Hispanic American Civil Rights

Chicano Movement

El Movimiento

Intro: Terminology

Review these different

groups and make sure you

understand the

classifications!

IB Terminology• IB uses the term Hispanic because it covers the

largest group – people who’s heritage is linked to Spain (essentially anyone from a Spanish-speaking country)

• Please understand and be mindful that people’s own personal preferences may differ. – Ex: A person with Mexican heritage may prefer

Chicano instead of Hispanic

Intro & Background A big difference in this movement is that it was Labor based!

• Brainstorm these terms specific to labor and working conditions.

• What does it mean to…..

• Unionize?

• Organize?

• Strike?

• Join a “grassroots” movement?

• Collective bargain?

• Watch this clip to learn about these terms and how they work together to ensure rights for laborers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZwQn4G18_M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZwQn4G18_M

Origins of Movement: Lack of rights/representation for Latino Farmers

• A huge portion of Latino immigrants/citizens held positions in the agricultural sector.

• The U.S. labor movement focused on industrial, urban workers – ignored farmers!

• Because they were widely available, whenever a farmer would demand rights, the land owner would simply fire and replace them.

• There was no representation for these Latino farmers! Their rights were not protected.

During the Civil Rights period, the increase in Hispanic

Farmers led to the

demand for more rights!

Origins of Movement: Racial DiscriminationThe labor situation was also characterized by anti-Hispanic & racist attitudes of the 1940’s & 1950’s (Remember the Zoot Suit Riots???)

In the southwest, Hispanics faced discrimination and were often deported in

mass numbers. This region became the center of the struggle for Civil Rights.

Origins of Movement: Racial Discrimination

The largest example were the Bisbee Deportations! Over 1,300 Latino miners

went on strike in Bisbee, AZ to bring attention to the

dangerous mining conditions.

They were arrested, put on cattle cars and illegally deported (held with no

food/water for 16 hours!)

Origins of Movement: Racial DiscriminationThroughout the Southwest, groups (like the Texas Rangers) intimidated, terrorized and lynched Latinos.

(They justified it by saying they were protecting the border

during the Mexican Revolution – remember Pancho Villa?)

During the Porvenier Massacre of 1918, the Texas Rangers summarily executed 15 Mexicans.

Origins of Movement: Racial Discrimination

During the Great Depression, the U.S.

government sponsored a Mexican Repatriation program where they deported between

500,000-2M people to Mexico. 60% of these

people were U.S. citizens! Review racial discrimination and Zoot Suit Riots:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtThBTf0sI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtThBTf0sI

Origins of Movement: Gov. Policies• 1933: FDR passes collective bargaining laws, but excludes

farmers

• 1943: Bracero Program increases Mexican immigration to U.S. to work in agriculture during WWII.

• 1948: Hispanic WWII veterans organized the American G.I. Forum combat discrimination and improve social status

• 1953: Operation Wetback - U.S. Immigration Service arrests and deports 3.8 million Hispanics

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYdb_5R49XM

• 1960’s: Relations with Cuba impact U.S. view of all Hispanics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYdb_5R49XM

United Farm Worker’s (UFW)• Largest farm workers union in the nation

• Founded in 1965 in CA by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

• Trained in grassroots, door-to-door, house meeting, nonviolent tactics

• Organized strikes throughout the mid-1960’s (agricultural strikes in rose, grape, melon, lettuce & pesticide industries)

• Demanded better working conditions, improved sanitation, increased wages, end to discrimination & right to collectively bargain.

Cesar Chavez• Aimed to empower working class by

encouraging them to become politically active

• His public-relations approach and nonviolent tactics made the farm workers' struggle a moral cause with nationwide support.

• By the late 1970s, his tactics forced land owners to recognize the UFW as the bargaining agent for 50,000 field workers.

• His birthday, March 31, is a federal commemorative holiday (Cesar Chavez Day).

Cesar Chavez

• To learn more about Chavez’s background, inspiration and impact on the movement, watch this clip

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wznw9TA2jXk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wznw9TA2jXk

Dolores Huerta• As an elementary teacher, Huerta saw that

students (many were children of farm workers) lived in poverty without food or other basic necessities.

