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  • Essay / Equality and Empowerment: Understanding the Chicano Movement

    Prior to the Chicano Movement, there was consistent discrimination against Mexican Americans. Much like the segregation that African Americans faced, there were “No Mexicans Allowed” or “Whites Only” signs on business windows and in public spaces. Those who discriminated against Mexican-Americans used the phrase “Chicano” as a racial slur, but activists wore it with pride. The essay on the “Chicano Movement” stated that this movement was a way for Mexican-Americans to ensure that their voices were heard and that changes would be made for the better. Chicano activists demanded better rights for farm workers, land restoration, and education reform. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of the leaders of the Chicano movement was Dolores Huerta. Huerta created the Farm Workers Association which helped with many issues such as equal rights for farmers who were underpaid for their hard work. Another leader was Ceaser Chavez, he organized the United Farm Workers Union. He had experienced first-hand the poor working conditions on the farm and was determined to improve the environment for farm workers. Another program that Chavez participated in was the Bracero program. The Bracero program began in 1942 and enabled millions of Mexicans living in Mexico to work in the United States. While immigrants were able to stay in the United States to work, they were placed in poorly maintained housing areas and faced discrimination, leading to violence. When people found out about immigrants working and living in the United States, they were completely against it. Philip Martin said in his article “The Bracero Program: Was it a Failure? »: "The November 1960 CBS documentary "Harvest of Shame" convinced President John F. Kennedy that Braceros were "adversely affecting wages, working conditions and employment opportunities." of our own agricultural workers. Farmers fought to preserve the program in Congress, but lost, and the Bracero program ended on December 31, 1964. "Many workers lost their jobs as a result. Philip Martin also said in his article: “Plant scientists developed a uniformly ripening tomato that was made into ketchup and other tomato products, and engineers developed a machine to cut the plant and shake the tomatoes , thereby reducing the number of pickers needed by more than 90 people. percent." This machine was able to replace the work done by some farmers. Even though many lost their jobs, this machine did not put any workers in danger or force them to deal with extreme weather conditions. The The Chicano movement attempted to improve land that once belonged to them through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Sergio Pena wrote in his 2015 Affinity article "The Chicano Movement of the 1960s": "The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo originally stated. that when Mexican lands were to be ceded, the Mexican owners of the ceded lands would be able to retain their property rights and become full American citizens. Many lost their lands because the treaty did not recognize the land grants. initial Mexicans, and because of the Jim Crow laws and racism of the time, many Mexicans who remained on the ceded lands were.