Chicano/a Activism: Struggle for Equality

Justin Henak

ThesisThe social and political Chicano activism and rulings in discriminatory cases from the 1940’s-70’s forced the justice system to stray from hypocrisy and slowly but surely grant more equal rights that serve the equality we abide by today.

Racist corruption in the Justice System has been resolved

Background Information

Historic Setting Starting off with the “La Crisis” in the early 1930’s leading

to WWII times in the early 1940’s Constant struggle for minority acceptance in American society

throughout history.

Due to:

Colonization

White Supremacy => Military based leadership => fear of immigration => DISCRIMINATION

Mexicans weren’t admitted to the best theaters, restaurants, etc.

They had to use different bathrooms than whites

Entertainment centers had signs designating one night of the week for Mexicans and Negros

(A time of Fascism: Race of a nation takes importance over the individual in a nation regardless of his/her race)

The Zoot Suit in Los Angelos

Consisted of: Long coat & skirt or billowing trousers often seen with a chain

Rebellious subculture supported by many Chicano/a youth during the early 1940’s signifying defiance

Deemed the name Pachuca/o => Pachuquismo

Became supported by other minorities (Japanese Americans & some African Americans) who opposed WWII and the discrimination that came from it

Pachuca/o and Pachuquismo

Pachuca/o’s were people of the Chicana/o culture who had joined together in forming their own identity, creating a subculture often called puchaquismo. They supported the zoot suit

They spoke their own slang called “calo” sometimes called puchaquismo as well

They often had gang affiliation in the Streets of LA

Society saw pachuco/a’s as Mexican-American gangsters

Enjoyed the night life and stayed out often

Pachuca women were shunned from the Chicano/a culture because they stayed out and didn’t present the typical woman who belonged in the house.

They were seen as dirty sluts

What’s Wrong With the Zoot Suit Swag?

WWII => significant cut back in use of fabrics nationally

was a time of rationing and it was looked down upon to wear many clothes.

These materials were needed to help with the war effort

When production cuts were made, tailored suits were sent to the black market

Wearing the zoot suit showed disrespect and a lack of patriotism

Sleepy Lagoon Trial, 1942

People v. Zamora Man showed up unconscious on the side of the road next to a swimming

pool Mexicans used because they weren't allowed to use public pools

22 young Mexican men and boys convicted for murder of one Man

Many were proven guilty, appeal resulted in reversal

Largest mass trial in Californian history. Defendants were not allowed to sit with their attorney

Ruled that mass trial was unconstitutional

Ruled that being proven guilty without sufficient evidence is unconstitutional

Argument: the injustice above has been eliminated from the modern day court system There hasn’t been a mass trial since

Chicana/o’s gained the right to have their attorney's by their side

Zoot Suit Riots, 1943 (LA) The sleepy lagoon trial brought outrage to the

pachuco community and resulted in rioting

Word from the press in LA spread that “pachuco/a’s were fair game, and military personnel could assault Mexican’s without fear of arrest” (Acuna, 242) pg 3 of Essay. June 1943: gangs of white service men and sailors (Anglo-

Americans) invaded neighborhoods and beat hundreds of youths senseless based off their skin color and how they were dressed

Anglo Hypocrisy Police arrested more than 600 Mexican-American

victims the Anglo mob had brutalized The corruption in the Justice system is shown by the refusal

to file charges on the sailors

Injustice Recognized

Mendez v. Westminister, 1946 Trial concerned segregation of children in public schools

Mendez’s children were not allowed to attend the same school as other kids in their neighborhood because of a scale based off of how dark their skin was and how Mexican their last name sounded

This case was a KEY FACTOR in the Brown v. Board of Education case that ruled: In the field of public education the doctrine of “separate but equal” has

no place

Argument: These brave people of color challenging a court system, of which they know is biased, has integrated public schools. (See notes below)

Hernadez v. Texas, 1954 Hernandez was found guilty of murder sentenced

by the All-Anglo jury to Life in prison Appealing all the way up to the supreme court before it was

overturned

A case that questioned Chicana/o’s presence as a culture in the American Society Argument: Resulted in a re-evaluation of the 14th

amendment. The ruling established that Mexican-Americans and all other racial groups in the United states had equal protection under the 14th amendment of the Constitution.

Judicial Misconduct Against Minorities

Bias in the court portrayed Anglo (White) America’s self entitlement as a dominant culture and race Created a large internal tension between races

Before these cases, justice to a minority could only be served at upper court levels when lawyers representing the minority back prosecutors to a corner; giving the judge an option to do his duty and find justice or be discriminately hypocritical.

What Came from Reversals in the Court

Room BIAS HAS CHANGED The court cases have a great importance in the ability of

Chicana/o’s to be seen as their own culture and race as part of the United States Nation

PROGRESS: It showed courage of the judges to render unpopular yet morally and legally fair outcomes

Legal changes regarding the process of a fair trial in court has brought further equality for members of minorities.

Present benefits minorities have gained from Political Activism Mass trials eliminated

To be proven guilty off of insufficient evidence is unconstitutional

Minority recognition under the 14th amendment

Integration in public schools

Chicano Moratorium

Began with protest against Vietnam War in 1970

Chicanos were finally accepted as a culture and a community where their voice was successfully heard in society Social and political activism

Taking an important role, with combination of other protests, ending the war was accomplished with domestic pressure showing how the voice of minorities finally had meaning.

Historical and political watershed for Chicanos as their emerging role and voice in society Overturned the conservative politics of the previous

generation

Modern Significance of the Moratorium

“The importance of the Chicano Moratorium is that it has now become a part of our tradition and culture and should be commemorated as such each year with a sense of pride and recommitment” (Franco), pg 6 of essay.

The success Chicana/o’s had from the struggle for an equal voice and acceptance in society in the past has since been recognized, and will continue to be celebrated in the future.

To Wrap It Up

Chicano/a’s struggled to be accepted as a culture and community in the American nation but their persistence earned them justice and equality. Being shunned from society, unrecognized as a culture, suffering discrimination to the extreme; Mexican-Americans have established a voice, not only as a culture but as individuals as well, that is respected across society here in the present.

THE END