Mexican History

As an archeologist and historian who has spent much of his adult life working in Latin America, I took particular interest in The Times’ coverage of topics relating to Cinco de Mayo (“Cinco de Mayo: Remembering Mexico’s Victory Over the French,” by Stephanie Stassel and Rebecca Perry, May 5, and “A Day of Pride,” by Jose Cardenas, May 6). While I found both pieces well-written and generally accurate, I was struck by the fact that in the second article, the only two historical dates mentioned were both incorrect.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Mexico and in the United States commemorate the battle of Puebla, fought in 1862, not some five years later in 1867, as stated in the May 6 article. Similarly, the Grito de Dolores, celebrated on Sept. 16 by Mexico in roughly equivalent fashion to our Fourth of July, took place in 1810; the grito (or “cry”) did, that is, not actual independence. Sept. 16 commemorates the initiation of Mexico’s long struggle for independence from Spain, which consumed 11 years, thousands of lives and was not finally won until 1821. Sept. 16, consequently, was not the “day in 1810 when the country gained its independence from Spanish rule,” as stated in the May 6 article. The correct dates can be found in any history book and, in fact, also in The Times’ May 5 article.

BRIAN D. DILLON

North Hills