It was the year 1810. Spain had ruled Mexico for
nearly 300 years and half of the Mexican population remained in
slavery.
Father Miguel Hidalgo was a Catholic priest, a mestizo, in the
Indian village of Dolores, Guanajuato, and had often expressed his
belief that all men should be free.
In September of 1810 he issued his Grito de Dolores, calling
for the independence of his village. His cry, "El grito!," was for
liberty, equality, and land for the oppressed meltizos and Indians.
Carrying the flag of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the people shouted,
"Death to the Spanish!" A rebellion began and spread like
a slow fire
over the land and soon other towns and villages were caught up in
the rebellion.
Father Hidalgo was condemned by his own church. He fled, but ten
months later he was captured and executed. His followers, Father
Jose Marķa Morelos and Vincente Guerrero, both mestizos with Negro
blood, fought on as guerillas. Vincente Guerrero lived to see Mexico
achieve its independence in 1822.
The eighth graders of St. Pius X School performed a skit of this
story for the entire school on the 14th of September.
Father Hidalgo is rightfully called the father of Mexican
Independence
