Chicano revolt in a Texas town

Shockley, John S. (John Staples)

Book

Chicano revolt in a Texas town

University of Notre Dame Press • Notre Dame [Ind.] • Published In 1974 • Pages:

By: Shockley, John S. (John Staples).

Abstract
In 1963 five Mexican Americans, backed by the Teamster's Union and the San Antonio based Political Association of Spanish-Speaking Organizations (PAss), were swept into office as councilmen in Crystal City, a community run since its inception in 1907 by the Anglo establishment. This was unique in the area since Crystal City was probably the only community in Texas at that time, and perhaps in the Southwest, where Anglos actually had been ousted from office. Although this 'revolt' ended in failure two years later, this same community was involved in a second political 'revolt' in 1969, involving a school boycott. This second revolt, which was more radical, was successful in its aims and resulted in the birth of the Raza Unida Party and a takeover of both the city government and school system by an independent Chicano political party. As background to this study, the author examines the economic, social, and political history of Crystal City, in an attempt to explain what has happened there and why, what has changed and remained unchanged, and why revolts of this nature have been so unusual.

Cities

Acculturation and culture contact

Political movements

Education system

Liberal arts education

HRAF PubDate

2002