José María Morelos (1765-1815) was a Mexican parish priest who joined the forces seeking to liberate Mexico from Spanish rule. He became the greatest of the insurgent military commanders, and as a statesman he advocated far-reaching political and social reforms.

The struggle for independence began with the celebrated revolt initiated by Miguel Hidalgo, the parish priest of Dolores, on Sept. 16, 1810, now one of Mexico's great national holidays. Although the effort achieved some initial successes, Hidalgo failed to clarify the aims of the revolt or to provide effective leadership. With his capture, trial, and execution in 1811, the movement was suppressed. By that time, however, another figure had emerged to assume leadership--José María Morelos

Morelos was born in Valladolid (now Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacán) on Sept. 30, 1765. A mestizo (of mixed Spanish and Indian blood), he was thus a...