Credit: Lorin Granger/HLS Staff Photographer
Tacos. They seem to be everywhere and loved by almost everyone, right?
What about National Taco Day? Is it a tacky, fabricated food holiday targeted solely in the United States or something the Hispanic community can actually relate to? Is it a holiday introduced by Mexicans only to be appropriated by outsiders?
Does it mean anything anymore?
The taco is a staple of Mexican cuisine. This unique and tasty dish – made of corn or maize – can be traced back to the Aztecs and Mayas. In Mexico, the Día del Taco is celebrated annually on March 31.
It is interesting to note that in the United States, National Taco Day is celebrated on October 4, the same day as National Vodka Day and three days after National Pumpkin Spice Day – all fabricated holidays by chains and public relations people. Just like Hallmark cards.
Representing Mexicanidad through Taco Day
Initially, the idea of Taco Day was to represent mexicanidad; it started as a way to show how Mexican food was introduced to the often not-so-sophisticated American palette.
The story begins in San Antonio, Texas, a city many would say is the birthplace of la Comida Mexicana in the US. San Antonio also gave the world National Taco Week and National Taco Month.
Roberto L. Gómez, a former city council candidate, and society pages columnist concocted these three days of taco celebration. Gómez was also head of the San Antonio Social Civic Organization (SASCO). This organization took part in the “Viva Kennedy!” campaign and secured the Latino vote for JFK in the Southwest during the 1960 election.
SASCO had a clever way of interacting with politicians. In 1961, the organization gifted Kennedy a 48-pound tamale for his birthday (they say the staff in the kitchen ate it,) a donkey piñata filled with Mexican candy the following year, and a colossal praline the year after.
But, the piece de resistance came in 1964, when SASCO sent a 55-pound taco to Lyndon B. Johnson, a Texan. (I bet you also didn’t know President Richard Nixon was a taco enthusiast.)
After this, The National Taco Council was born to promote Mexican restaurants in San Antonio and pride in all Mexicans. “A culture that produces such a unique culinary masterpiece as the taco, symbol of Mexican foods,” the Council stated in promotional material, “deserves greater recognition.”
Read more: Did You Know Corn Sells More Than Hamburgers and Hot Dogs in the U.S.?
The declaration of Nation Taco Day
In the 1960s, May 3 was earmarked by the Council to celebrate tacos and to kick off a week-long promotion of Mexico and Mexican cuisine before Cinco de Mayo, which is marked two days later.
In 2009, California’s Del Taco chain unilaterally proclaimed National Taco Day on October 4. Why? Because it just declared it so.
Every year, more restaurants started getting into the celebration, and the holiday stopped being about mexicanidad and became more of a promotional day.
As a result, the history of why we celebrate taco day was lost to campaigns and commercial endeavors. Sad because tacos began looking more like what you buy at Taco Bell and not what you find in Abuela’s kitchen or those from an authentic taquería stand.
Should it now be called National Appropriations Day?
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