Chicano/Latino History: The Brown Berets

The Importance of Knowing the Past

• Those who do not know their past are doomed to repeat it and have no future.
• We are the bearers of the collective memories and struggles of our ancestors.

Hispanic Heritage Month

• Observation during which Chicano/Latino history is highlighted.
• A free Chicano/Latino history lesson will be provided every Wednesday for the next month (as of September 2010).

The Brown Berets

• A Chicano nationalist organization with militant leanings.
• Originated in 1966 as Young Chicanos for Community Action (YCCA), a Church-fostered youth group.
• Evolved into the Brown Berets by the late 1960s due to:
  • Sustained police harassment.
  • Emerging exchange of "radical" ideologies and organizational examples.

The Ten-Point Platform of the Brown Berets (1968)

• A significant statement of self-determination and youth idealism.
• Shaped by a particular moment and place.
• Reflects the needs and interests of their membership and the larger community.

Points of the Platform

1. Unity: Unity of all people, regardless of age, income, or political philosophy.
2. Bilingual Education: The right to bilingual education as guaranteed under the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.
3. Civilian Police Review Board: Demand for a Civilian Police Review Board, made up of people who live in our community, to screen all police officers before they are assigned to our communities.
4. Mexican American History: Demand that the true history of the Mexican American be taught in all schools in the five Southwestern States.
5. Community Residency for Officers: Demand that all officers in Mexican-American communities must live in the community and speak Spanish.
6. End to Urban Renewal Programs: Want an end to “Urban Renewal Programs” that replace our barrios with high-rent homes for middle-class people.
7. Guaranteed Annual Income: Demand a guaranteed annual income of $8,000$ for all Mexican-American families.
8. Voting Rights: Demand that the right to vote be extended to all of our people regardless of the ability to speak the English language.
9. Jury Representation: Demand that all Mexican Americans be tried by juries consisting of only Mexican Americans.
10. Right to Bear Arms: Demand the right to keep and bear arms to defend our communities against racist police, as guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Internal Conflicts

• Like many other nationalist organizations, the Brown Berets’ history was marked by deep conflicts over sexism and debates over the meaning of being “Chicano.”