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https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/da992deaaef65ddf71e39ad0762d27f0.pdf
bdbebc471b4a958d13a1b7a85eb24575
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Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Antonio (Maloco)” Jiménez Rodríguez
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 6/25/2012
Biography and Description
Antonio (Maloco) Jiménez Rodríguez has no qualms about admitting that he was the Vice-President of
the notorious Hacha Viejas, or Old Hatchets, of the 1950s and 1960s in Chicago, which some believe
was the city’s first Puerto Rican gang. It definitely is the most well-known group of that era. The leader,
Juan Hacha Vieja, came from Barrio Mula in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. He was a World War II veteran
with a lot of heart. Several witnesses describe one time in 1982 when a Puerto Rican landlord in Wicker
Park pulled out a .32 Colt automatic pistol and pointed it directly at Juan “Hacha Vieja”’s face as Hacha
Vieja was walking in a small passageway between two garages, approaching his building. The landlord
wanted to embarrass Hacha Vieja and make him run, or at least get scared. But Hacha Vieja just stood
there and pulled a .38 snub nose revolver from his pocket and, even while the .32 automatic was being
pointed to his face, started loading bullets into his gun. Mr. Jiménez Rodríguez also recalls that the
Hacha Viejas had no gang colors. In fact, they had no real gang name and bore little resemblance to the
groups of today who sell drugs or hang out on street corners. The Hachas Viejas drank mainly beer or
rum at the saloons or at the homes of members in places like the Water Hotel or the social clubs that
their own members owned. Juan “Hacha Vieja” had been given that nickname when he was just a boy in
Barrio Mula of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. At the time he was working for Tio Gabriel Jiménez as a
farmhand in a mountain farm that also produced coffee. The name was given to him because “he was
�very good with the machete at the farm.” When times were bad economically, he and Tio Gabriel’s sons
would move from farming to construction or to other farms, doing odds and ends to survive. Hacha
Vieja became close friends with Mr. Jiménez Rodríguez and his other brothers and cousins. After World
War II, many of them moved to Chicago, mostly to the La Clark and Lincoln Park areas. The more they
located meat packing, factory and restaurant and hotel jobs near Wells Street and Chicago Avenue and
around downtown, or at the steel mills south towards Indiana, the more they contacted their friends
and family from Aguas Buenas and Caguas. Other Puerto Rican families did the same and pulled entire
families from their cities and towns, setting them up in Chicago. Juan “Hacha Vieja” was loved, feared
and respected all at once. If he liked you he would turn your last name into “Hacha Vieja” -- Pablo
became Pablo Hacha Vieja and José would be José Hacha Vieja. On the weekends when they drank at
the Clark Street saloons or by Halsted Street and along Madison. Often they would usually get into a
brawl and spend the night in jail for disorderly conduct or loitering. By Monday, they would all be back
to work. Mr. Jiménez Rodríguez recalls wanting to get along with everyone, but there were other
minority gangs that hated the Puerto Ricans with a passion. They had to get their respect or they would
be pushed around and slapped or beaten up. He explains that they had no other choice but to fight, and
carve out territory; the police did not defend them. And many times the police would join these other
gangs against the Puerto Ricans. By the early 1960s there were three taverns that were owned by the
Hacha Viejas: one at La Clark close to Grand Avenue, another on Western, about one or two blocks
north of Division, and the third by the Hotel Lincoln on Armitage Avenue and Clark Street. One day Mr.
Jiménez Rodríguez remembers coming from the west side club on Western Avenue to the Armitage
Avenue and Clark Street Tavern. The Italians and Irish were hiding, waiting for he and his friends. A mob
converged on the Hachas Viejas and started beating them with chains and bats. He, Hacha Vieja and
some others got cut very badly ending up in the hospital for a couple of months. Still on another battle,
they also got cut up by a Mexican gang from Taylor Street near Halsted .It also put them in a hospital.
But Mr. Jiménez Rodríguez explains that this is how they learned their lessons, the hard way for not
paying attention. They needed to be prepared at all times. As time went on they did less fighting and
could just socialize and enjoy a good time. It was no longer just them; more Puerto Ricans were moving
in.
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https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/df27a23641e7119349dc545ab010bf46.mp4
8dd30633e1da51f1b7a2fa3973818e9e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Antonio “Maloco” Jiménez Rodríguez vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Puertorriqueños--Relatos personales
Idioma español--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Pandillas--Illinois--Chicago
Puertorriqueños--Illinois--Chicago--Vida social y costumbres
Veteranos--Relatos personales
Pandillas--Illinois--Chicago
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Rodriguez_Antonio
Title
A name given to the resource
Antonio “Maloco” Jiménez Rodríguez video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Rodríguez, Antonio
Description
An account of the resource
Antonio “Maloco” Jiménez Rodríguez has no qualms about admitting that he was the Vice-President of the notorious Hacha Viejas, or Old Hatchets, of the 1950s and 1960s in Chicago. He was a World War II veteran with a lot of heart.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Puerto Ricans--Personal narratives
Spanish language--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Gangs--Illinois--Chicago
Puerto Ricans--Illinois--Chicago--Social life and customs
Veterans--personal narratives
Gangs--Illinois--Chicago
Language
A language of the resource
spa
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-06-25