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Luis Valdez is Born
Luis Valdez was born on June 26, 1940 in Delano, CA. He is the second of ten children, to parents Armeda and Francisco Valdez who were migrant farm workers from Mexico. His birth name is Luis Miguel Valdez. -
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Zoot Suit Riots
Luis Valdez’s play “Zoot Suit” portrayed the riots that took place in 1943 in California. Zoot Suits were prohibited to wear, but bootleggers made them anyway and Mexican American youths wore them. Wearing them was considered
un-American and that aggravated the racial tension occurring. From June 3 to the 8th , off-duty police officers and US servicemen harassed and beat the Latinos youths and other minorities. -
Met Cesar Chavez
Luis Valdez first met Cesar Chavez when he was six years old. He was among the migrants working in Delano, CA. That's where the United Farm Workers movement began. They had nonviolent strikes and grape boycotts during the 60's and 70's. -
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Attended San Jose State University
Luis Valdez attended San Jose State University where he began his studies in mathematics and physics. A year later he changed his major to English with an emphasis in playwriting. -
Won a Playwriting Contest
Luis Valdez won a playwriting contest while he was in college. It was a one-act play called The Theft. -
Luis Valdez First Produced Play
At San Jose State University, he produced his first play called "The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa." -
Founded the El Teatro Campesino
At the age of 25, in 1965, Luis Valdez founded the El Teatro Campesino ("The Farm Workers' Theater"). The Chicano theater, is the nation's longest running theater. -
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Delano Grape Strike
Luis Valdez formed El Teatro Campesino to assist in the cause of the Delano grape strike and boycott. The strike and boycott were done to get better pay and working conditions for the migrant farm workers.
I remember in my youth my parents talking about this and not purchasing the products to assist in the cause. -
United Farm Workers Formed
In August of 1966 the Filipinos and Mexicans united to form "United Farm Workers" which was a nonviolent protest to improve housing, wages, education and legal protection of migrant farm workers. -
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Selected for National Film Registry
Luis Valdez directed three films which were selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. They are "I Am Joaquin" (1969), "Zoot Suit" (1981) and "La Bamba"(1987). They were considered culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. -
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El Teatro Campesino Wins Obie Award and Drama Critics Award
Founded by Luis Valdez, El Teatro Campesino wins the Obie Award Obie Award in New York and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award in 1969. Also, in 1972,1978 another L.A. Drama Critics Award. -
Married on August 23, 1969
Luis Valdez married Guadalupe Trujillo on August 23, 1969 and he had three children with her named Anahuac, Kinan, Lakin. -
Quote from San Jose Mercury News
Luis Valdez was set apart from the contemporaries, because he was dedicated to the role of the arts in peoples lives. The following quote was said about him in the "San Jose Mercury News, "If you want to understand modern Latino theater, you have to know that Luis was the start."
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Wrote and Directed Zoot Suit
Luis Valdez Wrote and Directed Zoot Suit. It played at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. -
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Brother Daniel Valdez
Luis Valdez's brother worked with him both in movies and on stage, Zoot Suit and La Bamba in 1981 and 1987. -
Cesar Chavez Came to My House
My dad worked through the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix taking the love of God and Our Blessed Mother to the immigrant farm workers in the fields. Because my family was involved in activist activities, they were able to bring Cesar Chavez to our home to speak with the South Phoenix community. -
La Bamba (Film)
He wrote and directed "La Bamba" which was released July 24, 1987. It is a film about Ritchie Valens life and musical career. -
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Canciones De Mi Padre
Luis Valdez was a dancer in Canciones De Mi Padre. It played at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. LInda Ronstadt was a vocalist in the show. -
Aguila Azteca Award (Golden Eagle Award)
Luis Valdez received the Aguila Azteca Award (Golden Eagle Award) in 1994. The Mexican government bestows this highest honor for citizens of other countries for outstanding services given to Mexico or mankind. -
Founding Director/Professor of the Teledramatic Arts and Technology
Luis Valdez was approached by California State University, Monterey Bay president Peter Smith and Provost Steve Arvizu to create a theater department. A quote by Phil Esparza says, "(Luis Valdez) coined the term ‘Teledramatic Arts & Technology,’” Esparza said. “It was the fusion of theatre, film, television, radio, multimedia, cyberspace.”
— Phil Esparza" -
National Medal of Arts Recipient
In 2015, Luis Valdez was a National Medal of Arts Recipient. He brought Chicano culture to America Drama as a playwright, actor and director. -
Known as "Father of Chicano Theater"
Because of Luis Valdez's ground-breaking plays, he has become to be known as "Father of Chicano Theater". -
Memberships
Some memberships that Luis Valdez is a member of are: California Arts Council, Writers Guild of America, Society of State Directors and Choreographers. -
References Pt. 2
“Chicano American Theatre: The Revolution.” Chicano American Theatre The Revolution, https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/chicanoamericantheatre/?page_id=45. “Luis Valdez.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Mar. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Valdez. Mitchell, Charles. “Chapter 1 / Mapping Reality.” Theatrical Worlds: Beta Version, Orange Grove Texts Plus, an Imprint of the University Press of Florida, Gainseville, FL, 2014. -
References Pt. 4
“Workers United: The Delano Grape Strike and Boycott (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/workers-united-the-delano-grape-strike-and-boycott.htm. -
References Pt. 1
“Luis Valdez.” IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0883609/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm. Zoot Suit Riots: Causes, Facts & Photos - History - History. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/zoot-suit-riots. “." Contemporary Hispanic Biography. . Encyclopedia.com. 20 Mar. 2023 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 23 Mar. 2023, https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/historians-miscellaneous-biographies/luis-valdez. -
References Pt. 3
Froyd, Susan. “Luis Valdez on Cesar Chavez, El Teatro Campesino and the Christmas Play La Pastorela.” Westword, 6 Dec. 2013, https://www.westword.com/arts/luis-valdez-on-cesar-chavez-el-teatro-campesino-and-the-christmas-play-la-pastorela-5797733. “Delano Grape Strike.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delano_grape_strike.