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Hall of Fame

Emiliano Zapata

(1879 - 1919)

Emiliano Zapata, the most famous and referred hero of the Mexican Revolution. Where Pancho Villa was leading the struggle in the north of Mexico, the south was Zapata's terrain. His most frequently used nickname was El Tigre (the tiger). With all the different groups that claimed to represent the revolution, Maderistas, Caranzistas, Villistas, only the Zapatistas have a name that is still popular today and quite frankly, Zapata deserves it. He was the best revolutionary that Mexico ever had. From an early childhood on he knew what injustice was. He was the son of a horse trainer and was training horses himself. Even though his own family was not poor he did vow to stand up for them and when legal procedures were exhausted and didn't yield any justice he took by force what he believed the people had a right to. Prime villain of the time was  

"¡Tierra y Libertad!"

("Land and Freedom!")

president Profirio Diaz who rigged the elections against Francisco Madero, once he realized his

popularity. Madero was jailed but managed to escape to the US where, in exile, he wrote a letter that initiated the Mexican Revolution. Soon four major revolutionary forces were born, also called The Big Four, the Villistas (led by Pancho Villa), the Maderistas (led by Francisco Madero), the Caranzistas (led by Venustiano Caranza) and the Zapatistas (led by Emiliano Zapata). Zapata's army was quite unique as it was the only army in which women participated. They were called soldaderas but also adelitas.

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Adelitas

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Music on this page "El corrido de la muerte de Emiliano Zapata" by Amparo Ochoa