A History Lesson in the Metro

I saw this tile plaque at the entrance to the Balderas subway station.  It commemorates Father Hidalgo, the village priest who began Mexico's war for independence from Spain in 1810.

The caption on the plaque says... "Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla began the fight for independence, abolished slavery, returned land to the native peoples.  He died before a royalist firing squad."

In the picture, Hidalgo is holding a banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe with which he marched into battle.  In the background is the church bell which he rang in the early hours of September 16th to arouse his parishioners to revolt against Spanish rule.