Fifty years ago, tens of thousands of people marched through East Los Angeles in a series of demonstrations as part of the Chicano Moratorium movement to protest the Vietnam War and its toll on Mexican Americans. Hundreds were arrested, and several were killed, including L.A. Times journalist Ruben Salazar.
Those marches are an indelible part of Angelenosâ struggle for racial equality, but their national significance was not formally recognized until last month, when several key sites along the march routes were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Credit is due to the Los Angeles Conservancy and countless Chicano studies scholars for advocating for their listing. But it is important to put this victory in perspective.
Created: 16 December 2020
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation s leading Latino civil rights organization, along with Joel-Lehi Organista issued this statement following Senator Lee s opposition to creating a museum of Latino Heritage in America
“Q
uerido Senator Lee, I wanted to give you a few days to reflect and do some introspection. In your heart, what compelled you to oppose fellow Americans from celebrating their heritage, as much as I am certain you treasure your own? I was raised by a family that believed, at our table there was always a place for one more visitor, no matter who came to our door as we enjoyed our meal together. So, what would cause you to feel crowded out in your heart that there is no place for others who merely wish to share this land we call America?
Texas wouldn t be Texas without Mexico
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A vaquero performs a roping demostration along the parade route during the 50th Annual Houston Fiestas Patrias Parade Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Houston.Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
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A previous exhibit at the Houston Heritage Society’s museum included “Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy,” where visitors could learn about the importance of the vaquero to Texas cattle ranching.Courtesy photo / Houston Heritage SocietyShow MoreShow Less
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7-year-old Estevan Gonzalez waves to the gather crowd during the LULAC 17th Annual Cinco de Mayo parade, Saturday, May 2, 2009 in downtown Houston, Texas. Gonzalez father was driving the truck that pulled the Franklin Elementary float during the parade. (Todd Spoth/Chronicle)Todd Spoth, Freelance / For the ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
Texas wouldn t be Texas without Mexico
FacebookTwitterEmail
1of7
A vaquero performs a roping demostration along the parade route during the 50th Annual Houston Fiestas Patrias Parade Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Houston.Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
2of7
A previous exhibit at the Houston Heritage Society’s museum included “Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy,” where visitors could learn about the importance of the vaquero to Texas cattle ranching.Courtesy photo / Houston Heritage SocietyShow MoreShow Less
3of7
7-year-old Estevan Gonzalez waves to the gather crowd during the LULAC 17th Annual Cinco de Mayo parade, Saturday, May 2, 2009 in downtown Houston, Texas. Gonzalez father was driving the truck that pulled the Franklin Elementary float during the parade. (Todd Spoth/Chronicle)Todd Spoth, Freelance / For the ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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Fifty years ago, tens of thousands of people marched through East Los Angeles in a series of demonstrations as part of the Chicano Moratorium movement to protest the Vietnam War and its toll on Mexican Americans. Hundreds were arrested, and several were killed, including L.A. Times
journalist Ruben Salazar.
Those marches are an indelible part of Angelenos’ struggle for racial equality, but their national significance was not formally recognized until last month, when several key sites along the march routes were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Credit is due to the Los Angeles Conservancy and countless Chicano studies scholars for advocating for their listing. But it is important to put this victory in perspective.