Viva la Raza!

The history of the Santa Clara Valley is a tale told by the diverse ethnic groups whose labor and tenacity enabled our valley to grow and flourish. Immigrants from all backgrounds migrated here, worked hard, built lives, and proudly call this place home. Our Mexican-American neighbors in particular have a long and storied history in this valley, beginning with Mexican independence from Spain in 1821 -- when California was a northern province of Mexico -- through today. Currently 40 percent of San Jose’s residents are of Hispanic/Latin origin. Almost everywhere you look are signs of the Mexican community living here. Collecting and preserving their legacy is the mission of
La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley (LRHS), a group of dedicated scholars and volunteers headquartered in San Jose’s History Park.

LRHS submitted a grant request for funding to publish six books that record and document various aspects of the Mexican American experience in the Santa Clara Valley. Topics include the local Chicano movement, El Excéntrico bi-lingual magazine published from 1949-1980, columns by Elacio David Sierra, photography of Richard Diaz, and the murals of Carlos Rodriguez. Most topics are collected in the form of unpublished manuscripts, diaries, oral histories, magazines, newspaper columns, and photographs. The grant funds would enable LRHS to pull the various source materials together into a written format and then publish in hard copy form.

In late 2024, LRHS released the first of these publications, a reference book researched and written by retired SJSU Professor Gregorio Mora-Torres. The result is The Chicano Movement in the Santa Clara Valley, 1960-1975, a 600+ page book that painstakingly documents local Chicano activists’ fight throughout this tumultuous decade for educational reforms, economic equality, and political empowerment. It is the first book of its kind and is bound to be an important reference guide for students and scholars alike.

LRHS has compiled a list of local libraries, school districts, and universities that have expressed an interest in the book. Copies will be delivered at no charge to qualifying institutions. LRHS believes that the book is an important testament to the significant impact that the Chicano movement has had on shaping policy change and improving the lives of Mexican Americans in Santa Clara Valley and beyond.