Footprints of Fayette

Joseph Lebeda Sr. – Photo Courtesy of Ed and Margie Janecka
Joseph Lebeda Sr. – Photo Courtesy of Ed and Margie Janecka

A Historical Column From The Fayette County Historical Commission

Many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. It is not. It is a celebration held on May 5 in commemoration of the Mexican victory over the French at Pueblo in 1862. By way of explanation, in 1861, the French invaded Mexico and defeated the Mexican army. Napoleon III, the emperor of France, placed Maximillian I (who w…