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WASHINGTON,  -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5: CINCO DE MAYO

Profile America -- Wednesday, May 5th.  In Spanish, today's date is "Cinco de Mayo," and celebrations will be held in many cities across the U.S., as well as Mexico.  The origin of the day's observance is the battle of Puebla in 1862, when outnumbered Mexican troops defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III.  Over the years, the celebration  has evolved from one of military victory to a colorful and vibrant event, celebrating Mexican culture.  There are nearly 31 million people of Mexican descent in the U.S., some 10 percent of the total population.  Just over 19 million of these live in either California or Texas.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.  

Sources:  

Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 255

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB10-FF.08

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau