The 1970 Chicano Moratorium Against the War in Vietnam – 45 Years Later!
By Herman Baca / August 26, 2015
Long forgotten by US history and barely remembered by many (even in the Chicano community) is the historical 45th anniversary of theAugust 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium against the War in Vietnam.
The Moratorium held in Los Angeles, California was one of the most seminal historical events for Chicanos in the US since the end of the US/Mexico War of 1848.
Depending on whom you speak with; the moratorium drew 20 to 40,000 Chicanos from all over the US that marched and protested the war in Vietnam, where Chicano youths were dying in disproportion numbers. Parents, children, seniors, working people, students, war veterans and activists from thru-out the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico marched.
Numerous persons were hurt; hundreds were jailed including national Chicano leader, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales. Three people were shot and killed by the police; martyred Angel Diaz,Lynn Ward, and LA Times Journalist, Ruben Salazar. The moratorium at the time was the largest protest to be organized by Chicanos in their 130 years history as a conquered people in the US. In essence, the demonstration turned into a police riot that was planned and carried out by the LA police, and the US Government.
The Vietnam War – President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 had declared a police action in Vietnam. Chicanos, at that time comprised but 6% of this nation’s population, but made up an obscene number of the causalities in Vietnam! Young whites were receiving college deferments and white controlled draft boards begin to draft (in record numbers) poor people, blacks, and especially Chicanos for Vietnam.
After five years of the Vietnam War, reality finally hit home. Young Chicanos were dying and numerous “body bags” were being returned to the homes of grieving families throughout the US.
It had always been the Chicano movement’s political position that the US’s white supremacist system had made Chicanos strangers in their own land, placed them last in jobs, education and rights but had always placed them first to die in its wars!
From the beginning, the demonstration organized was to be a peaceful protest to seek redress from the US Government under rights supposedly guaranteed and protected by the US Constitution.
I remember arriving in Los Angeles on Saturday morning around 7:00 am. At least one thousand persons from San Diego attended the demonstration. The march was 5 long miles, it was a very hot day and arrived at Laguna (now Salazar) Park around 2 or 3 p.m. People were tired, resting on the grass and the scene appeared to be like a giant family picnic.
As we sat down we heard and saw a commotion at a liquor store on Whittier Blvd. Suddenly without provocation the sheriff and police began to advance on the peaceful crowd. Security (the The 1970 Chicano Moratorium Against the War in Vietnam – 45 Years Later!:
