Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics: A Lincoln Park Cinco de Mayo Flashback to the 1980's

Lincoln Park Lake and Boat House decades ago.

Great Cinco de Mayo to everyone as Mexican-American Communities north of the border celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. Students of history have ponder for decades why this historic moment in Mexican nationhood has been celebrated, sometimes to the point of excess, north of the border while largely ignored within Mexico.

According to the LA Weekly, A just-released book from UCLA professor David Hayes-Bautista, El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition, argues that Cinco's prominence in America isn't the result of just beer-company marketing. It was a deliberate move on the part of Latinos in California: Hayes-Bautista researched the origins of the holiday and found that, at the time the Mexicans were battling France in 1862, Latinos in California were worried about the U.S. Civil War making slavery a coast-to-coast practice that would ensnare all people of color.

Many Latinos throughout the Southwest formed political clubs or "Juntas" and funneled money back south to help finance the armies of Benito Juarez in his fight against the French. A former track coach of this blogger at Lincoln High School, spent his college time attending the University of Mexico and shared publications of the Confederates desires to take over Mexico as a slave enclave. Thus, we celebrate today not only the victory of Benito Juarez over the French, but also, the fight against slavery.

Decades later, one of the premiere Cinco de Mayo events took place each year at Lincoln Park. With funding from the likes of Mission Distributors and help from then CD 14 City Councilman Art Snyder. This event featured the best of Latino Rock and saw thousands of people flock to hear the music. But sadly, this great community event was derail by the potent combination of alcohol and gangs which led to major brawls that brought upon the demise of music and community at Lincoln Park.

As we prep to celebrate the 150th Anniversity of Cinco de Mayo, here are some great videos of the sound of past great Lincoln Park Cinco de Mayo bands that performed at concerts, when all people of diverse colors celebrated as equals.