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Period: to
Chicano Civil Rights Movement
All the information in this timeline was found in research from the University of Washington.
Citation: Castañeda, Oscar Rosales. “Timeline: Movimiento from 1960-1985 -
Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project.” The Seattle
Civil Rights & Labor History Project, The University of
Washington, depts.washington.edu/civilr/mecha_timeline.htm. -
United Farm Workers organized
United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, led by Cesar Chavez, is initiated as an independent organization in Delano, California. Link text -
PASO Takes Council
The Political Association of Spanish-Speaking Organizations (PASO) unites to take over the city council for the span of two years in Crystal City, TX. Link text -
War on Poverty
President Lyndon B. Johnson declares the "War on Poverty" and proposes the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which lays the ground work for projects through the Office of Economic Opportunity. Link text -
Grape Boycott
Late November, into December, the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee initiates a national grape boycott. Link text -
YCCA
High school students in East Los Angeles form the Young Citizens for Community Action(YCCA). Link text -
March to the Capitol
Starting on March 17th, spanning to April 11th, Cesar Chavez and the National Farm Workers Association march from Delano to the California state Capitol in Sacramento. Link text -
MAYO
The Mexican American Youth Organization(MAYO) is formed on college campuses in Texas after the first chapter is born at St. Mary's College in San Antonio. Link text -
Young Chicanos for Community Action
David Sanchez takes control of the Young Citizens for Community Action and restructures it into the Young Chicanos for Community Action. The group, which was often harassed by the L.A. County Sheriffs, takes a more militant stance against discrimination and police brutality, evolving into the Brown Berets by early 1968. The Brown Berets would become one of the largest non-student organizations in the country. Link text -
UMAS
250 students representing seven Los Angeles colleges and universities meet to form the United Mexican American Students(UMAS). Link text -
Courthouse Raid
Reies Lopez Tijerina conducts an armed raid in Tierra Amarilla on the Rio Arriba County Courthouse. Link text -
MALDEF
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund(MALDEF) is organized in San Antonio, TX. It is modeled after the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Link text -
Chavez calls for Fast
Response to violent repression on Farm workers leads Cesar Chavez to begin a 25-day fast to keep the farm worker movement non-violent. Chavez later broke his fast at a mass at a park in Delano, CA around March 10-11 Link text -
Students Strike
More than 1000 students peacefully walk out of Abraham Lincoln High School in L.A. with Lincoln High Teacher, Sal Castro, joining the group of students, in protest of school conditions. The student strike known as the L.A. Blowouts, would later have over 10,000 high school students walk out by the end of the week. The LA.13 was later idicted by a grand jury on May 27th. Link text -
UC Berkeley Strike
Modeling their actions after students at San Francisco State, the Third World Liberation Front(TWILF) organizes a major strike at UC Berkeley that lasts until April. Link text -
La Causa
The Brown Berets begin publication of a monthly paper called 'La Causa' which soon becomes a medium for recruitment. Following the lead of the Black Panthers, they also institute programming that deals with food, housing, unemployment, and education within the barrios. Link text -
Chicano Liberation Day
The first 'Chicano Liberation Day' is organized by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzalez and the Crusade for Justice. Link text -
Grape Boycott Victorious
The National Grape Boycott organized by the UFWOC yields contracts with most California growers. Link text -
Peaceful Protest Goes Awry
The third Moratorium Protest against the Vietnam War takes place in Laguna Park in L.A., attracting over 10,000-30,000 people. Police breakup the peaceful gathering and use force against the demonstrators. Ruben Salazar, a writer for the L.A. Times is killed when he is hit in the head by a tear-gas canister shot by the L.A.P.D. Link text -
La Marcha de la Reconquista
La Marcha de la Reconquista, a march from Calexico to Sacramento, begins with Rosalio Munoz, David Sanchez and the Brown Berets. Link text -
ACWUA Boycott
Farah signs a contract with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union of America, ending a nationwide boycott which lasted two years. By 1976, Farah moves its operations south of the border. Link text -
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Bakke v. the YC Board of Regents
The Supreme Court upholds the decision in favor of Bakke v. the UC Board of Regents by a vote of 5-4. Link text -
Reagan Administration
The Reagan Administration comes to power, accelerating the dismantling of most social programs initiated in the 1960's. US. Latin American Policy under the Reagan administration intensifies "low intensity" proxy warfare against leftist movements in Latin America. The civil wars that result from U.S. backing of counter-insurgency militaries lead to an increased migration of Central American political refugees to the United States. Link text
