Beltrán 2010

Chapter 1: El Pueblo Unido, Visions in the Chicano and Puerto Rican Movements

Introduction

• Late 1960/70s Mexican American and PR activists critiqued American politics
• Used a mix of cultural nationalism, liberal reformism, radical critique, romantic idealism
• New political vocabulary
• Emphasized resistance, recognition, cultural pride, authenticity and fraternity (hermanidad)
• Profound legacy
• Represent an unexplored part of 1960s new Left radicalism compared to African Americans
• Short duration of the movements
• Disproportionate number of political leaders and academics
• Today's Chicano political elites were members of a "political generation"
• Cultivation of significant sociopolitical class
• Produced institutions that continue to shape Latino political and cultural discourse
• Movement's institutional legacy seen in higher education (civic education promoting Latino identity)
• Recent rise of Latinos to high-profile political positions increased attention to organizations and radical pasts
• Example of Governor Cruz Bustamante
• Right-wing politicians characterizing prominent Latinos as "secret" radicals and racist nationalists
• Movement collapsed but its legacy seen in coalitions and empowerment

Chicano and Puerto Rican Movements

Chicano Movement

• Described the most traumatic and profound social movement to occur among Mexicans
• Chicano movement shifted Mexican American politics and relationship to American society
• Intense political activity, militant cultural nationalism
• 1965 - 1975
• Thousands of participants
• Mass mobilization, ethnic separatism to socialist internationalism
• Prior to the movement (1920 - 1960)
• Norms of Mexican American politics: Assimilation integration and participation in electoral politics, an "egalitarian ideal"
• Veered away from American way of politics, "adhered to no doctrine"
• Political advancement not through mass movements, but getting close with the Democratic Party
• Organizations: LULAC, American GI forum, Pan American Progressive Association
• LULAC: League of United Latin American Citizens
  • Distinguished middle-class membership from Mexican newcomers
  • Restricted membership to American citizens
  • Won victories in courts over de jure segregation
  • High school dropout rates were high (50%)
• Faced barriers to socioeconomic advancement
• Rise of Chicano movement was a reaction to ongoing inequality and earlier strategies of Mexican American elites

Chicano students as community's most politicized and active members Fighting for citizenship rights Blow outs, demonstrations, rallies, sit-ins Protested Vietnam, Anti-war, fought for Chicano studies program Youthful radicalism, shoft in group consciousness shaped by labor activism through arts California: Caesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta founded National Farm Workers Association (later became United Farm Workers of Ameria (UFW) Strikes, nationally publicized, hunger strikes, boycotts Brown Berets LA paramilitary group Encouraged student protest Restoring ownership of common-use land Artistic Renaissance: art, music, literature in 1960s/70s Heterogeneity as the most striking elements of Chicano movement Movement embodied historical, regional, and social diversity Overlap most apparent within student movement Chicanismo Emerging ideology of cultural nationalism Militant version of self-help and racial solidarity Shared history Aztlán concept, sign or symbol mobilized Chicanos into political action Political manifesto: El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán New ideology: self determinantion and communal empowerment, focused on social inequality, community empowerment, fear of cultural disintegration

Puerto Rican movement

• Chicano activists mobilizing same time as Puerto Rican (revolutionary nationalism)
• Puerto Rican politics in 1950s dominated by moderates and middle class
• Rich history of political radicalism
• Cigar makers influenced, craftsmen, factory readings
• Working class radicalism after WWII
• Massive immigration to the mainland shifted political climate
• Calls for a radical transformation of US society while promoting independence of Puerto Rico
• Inspired by growing militancy in the world
• Significant organizations: Young Lords Party, Puerto Rican Socialist Party, El Comité-MINP, Puerto Rican Student Union, and more
• Young Lords left the most lasting legacy, captured public attention,
• Small but heterogeneous portion of the community
• Former prison inmates, recovering addicts, college students, hospital workers, parents, Vietnam veterans
• YL as socialist organization
  • People programs
  • Active base in NY, and north east
  • Bilingual paper Pa'lante
  • Successful demonstrations (largest anti-colonial street demonstration)
  • Cultural and political solidarity between African Americans and PR: Afro Carribeans, Afro-Boricuas
  • Denise Oliver leader of Young Lords resignated to join the Black Panther Party → interconnected political and racial relationship