Chicano Movement Research Paper

Throughout the United States’ history, there have been numerous prominent civil rights groups, in which they have fought for individual rights of minority groups in the United States. Beginning in the 1960’s the Chicano Movement, or El Movimiento, became one of the more interesting civil rights movements, although, it is overshadowed by many of the more prevalent movements. At this time in the formation of the United States “the powers that be rule over a racist society, filled with hatred and ignorance. Our nation continues to be segregated along racial and economic lines,” expressed by Cesar Chavez. The Chicano Movement expanded the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, giving a voice to those who otherwise did not have one. The movement

allowed for organizations and leaders to emerge, and continue to arise, bravely represent a group that has been not only historically appressed, but largely forgotten in history books, until recently.

The Chicano Movement was not only a cultural movement but also a political one which fueled the United States transition into cultural acceptance. Since early American agriculture in the United States, farm workers have attempted

and failed to properly organize agricultural laborers. The desire to achieve adequate wages and working conditions were ignored and the labor unions were demobilized.

Beginning in 1913 when two thousand farm workers apart of the Industrial Workers of the World held a meeting in Northern California resulting in a violent outbreak and two arrests. Moreover, the National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1936 allowing American workers to be apart of unions. On the other hand, agricultural laborers were not protected under this legislation. The Bracero Program began in 1941 to 1964 was an agreement between the Mexican Government and the United States Government in which the United States was short on blue collar occupations during World War II. Thus, workers from Mexico began working in the American agricultural industry, working in fields. The tribulations the Mexican-Americans experienced can be traced back throughout the 20th and 21st century. Primarily, affecting the Mexican-American students who lived in the United States and the Agricultural Workers’ Union. The League of United Latin American citizens was founded in 1929, in hopes of bring an end to ethical prejudice. This organization is one of the eldest surviving Mexican-American Civil Rights organization. Another significant organizational founding in 1962 with the emergence of a

labor union as the United Farm Workers of America, or UFW, which was lead by Cesar Chavez. The organization was assembled from merging with the concepts and ideas of two other workers’ rights organization, the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, AWOC, which was lead by Larry Itliong, and the National Farm Workers Association, NFWA, lead by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Before the founding of the National Farm Workers Association Cesar Chavez was denied permission by the committee members to achieve his primary goal to create a union for farm workers. The rejection of the members lead Cesar Chavez to resign from the organization in order to personally achieve his goal by creating the National Farm Workers Association. Cesar surpassed his original goal by 1965 with twelve hundred members, he also created the United Farmers of America flag, which conveys an Aztec eagle which symbolizes the courage and pride the farmer workers possess. Another pivotal organization that emerged was the Raza Unida Party primarily in Texas and South Carolina. The party was developed by three hundred Mexican Americans in Texas in the town Crystal City by Jose Angel Gutierrez and Mario Compean, in which they overtook the town's mayor ballots, school board and the city council. The Raza Unida Party was formed due the growing inconsistency of the Democratic Party, which Mexican Americans commonly followed. The party launched electoral campaigns in numerous other states but was most successful in Texas. With the emergence of these organizations allowed for influential leaders of the Chicano Movement to arise from the shadows.