History of Day of the Dead in Timeline

Day of the Dead is a multi-day holiday celebrated primarily on November 1st and 2nd, rooted in Mexico and observed by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. It involves families and friends gathering to honor and remember deceased loved ones, often sharing humorous stories and anecdotes. While its origins are debated—some trace it to Indigenous Mexican or Aztec influences, others to the Christian Allhallowtide season—it has evolved into a festive commemoration of the departed and Mexican cultural heritage.

1943: Arrival of the Christmas tree

In 1943, with the arrival of the American soldiers in Sicily, the Christmas tree arrived and slowly, year after year, the dead lost their way to the houses where they were waiting for them.

1946: Rivera's Catrina

In 1946, Diego Rivera elaborated Posada's skeletal figure into a full-scale figure with indigenous features in a fresco.

1950: Publication of "The Labyrinth of Solitude"

In 1950, Octavio Paz strongly supported the syncretic view of the Día de Muertos tradition being a continuity of ancient Aztec festivals celebrating death in the chapter "All Saints, Day of the Dead" of his book-length essay The Labyrinth of Solitude.

The Labyrinth of Solitude

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1990: All Souls Procession starts

Since 1990, the All Souls Procession has been an annual event in Tucson, Arizona, combining Day of the Dead celebrations with pagan harvest festivals.

2002: Noche de Altares started

In 2002, Santa Ana, California, started holding the annual Noche de Altares, said to be the "largest event in Southern California" honoring Día de Muertos.

2008: UNESCO inscription

In 2008, the Day of the Dead tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

2011: Jamaica Plain celebration discontinued

In 2011, the Day of the Dead festivities in Jamaica Plain, Boston, were discontinued.

November 1, 2015: Celebration at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center

On November 1, 2015, the Day of the Dead was celebrated at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center for the first time.

2015: Spectre film release

In 2015, the James Bond film Spectre featured a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City, which led to the organization of an actual parade one year later.

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October 29, 2016: First Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City

On October 29, 2016, due to the interest in the film Spectre and the government desire to promote the Mexican culture, the federal and local authorities organized the first Día de Muertos parade through Paseo de la Reforma and Centro Historico, which was attended by 250,000 people.