In March 1968, thousands of American students took to the streets of Los Angeles to demonstrate their protest against the inequality in the system of public education for migrants. These strikes served to develop the Chicano, a broader movement for the rights of the Hispanic population. In the 1960s, East Los Angeles schools were dominated by Latino migrants. However, most schools were dilapidated, and the teachers were not sufficiently qualified. Moreover, the education system for Hispanics consisted of classes for vocational or home training. At the same time, the white population could receive an academic education for another college admission. Latinos and African Americans fought for equality, which led to changes in the social structure of society.
As a result of this, a social stigma was formed, during which the education of the Chicanos gave them only hard work and prevented them from advancing in life. One of the fighters against inequality was Sal Castro, an American teacher of Latin origin (Soldatenko 291). He began teaching Mexican culture to his students, instilling pride in the heritage of their ancestors. Thus, the students collectively approached the school administration to achieve equality. However, the administration refused to provide an academic education, which led to a riot. The Educational Issues Coordinating Committee (EICC) demanded a meeting with the education board. The Board agreed to organize a discussion meeting during which the protesters put forward their demands for change in the education system. However, the city government responded negatively to the proposals, citing the lack of budget. Thus, the leaders of the protests were arrested, and the movement was suppressed.
This was followed by The Mexican Movement of 1968, in which students advocated public support for political change in Mexico. Participants put forward demands for a change in the country’s formation and an end to the authoritarian regime. Moreover, students fought to introduce democratic transitions and increase civil liberties. However, this rebellion was put down, and the leaders were punished. Nevertheless, they went down in history, bringing several changes and improvements in the social system in the future.
The 1968 movement is still influential in shaping civil rights uprisings in Mexico today. The country has a rich history of revolutionary activity spanning many decades. In Mexico, there were rural social movements and an active movement of the working class, seeking the right to a good life, including education, high wages, and housing. Despite attempts to create a non-violent civil rights movement, the students faced harsh treatment from the state and the police, who violently put down the rebellion. However, the uprising was not in vain and bore fruit for the Mexican population.
The dead have become a symbol of resistance and the noble, selfless struggle for workers and students. Many more participants were: thousands of young activists, hardened by street clashes against state repression and their past. They gained significant experience, gained confidence, and faced many challenges. The young people who participated in the movement lived in a period of greater unfreedom and authoritarianism than the population of Mexico today. The democratic rights that modern Mexicans have received are the merit of the students of the 1968 movement.
Nevertheless, the uprising aroused great hopes among all workers and students. The student movement inspired workers to a new wave of struggle known as the “Workers’ Revolt” of the 1970s: a heroic time when workers fought in an organized manner against the merging of unions with the state. The struggle of 1968 left its mark not only on the democratic order of the current generations, which replaced the corrupt, rotten, authoritarian era, but also on the invaluable experience of the members of the National Strike Committee.
In the 1960s, another rights movement arose in the United States known as the Black Power Movement. The African American population has chosen a strategy of non-violent protest against racial discrimination and segregation of the black population. The participants demanded equal civil rights under state law. However, subsequent participants in the movement advocated creating their own economic and social power. The desire to refuse integration into society may be due to the assassination of Malcolm X. Thus, African Americans have accepted the challenge to achieve equality and fair treatment by any means possible.
The leaders of the movement, King and Carmichael, planned to gather a sign of protesters in Washington to call on the authorities to end poverty. However, despite the growing trend, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated (Gaines 196). After his death, massive UAH riots began, leading to violent measures in more than 100 cities. The campaign also expressed its protest at the Olympic Games in Mexico, where the participants were black athletes. The subsequent development of the movement aimed to create social programs to help the black population.
The influence of the uprisings continues to be felt in modern generations. The Hispanic and African American rights movements have influenced popular culture and education by emphasizing fair and equal treatment and self-determination. The challenge of social stigma influenced subsequent actions in the struggle for equal rights. In twelve years of non-violent struggle, the civil rights movement has ended racial discrimination in various areas. This movement awakened a sense of self-respect, pride, and self-confidence in black Americans, contributing to mutual understanding between white and black US citizens.
Works Cited
Gaines, Kevin. “Music Is a World: Stevie Wonder and the Sound of Black Power.” Black Power Beyond Borders. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2012. pp. 191-211.
Soldatenko, Michael. “Mexican Student Movements in Los Angeles and Mexico City, 1968.” Latino Studies. 2003. pp. 284-300.