Sept. 16 an important day for Mexican Americans

Mexican Americans are by far the fastest growing segment of our population. This has stimulated an interest in Mexican history and culture.
Sunday, Sept. 16, is a very important day for Mexican Americans. It is the official Mexican Independence Day in Mexico. The beginning of the war of independence against Spain started in 1810 through the efforts of Miguel Hidalgo, a priest. But the war continued 11 more years under many different leaders. In July 1821, an agreement of independence was signed with Spain because of the strong desire of the people for freedom and the inability of Spain to control the colonies.
In this area, there is a special interest in the many fiestas. People of Mexican descent will celebrate Sept. 16 as an important patriotic fiesta day. The celebration starts at 11 p.m. Sept. 15 with a reenactment of Father Hidalgo's call to battle. In Mexico, church bells are rung and people celebrate much as we do in New York City on New Year's Eve. Beautiful fireworks follow the ceremony.
On Sept. 16 there are many activities which include parades, folk dances, singing performances and games and contests. As with all fiestas there are firecrackers, bells and lots of good Mexican food.
Many of these activities now take place in Mexican-American communities especially in large cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Here today, our stores carry many ethnic foods. Also many new Mexican restaurants have opened to help make our festivals a huge success.