Justice also participated in many additional protests and marches that other organizations and groups held to show support.
Another vital leader in the Chicano Movement was Reies López Tijerina. He sought for land rights of Indigenous and Latino communities.
"My motto is
justice but not independence from or revolution against the United States.”
-Reies López Tijerina
The Chicano Movement gained inspiration from Reies as he brought awareness to the massive US land theft from Latino and Native American people. Reies was also allies with Martin Luther King, Jr. and was co-sponsor for the Poor People’s March.
In the late 1960s, there were school walkouts by Chicanos for an educational improvement. At the time, Chicanos had the highest dropout rate and lowest college enrollment. Teachers low expectations and poor educational services made it hard for Chicanos to succeed. Chicanos brought the following demands to the Board of Education: bicultural education, Latino teachers and administrators, better facilities, and for text books to include Mexican-
American history. The Board of Education did not do anything, and that’s when thousands of Chicano students decided to walk out to protest.
“In Spring 1968, we had no chicano studies on campus at that time, no Chicano studies classes, no Chicano studies department, there was no Educational Opportunity Program yet,”
- Everto “Beto” Ruiz
Many were arrested and beaten by police. After weeks had passed, the Board of Education gathered with Chicano students and their
parents, as well as teachers, and agreed that change would happen. However, the needs were never met, and
student walk outs
continued. Many
more arrests
happened, and these
organizations began
to fall apart.
Not all was lost though. Slowlyafter, it was
apparent that more
and more Chicano
teachers were begin-
ing to be hired.
Throughout this, the
Brown Berets were
formed. They
participated in the
student walkouts and protested against the Vietnam War and against police oppression and discrimination. They became inactive after too much harassment by police. While they are not active today, there are still Brown Beret groups out there with the same purpose and values the original group had.
Although it isn’t part of the Chicano Movement anymore, there are still marches and protests from the Latino community that seek equality and want to put an end to discrimination. Most of what was being fought for in the Chicano Movement is still being fought for today. Just like stated in the beginning, not many people know about this important movement becasue it is not being taught in schools. This movement should be added to the school’s curriculum to educate others of what else was happening in the Civil Rights Movement era.
Members of the Brown Berets giving a speach during the school walkouts.
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