III. The Struggle for Equal Rights Many struggles for minority groups in 1960’s to gain equal rights: A. Civil rights for African Americans B. American Indian Movement C. Equal rights for Hispanic Americans D. Women’s Liberation Movement

C. Struggle for Equal Rights: Hispanics

Hispanic Americans/Latinos 1970’s Fastest growing minority group in the U.S. 1960 3 M 1970 9 M 2000 35 M 2014 55 M (28%) Account for 1/3 of legal immigration since 1960 + large numbers of illegals (7-12 M) Puerto Ricans; Cubans; Mexicans; Central Americans; South Americans

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Juarez found United Farm Workers Union in California organize mostly Mexican agricultural laborers in California and southwest Promote consumer boycotts of grapes, strikes

Hunger Strikes – Chavez & Robert Kennedy Aligned themselves with the civil rights movements Appealing to Hispanic identity and pride Young Hispanics begin referring to themselves as Chicanos & demonstrating for Hispanic studies programs and bilingual education in schools Hunger Strikes – Chavez & Robert Kennedy

Rodolfo Gonzalez of Mexican descent Boxer; poet; political activist Founder of Chicano movement founds Crusade for Justice 1966 Community based civil rights organization Opens private hispanic school in Colorado

I Am Joaquin by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales Yo soy Joaquín, perdido en un mundo de confusión: I am Joaquín, lost in a world of confusion, caught up in the whirl of a gringo society, confused by the rules, scorned by attitudes, suppressed by manipulation, and destroyed by modern society. My fathers have lost the economic battle and won the struggle of cultural survival. And now! I must choose between the paradox of victory of the spirit, despite physical hunger, or to exist in the grasp of American social neurosis, sterilization of the soul and a full stomach. Yes, I have come a long way to nowhere, unwillingly dragged by that monstrous, technical, industrial giant called Progress and Anglo success.... I look at myself. I watch my brothers. I shed tears of sorrow. I sow seeds of hate. I withdraw to the safety within the circle of life -- MY OWN PEOPLE […]

Texas: Latinos launch a political party – advocating separatism Puerto Ricans in New York establish the Young Lords

Prejudice suffered by Mexican Americans Link to video: A Class Apart: http://opb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/507408f8-572f-4d7c-ad97-0580cdc56f33/a-class-apart/

D. Women’s Liberation Movement

A Few Facts & Figures World War II had brought more women than ever before out of the home into work. By 1960, 36 percent of all women sixteen and older- 23 million women-worked for paid wages. But although 43 percent of women with school-age children worked, there were nursery schools for only 2 percent- the rest had to work things out themselves. Women were 50 percent of the voters-but (even by 1967) they held 4 percent of the state legislative seats, and 2 percent of the judgeships. The median income of the working woman was about one-third that of the man. And attitudes toward women did not seem to have changed much since the twenties. Source: Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States, Chapter 19: Surprises

2nd wave of Feminism Fought all forms of male dominance Fought against domestic violence Women needed protection at the job level E.g. flight attendants Demanded Anti-discrimination laws Equal pay for equal work/job opportunities

NOW: National Organization of Women 1966 Gloria Steinem: founded Ms. Magazine 1972 After Black Power, Women’s Liberation Supported abortion rights

N.O.W. Statement of Purpose We, men and women who hereby constitute ourselves as the National Organization for Women, believe that the time has come for a new movement toward true equality for all women in America, and toward a fully equal partnership of the sexes, as part of the worldwide revolution of human rights now taking place within and beyond our national borders. The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men . . . There is no civil rights movement to speak for women, as there has been for Negroes and victims of discrimination. The National Organization for Women must therefore begin to speak. Source: NOW Statement of Purpose, October 29, 1966.

Milestones Birth control pill approved by the FDA 1960 1962 1.2 million 1965 6.5 million American women Betty Friedan: Feminine Mystique bestseller in 1963 Title IX part of the Education Amendments of 1972 “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Prohibited sex discrimination in education More opportunities for women’s and girls’ athletics Supreme Court Decision 1973 Roe vs. Wade Legalization of abortion during 1st trimester

Feminist Victories and Defeats Equal Rights Amendment Idea had been around for a long time (1920s – Alice Paul) Congressional Approval in 1972 Amendment did not achieve ratification; fell 3 states shy Phyllis Schlafly - outspoken critic “stop taking our privileges” dependent wife benefits + selective service registration

Forms of Protest Legislation Bra Burning Protests/Marches Strikes

Miss America, 7 September 1968 In Atlantic City hundreds of US feminists gathered to protest against the meat market beauty pageant, leading to one of the funniest, but most inaccurate founding myths of second wave feminism, which is that women burned their bras to symbolise their emancipation from patriarchy. Anyone who’s tried to burn a bra – let alone one of those opaque flesh-coloured postwar girdle things – knows they don’t burn well. The under-trussings were in fact sloughed off and dumped into Freedom Trash Cans, along with high heels, fake eyelashes, copies of Cosmo and Playboy, mops, pots and pans – all items the protesters defined as “instruments of female torture”. The protest triggered a new and now mainstream critique of everything from “performative femininity” to the objectification of women, beauty ideals and domestic labour exploitation. Source: The Guardian, “Ten direct actions by women that changed the world”, October 12th, 2015

Video: Women’s Liberation Movement 1950’s -1970’s 19’24

Video BBC Hard Talk – Gloria Steinem 0 – 4’10 How has the struggle for women’s rights changed since the 1960’s/1970’s?

Conclusion: Equal Rights Movements In what ways were the various struggles among minority groups in the United States similar and in what ways where they distinct?