Mexican Independence Day Poem

Independence Day in Mexico is celebrated on September 16 and commemorates the Grito de Dolores, the beginning date of the Mexican independence movement. After winning independence in 1821, Mexican citizens began organizing extravagant events honoring Independence Day. This poem was written and performed for an Independence Day celebration in 1825.

Juan Maria Wenceslao Barquera, a journalist, poet, politician, and jurist from Queretaro, was in charge of organizing the annual Independence Day ceremonies in Mexico City in 1825. He led fundraising efforts, coordinated the event planning, and encouraged citizen participation in the event. As part of the festivities, Mrs. Josefa Lelchipria performed this poem, the chorus of which repeats:

Free now from the harsh chains
With which the cruel Spanish tied us
Let's sing today the glorious cry
That in Dolores, Hidalgo gave us.

The poem celebrates Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who was the parish priest of Dolores, a small town in central Mexico. Father Hidalgo began the rebellion on the morning of September 16, 1810, ringing the bells of his church to summon his parishioners. In an impassioned speech, he urged the people to revolt against Spain’s colonial rule. His words, known as the Grito de Dolores or Cry of Dolores, sparked a decade of war as Mexico fought for its independence.