Raza Unida History Page

A Brief History of La Raza Unida

During the activism of the 1960s, the Chicano Mexicano people came to the realization that the mainstream political mechanism had only served to abuse and manipulate us. After much soul searching, we finally concluded that the only solution to our political, social and economic condition was to organize our own independent political organization.
In 1969, the concept behind La Raza Unida spread throughout the Southwest. Other independent Chicano political organizations sprung up as well during this time. In California, La Raza Unida Party was first organized in the Bay Area. It took on a more militant line, organizing under working class issues and emphasizing the development of a Chicano Mexicano ideological line. In Colorado, La Raza Unida was a product of the work done by La Crusada Por Justicia, under the leadership of Corky Gonzales. It dealt with Chicano Nationalism and youth. In Texas, La Raza Unida organized around electing Chicanos to Boards of Education and City Councils. The spirit and force of La Raza Unida was truly embodied in Texas under the leadership of José Angel Gutiérrez, a student and president of the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO). In Nuevo México, the organization worked to combine the Nationalist line of Corky Gonzales and the election of Raza into office like Gutiérrez. This is why the National Office moved to N.M., under the leadership of Juan José Peña, after Gutiérrez left the leadership of the organization.
La Raza Unida concept in California, Colorado, and Texas created a flame that quickly spread throughout the Southwest and other areas populated by Chicanos. In California, chapters existed from San Francisco to San Diego. In Los Angeles County alone, thirty chapters existed. In the San Fernando Valley, La Raza Unida originated from a MEChA Political Committee out of the University of Northridge. Hundreds of Chicano Mexicanos were registered in San Fernando and Pacoima by Northridge students in 1971.
La Raza Unida Party held its first National Convention in 1972. The main figures were José Angel Gutiérrez, Corky Gonzales, Reyes López Tijerina, and César Chávez. José Angel Gutiérrez was elected National Chair. Since its inception, The National Partido was plagued with contradiction. However, the major one was the lack of a clear position on what we wanted to achieve and the strategy for achieving it. In order to correct this lack of clarity, La Raza Unida went through a period of regular re-organization and re-structuring after 1975.

NEXT

back ! home ! program! info ! interact ! join ! media ! links

	A Brief History of La Raza Unida
	During the activism of the 1960s, the Chicano Mexicano people came to the realization that the mainstream political mechanism had only served to abuse and manipulate us. After much soul searching, we finally concluded that the only solution to our political, social and economic condition was to organize our own independent political organization. In 1969, the concept behind La Raza Unida spread throughout the Southwest. Other independent Chicano political organizations sprung up as well during this time. In California, La Raza Unida Party was first organized in the Bay Area. It took on a more militant line, organizing under working class issues and emphasizing the development of a Chicano Mexicano ideological line. In Colorado, La Raza Unida was a product of the work done by La Crusada Por Justicia, under the leadership of Corky Gonzales. It dealt with Chicano Nationalism and youth. In Texas, La Raza Unida organized around electing Chicanos to Boards of Education and City Councils. The spirit and force of La Raza Unida was truly embodied in Texas under the leadership of José Angel Gutiérrez, a student and president of the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO). In Nuevo México, the organization worked to combine the Nationalist line of Corky Gonzales and the election of Raza into office like Gutiérrez. This is why the National Office moved to N.M., under the leadership of Juan José Peña, after Gutiérrez left the leadership of the organization. La Raza Unida concept in California, Colorado, and Texas created a flame that quickly spread throughout the Southwest and other areas populated by Chicanos. In California, chapters existed from San Francisco to San Diego. In Los Angeles County alone, thirty chapters existed. In the San Fernando Valley, La Raza Unida originated from a MEChA Political Committee out of the University of Northridge. Hundreds of Chicano Mexicanos were registered in San Fernando and Pacoima by Northridge students in 1971. La Raza Unida Party held its first National Convention in 1972. The main figures were José Angel Gutiérrez, Corky Gonzales, Reyes López Tijerina, and César Chávez. José Angel Gutiérrez was elected National Chair. Since its inception, The National Partido was plagued with contradiction. However, the major one was the lack of a clear position on what we wanted to achieve and the strategy for achieving it. In order to correct this lack of clarity, La Raza Unida went through a period of regular re-organization and re-structuring after 1975.
	NEXT