Mexican War of Independence
Although Mexico gained its independence in September 1821, the marking of this historical event did not take hold immediately. The choice of date to celebrate was problematic, because Iturbide, who achieved independence from Spain, was rapidly created Emperor of Mexico. His short-lived reign from 1821–22 ended when he was forced by the military to abdicate. This was a rocky start for the new nation, which made celebrating independence on the anniversary of Iturbide's Army of the Three Guarantees marching into Mexico City in triumph a less than perfect day for those who had opposed him. Celebrations of independence during his reign were marked on September 27. Following his ouster, there were calls to commemorate Mexican independence along the lines that the United States celebrated in grand style its Independence Day on July 4. The creation of a committee of powerful men to mark independence celebrations, the "Junta Patriótica", organized celebrations of both September 16, to commemorate Hidalgo's grito and the start of the independence insurgency, and September 27, to celebrate actual political independence.
Afro-Mexicans in the Mexican War of Independence
The war of independence was precipitated by events in Europe, specifically a failed coup against the viceroy Joseph Bonaparte. This encouraged small groups of rebels to take up arms against colonial rule. In September 1810, peasants and indigenous inhabitants of Dolores (Guanajuato) were called to action by the secular Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, former rector of the Colegio de San Nicolás Obispo. People of color were able to see that their independence was worth putting up a fight for it. However, Hidalgo was defeated. José Maria Morelos y Pavón, an Afro-Mexican himself, was dedicated to the cause and diligently recruited and trained an army consisting of free black peasants from various regions within the country. However, in 1815 he was also defeated and put to death.
José Maria Morelos had under his command the brothers Hermenegildo and Pablo Galeana who invited Vicente Guerrero to join the Independence movement, Guerrero became in charge of reinforcing the Pacific South Coast. Miguel Hidalgo, José Maria Morelos and Vicente Guerrero are the most important and recognized figures of the Mexican Independence movement, images of Miguel Hidalgo and Jose Maria Morelos are present in the one hundred and twenty pesos bills.