Chicano Movement Test

Land Grants

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American wars when this land was Mexico, much land was granted to families to farm/ranch, the US promised to protect these families but they did not.

LULAC

League of United Latin American Citizens. Created by Hispanics returning from WWI and dealt with the following issues: economic advancements, education opportunities, housing, access to healthcare, and civil rights.

Dr. Hector P. Garcia

WWI veteran, surgeon to the barrios, and civil rights activist, founded the American GI Form: veterans issues, education, civil rights

Felix Langoria

WWII casualty from 3 Rivers Texas, funeral refused to allow them to wake because he was Mexican, Senator Lyndon Johnson intervened and had him buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Mendez v Westminster

1947, declared that segregating children of “Mexican & Latin” descent was unconstitutional

Hernandez v Texas

1954, declared that Mexican Americans were entitled to equal protection under the law

Cesar Chavez

Born to a family of migrant workers, founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962. He orginized the grape strike/boycott that latest years. The strike made grape growers sign contracts with the union. He also went on more than one hunger strike.

NFWA

National Farm Worker’s Association 

Rodolfo ‘Corky’ Gonzales

Grew up working in the fields, crusading for justice: police brutality, insufficient education, fighting racism & oppression. He also organized high school student walkouts, focused on solidarity & pride

Dolores Huerta

Her entire working life was dedicated to improving life for the workers, get latinos elected to office and championed women’s issues. Started activists working int he Community Service Organization: voter registration, economic improvement. She also co-founded the United Farm Worker’s Union.

Lopez Tijerina

Lead the push to reclaim land confiscated by Anglo settlers in violation of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago, also worked in fields, founded the Federal Land Grant Alliance, created The Alianza.

The Alianza

Sought to organize and let land-grant families know about their rights, raided a courthouse in New Mexico to free some members that had been arrested.

Brown Berets

They dealt with the following issues: police harassment, access to quality education, access to health care, job opportunities, political representation, fight discrimination, and against the Vietnam War.

The Great Walkout

This happened in 1968 and had 6 months of planning, Latinos throughout LA walked out of school, students were beat & teachers were arrested. They demanded that Latinos be hired, access to college readiness programs, and end discrimination in LA schools.

Chicano Moratorium

Billed as a march for peace, protest the Vietnam war, 20,000 marched when police stormed the park where the demonstration was being held a riot broke out. Several police cars and buildings were burned.

Comision Femenil Mexicana Nacional

Created in 1970 to advocate for issues that affect Latinas, lack of leadership opportunities in the mainstream Chicano movement.

Eugenics

The study of how to arrange reproduction within a population to increase the likelihood of desirable characteristics. It often involved controversial practices such as forced sterilization.

Madrigal v Quilligan

California used sterilization as a means to control the immigrant population, women who weren’t fluent in English were sterilized. RESULT: forms in different languages became available, women were informed of their rights, and medical abuse organizations were formed.

Civil RIghts and the Police

 In most civil rights movements, police/government abuse is as involved as general protesting. Police use the following tactics: harassment, legal action- often illegal, violence, spies, and accusations- usually of communism.

How police tactics united Chicano activists

 Increased sense of ethnic identity, made organizations more determined, increased coordination of groups.

Thomas Reddin

“Kill the butterfly with a sledgehammer”, deploy force against demonstrations, actually united and invigorated the movement

Chicanos and Vietnam

In the late 1960’s, the chicano movement worked closely with traditional civil rights groups to plan & protest against vietnam war. The Latino community began to take lead of the protests in the 1970’s. 1968 Chicano Moratorium march to protest the Vietnam war.

Ruben Salazar

A reporter for the LA Times, was killed at the Chicano Moratorium march when police threw a tear gas canister at his head. He was one of the only reporters of the Chicano movement and was the voice of the Latino community.

Lasting legacy of the movement?

 Its legacy is reflected in the art of the Chicano community.

Why is art important to the Chicano/Latino community?

It helped with social change in Latino workers, women, access to education, etc. It also became a way to discuss the history of latinos and is a platform for the messages of the movements,.