Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales was a Mexican- American boxer, political activist and poet. He was born on June 18, 1928 and he died on April 12, He was born in Denver, Colorado.

Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales studied engineering in college for one semester. After realizing he couldn’t afford to attend college, he turned to boxing. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.

Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales became a political activist during the 1960’s. He was the leader of the “Viva Kennedy” campaign in He supported equal rights for Mexican-Americans in education, politics, and housing.

Gonzales wrote the epic poem I am Joaquin and it was published in Luis Valdez, the director of Zoot Suit and La Bamba, made a short film about I am Joaquin in The poem’s main theme is the struggle that Mexican- Americans have when assimilating into American culture.

The Vietnam War Lyndon B. Johnson was the President of the United States. Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court. The Civil Rights Movement Urban Riots which became more intense after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The East Los Angeles high school student walk-outs