Highlight: MÉXICO… El Grito de Dolores
The observation for Hispanic Heritage Week started in 1968 under President Lydon Johnson. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded to a 30-day period starting on September 15 through October 15. The Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, traditions, and contributions of the Hispanic Community into the American culture.
Important Dates:
September 15
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Independence Day for five Centroamerica countries: Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
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El Grito de Dolores “The Cry of Dolores” was the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence, uttered on September 16, 1810, by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato, Mexico.
Every 15th of September at around 11 p.m., the President of Mexico stands on the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City and rings the same bell that Hidalgo rang in 1810, which was moved to the National Palace. The President then recites a shout of patriotism based upon the “Grito de Dolores”, with the names of the important heroes of the Mexican War of Independence who were there on that historic day. The Grito ends with the threefold shout of ¡Viva México!
This is the version often recited by the President of Mexico:
Spanish
¡Mexicanos!
¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron patria!
¡Viva Hidalgo!
¡Viva Morelos!
¡Viva Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez!
¡Viva Allende!
¡Viva Aldama y Matamoros!
¡Viva la Independencia Nacional!
¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México!
English
Mexicans!
Long live the heroes who gave us our homeland!
Long live Hidalgo!
Long live Morelos!
Long live Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez!
Long live Allende!
Long live Aldama and Matamoros!
Long live the nation’s independence!
Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico!
September 16
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Mexico’s Independence Day
September 18
