East L.A. walkouts
Encyclopedia
The East Los Angeles Walkouts or Chicano Blowouts were a series of 1968 protests against unequal conditions in Los Angeles Unified School District
high school
s. The first protest took place on March 6. While the students who organized and carried out the protests were primarily concerned with the quality of their education, they were also motivated by the high minority death toll in the Vietnam War
and the ongoing civil rights campaigns of the Chicano Movement
.
In a radio interview, Moctesuma Esparza, one of the original walkout organizers, talked about his experiences as a high school student fighting for Chicano rights. Esparza first started activism in 1965 after attending a youth leadership conference. He helped organize a group of Chicano teenagers, Young Citizens for Community Action. This group eventually evolved into Young Chicanos For Community Action, then later the Brown Berets
, but still fought for Mexican-American equality in California. Esparza graduated 12th grade in 1967, then continued on to UCLA. There, he and his fellow Chicano students continued organizing protests. He and 11 friends started a group called UMAS. UMAS traveled around to universities recruiting Chicano students who wanted to help increase Chicano enrollment in college. UMAS members decided to separate into smaller groups, and have each small group go and mentor kids at certain L.A. high schools. These high schoolers soon became upset as they realized how unfair they were being treated by the school board. Wanting to do something to improve their school system, they decided to get organized. Ching and a few other UMAS members, along with teacher Sal Castro
, helped organize hundreds of students in the 1968 walkouts. After only a few days, walkout participation increased dramatically and the Chicano students were on their way to better and fairer treatment.
, one of the 13 accused, became a successful film producer
and went on to open doors for Mexican Americans in Hollywood
. Harry Gamboa, Jr.
became an artist and writer. Carlos Montes
, a Brown Berets Minister, was charged with arson at a hotel during the Chicano Moratorium
against the Vietnam War. Paula Crisostomo went on to prominence in the school system, where she continues to fight for reform. Vicky Castro went on to serve on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. Carlos Muñoz, Jr., went on to a distinguished teaching and research career at the University of California, Berkeley.
The student actions of 1968 inspired later protests that used similar tactics, including the 1994 student walkouts against California Proposition 187
, the 2006 student walkouts against H.R. 4437
, the 2009 walkouts against Arizona's SB1070 as well as the walkouts in 2007 for the recognition of the Cesar Chavez holiday.
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s. The first protest took place on March 6. While the students who organized and carried out the protests were primarily concerned with the quality of their education, they were also motivated by the high minority death toll in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and the ongoing civil rights campaigns of the Chicano Movement
Chicano Movement
The Chicano Movement of the 1960s, also called the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, also known as El Movimiento, is an extension of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement which began in the 1940s with the stated goal of achieving Mexican American empowerment.-Origins:The Chicano Movement...
.
Background
During the 1950s and 60s, Mexican Americans took part in the national quest for civil rights, fighting important court battles and building social and political movements. Mexican American youth in particular became politicized, having taken advantage of the many opportunities their parents never had.In a radio interview, Moctesuma Esparza, one of the original walkout organizers, talked about his experiences as a high school student fighting for Chicano rights. Esparza first started activism in 1965 after attending a youth leadership conference. He helped organize a group of Chicano teenagers, Young Citizens for Community Action. This group eventually evolved into Young Chicanos For Community Action, then later the Brown Berets
Brown Berets
The Brown Berets is a Chicano nationalist activist group of young Mexican Americans that emerged during the Chicano Movement in the late 1960s and remains active to the present day. The group was seen as part of the Third Movement for Liberation. The Brown Berets focus on community organizing...
, but still fought for Mexican-American equality in California. Esparza graduated 12th grade in 1967, then continued on to UCLA. There, he and his fellow Chicano students continued organizing protests. He and 11 friends started a group called UMAS. UMAS traveled around to universities recruiting Chicano students who wanted to help increase Chicano enrollment in college. UMAS members decided to separate into smaller groups, and have each small group go and mentor kids at certain L.A. high schools. These high schoolers soon became upset as they realized how unfair they were being treated by the school board. Wanting to do something to improve their school system, they decided to get organized. Ching and a few other UMAS members, along with teacher Sal Castro
Sal Castro
Salvador B. Castro is an Mexican-American educator and activist. He is most well known for his role in the 1968 East Los Angeles high school walkouts, a series of protests against unequal conditions in Los Angeles Unified School District schools...
, helped organize hundreds of students in the 1968 walkouts. After only a few days, walkout participation increased dramatically and the Chicano students were on their way to better and fairer treatment.
Aftermath
Many of the student organizers became prominent in their fields. Moctesuma EsparzaMoctesuma Esparza
Moctesuma Esparza is an award-winning producer, entertainment executive, entrepreneur and community activist. Moctesuma Esparza is well known for his contributions to the movie industry and commitment to creating opportunities for Latinos everywhere...
, one of the 13 accused, became a successful film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and went on to open doors for Mexican Americans in Hollywood
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
. Harry Gamboa, Jr.
Harry Gamboa, Jr.
Harry Gamboa Jr. is a Chicano essayist, photographer, director and performance artist. He was a founding member of the influential Chicano performance art collective ASCO.-Biography:...
became an artist and writer. Carlos Montes
Carlos montes
Carlos Montes was a co-founder of the Brown Berets, a Chicano working class youth organization in the United States in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Brown Berets were inspired by and often compared to the Black Panther Party...
, a Brown Berets Minister, was charged with arson at a hotel during the Chicano Moratorium
Chicano Moratorium
The Chicano Moratorium, formally known as the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, was a movement of Chicano anti-war activists that built a broad-based coalition of Mexican-American groups to organize opposition to the Vietnam War...
against the Vietnam War. Paula Crisostomo went on to prominence in the school system, where she continues to fight for reform. Vicky Castro went on to serve on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. Carlos Muñoz, Jr., went on to a distinguished teaching and research career at the University of California, Berkeley.
The student actions of 1968 inspired later protests that used similar tactics, including the 1994 student walkouts against California Proposition 187
California Proposition 187 (1994)
California Proposition 187 was a 1994 ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system and prohibit illegal aliens from using health care, public education, and other social services in the U.S. State of California...
, the 2006 student walkouts against H.R. 4437
H.R. 4437
The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 was a bill in the 109th United States Congress. It was passed by the United States House of Representatives on December 16, 2005 by a vote of 239 to 182 , but did not pass the Senate...
, the 2009 walkouts against Arizona's SB1070 as well as the walkouts in 2007 for the recognition of the Cesar Chavez holiday.