• Worked to improve social and economic conditions for farm workers, children and to fight job discrimination

• Experienced with unions and organizing

• Lobbied politicians on many issues (allowing migrant workers to receive public assistance and creating Spanish-language voting ballots and driver's tests)

• She helped pass several reforms including the CA Labor Relations Act.

In 1972, during Cesar Chavez's 25-day fast

in Phoenix, Arizona, Dolores Huerta, came up

with the slogan “Si Se Puede!” Roughly

translated to “yes we can” – this became the

motto of the movement.

Dolores Huerta

• Watch this video and describe Huerta’s impact on the movement

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxX89_ZpP2w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxX89_ZpP2w

Huerta became the first Latina inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in

2012! She remains active in politics today and was even honored by the state of California with the

establishment of “Dolores Huerta Day” on April 10th!

UFW: Chavez & HuertaThe two activists made a great team! Chavez was the face of the movement – a dynamic speaker and leader; Huerta worked behind the political scenes as a skilled organizer and tough negotiator.

Delano Grape Strike (CA)• Record grape harvest in 1965 farm workers demanded union

representation in order to negotiate a pay raise. • Grape growers refused, and instead, arrested workers• Workers sought help from Chávez and UFW

– Multi-ethnic movement; also included Filipino Farmers!

• 2,000 workers went on strike from September 1965-July 1970• Through grassroots efforts— consumer boycotts, marches,

community organizing and nonviolent resistance—the movement gained national attention

• In the end, the UFW succeeded in reaching a collective bargaining agreement with the grape growers (positively impacted more than 10,000 farm workers!)

Watch this video about the causes and tactics of the strike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXgorh4taF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXgorh4taF4

Salad Bowl Strike• Lettuce farmers

went on strike in 1970

• Directly led to passing of CA Agricultural Labor Relations Act.

East L.A. Walkouts; 1968• Series of student-led protests against Los Angeles high

schools• Citywide walkouts and protests brought attention to unequal

treatment by the school district; for example: • Students were punished for speaking Spanish • Overcrowded classrooms • High drop out rate • Hispanic students were actively discouraged from going to college• Lack of quality education and opportunities

• Walkout participants were subjected to police brutality• They created a list of demands; which included academic,

administrative, and facility improvements.

East L.A. Walkouts• Students organized with help from

a teacher & activist, Sal Castro.

• Following the large number of students involved with the protest, the attention of the school board was gained, and they agreed to negotiate with students and meet their demands.

Read the demands here: http://latinopia.com/latino-history/ela-high-school-walk-out-demands/

http://latinopia.com/latino-history/ela-high-school-walk-out-demands/

Art of the Movement

This Chavez mural is in South Tucson!

Achievements in Movement• 1974: Lau v. Nichols ruled educational programs cannot be denied

to students because of their inability to speak or understand English.

• 1974: Equal Educational Opportunity Act made bilingual education available in public schools• Important in equalizing education and decreasing drop-out rates

• 1975: Congress expands the Voting Rights Act to require language assistance at polling stations

• 1975: CA Agricultural Labor Relations Act legalized collective bargaining to settle agricultural labor disputes (largely in part to Grape Strike and Huerta’s lobbying efforts)• This allowed unions to bargain for better working conditions (a huge goal of

the movement!) regulations on working age, pay, hours, contracts

Review

• Overview of the Movement & it’s achievements:

– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG8Cwl7bhpk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG8Cwl7bhpk

U.S.-Mexican Trade Relations

• Watch this video about current U.S.-Mexican trade relations and answer the question on the wkst

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMsaxS8pyjw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMsaxS8pyjw

PBS documentary (55 mins)

• If you want to learn more about the movement (or are bored during quarantine), check out this documentary!

• https://www.pbs.org/video/latino-americans-episode-5-prejudice-and-pride/

https://www.pbs.org/video/latino-americans-episode-5-prejudice-and-pride/