Every September 30, Mexicans celebrate the birthday of José María Morelos, a national hero and one of the founding fathers of the Mexican nation. This civic holiday is observed nationwide, although employees do not receive a paid day off. Morelos was born in Valladolid (now Morelia) in 1765 and was related to another revolutionary leader, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. After Hidalgo initiated the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, he invited Morelos to join the independence movement, where Morelos proved to be a skilled strategist. Following Hidalgo's execution in 1811, Morelos took over the leadership of the struggle for independence and organized the Congress of Chilpancingo in 1813, which declared Mexico's independence from Spain. Despite his contributions, Morelos was captured and executed in December 1815, never witnessing the culmination of the independence movement.