these ethnic groups celebrates their cultural costumes or traditions.  The most important national holiday for Mexico is 16 de septiembre.  We celebrate 16 de septiembre in Texas and America because prior to the Mexican Revolution there were just a handful of people living in Texas of Mexican descent.  South Texas was a Tejano enclave.  Tejanos predated Americanos by a hundred years and Mexicanos by two hundred.

The arrival of thousands of Mexicans changed the demographic and cultural landscape of Texas.  Tejanos were absorbed into the incoming Mexican culture.  Mexicans adopted some of the Tejano culture.  Many of these Mexicans hoped to someday return to their querida patria.  But except for a few, that was not to happen.  We can speculate why the Mexicans stayed.  Some liked America more than Mexico.  Once children were born it became even more difficult to leave.  Employment was also a significant reason to stay.   

We celebrate 16 de septiembre because even if we have been completely absorbed into the White Anglo-Saxon Protest culture, we still carry the blood of our Mexican ancestors that made that treacherous trip from their native Mexico to all parts of Texas.  Viva Mexico!!!!!!!!