22 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9e7a970b5add48c06dec62aec80d8b44.jpg 652f5d1692da8f81546e4fd1bcd14b69 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00843 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1939-08-14 Title A name given to the resource Nebraska. Greenwood Creek Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of a man leaning against a wall of stone at the East fork of Greenwood Creek. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Nebraska Geology Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cd72e1f2649d5473224957640971c706.jpg fc5f827c5df9fa580c8ad3aa16ca554e 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00842 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-08-15 Title A name given to the resource Yellowstone National Park. Lena at glacial boulder Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of Lena Merrill standing in front of a boulder in Yellowstone National Park. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Yellowstone National Park Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/463ced4eb636e6a31b32431b3a9e3154.jpg f92873b80830ef084fdc16499bc69f61 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00840 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-08-14 Title A name given to the resource Yellowstone National Park. Fish Pot at Yellowstone Thumb Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of the Fish Pot hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Yellowstone National Park Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d951284ecc3f19f653f19f741b2f3d5f.jpg 4f34391adeaf61c5a68165bbcd8134ac 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00839 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-08-12 Title A name given to the resource Yellowstone National Park. Roaring Mountain Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of Roaring Mountain in Yellowstone National Park. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Yellowstone National Park Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f5a555e38edc5a3baf9c316ee93844b9.jpg 7b802eaecde3ba0efac6b02daa0c191e 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00838 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-08-12 Title A name given to the resource Yellowstone National Park. Silver Gate Hoodoos Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of rock formations at the Silver Gate site in Yellowstone National Park. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Yellowstone National Park Rock formations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/be944fa851b6c5628db99e11cc564926.jpg 537581d601c585a047892b90158edc53 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00837 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911-08-11 Title A name given to the resource Fort Yellowstone Description An account of the resource Black and white lantern slide of Fort Yellowstone, Wyoming. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Fort Yellowstone (Wyo.) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c51c2e787998f55c284c3697f86d867c.jpg 644e91fed772fa71fc6ca45d590f80b2 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00836 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1939 Title A name given to the resource Tee-Win-Ot from Jenny Lake Description An account of the resource Color lantern slide of Grand Teton mountain taken from Jenny Lake, Wyomoing. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Grand Teton (Wyo.) Grand Teton National Park (Agency : U.S.) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Haynes, Jack Ellis, 1884-1962 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/34b1c119d051f5986d0f40ae1df2dcee.jpg 13b9001bbf09a9b82de2b2409393de7a 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 Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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 Merrill_LS00835 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1939 Title A name given to the resource Wyoming. Grand Teton from Snake River Description An account of the resource Color lantern slide of Grand Teton mountain taken from Snake River, Wyoming. Subject The topic of the resource Lantern slides Grand Teton (Wyo.) Grand Teton National Park (Agency : U.S.) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Haynes, Jack Ellis, 1884-1962 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8b66536d2e04f9e0b41c9eeb3b8fedf7.pdf 8194dda881aceb012efd0d0fa72521b6 PDF Text Text YOUNG LORD QUIZ Please circle the best answers 1. From what Chicago neighborhood did the Young Lords originate and become a National Political Movement? • • • • 2. A) Humboldt Park B) West Town C) Lincoln Park D) Wicker Park What was the modern day land question that sparked Lincoln Park into action and raised the political consciousness of the Young Lords? • • • • 3. A) Police brutality B) Aids C) Military occupation of Puerto Rico D) Forcing Puerto Ricans and the poor from prime real estate areas like downtown and the lakefront. The Mission of the Lincoln Park Movement and the Young Lords was: • A) To elect John Kerry President • B) To kick out Daley and elect a new Mayor • C) Puerto Rican and worldwide self-determination and neighborhood controlled development • D) Elect Latino politicians 4. The Young Lords believed in what Mao Tse Tung called a People's War. What does this mean? • • • • A) Leaders will wage battle for the People B) Individuals don't make qualitative change. Change is brought about by an organized People C) Since we have no leaders, we must wait for a Messiah D) The "Latino Revolution" must be conducted only in Spanish �The Young Lords believed that a People's Party is necessary for change. It is the representative of the most progressive elements of its class. What other goals must it achieve? A) B) C) D) E) Unity of will Become the vanguard of its class Discipline bordering on military Build unity with the many to defeat the few All of the above Democracy Under Centralized Guidance was the system of management used by the Young Lords. It includes: A) B) C) D) E) Majority rules Lower leading bodies submit to higher levels and to Central Committee Individual submits to organization One always follows a directive. It can be discussed later. All of the above The first Young Lord's study group consisted of readings and speeches by Malcom X, Albizu Campos, Che, Frantz Fanon and Eldrige Cleaver. It was held at: A) Peoples Church B) Cha-Cha's apartment C) People's Park D) McCormick Seminary E) All of the above A "Cabezon" is someone who is selfish, and an individualist who also: A) Is ashamed to do "dirty or low class" work B) Gossips about members C) Fails to educate the people D) Lets things slide to avoid blame or for the sake of peace E) All of the above �Many reasons were given for the "split" between National Headquarters and the New York chapter. The Truth was: A) Minimal communication and major police infiltration B) National in Chicago lacked ideology, leadership skills, and discipline C) A physical fight took place between Andre Gonzales and Yoruba Guzman D) Cha-Cha was a criminal and had used drugs After being jailed nine months and exonerated for alleged kidnapping charges in support of the F.A.L.N., Cha-Cha Jimenez and the Young Lords resurfaced to help elect Harold Washington, first black Mayor. In June 1983, Cha-Cha helped organize the first city sponsored, neighborhood festival and introduced Mayor Washington in Humboldt Park; demanded humane treatment for the F.A.L.N.; and demanded Puerto Rican self-determination, before an elated crowd. How many were at the event? A) B) C) D) 100 10,000 100,000 5,000 The first political action ever taken by the Young Lords was to "thrash" the entire Department of Urban Renewal office. True or False The Young Lords platform spelled out its principles and was used as an organizing tool. True or False The Young Lords believed that before any battle one must unite with others and therefore decide "Who are their friends and who are their enemies." True or False �14. Manuel Ramos, Julio Roldan, Jose "Pancho" Lind, Methodists Eugenia Johnson and Rev. Bruce Johnson were all affiliated with the Young Lords and were murdered. Now they are also victims of unsolved murders. True or False 15. The Young Lords helped set up a People's law office, "survival programs", a free breakfast for children program, a Puerto Rican cultural center, free health and dental clinic, voter registration campaigns, and a free day care center. These involved the community, exposed injustices, and helped destroy enemy "encirclement and suppression campaigns"against the Young Lords and the Lincoln Park Movement. True or False � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00063_01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Title A name given to the resource Young Lords quiz Description An account of the resource Young Lords history quiz Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2a752975cc3470ff6b90274bb659914a.pdf f75da741fe793e57dc975b65c3c94019 PDF Text Text LATINA/O LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM 1993-1994 m m U Young Lords Oral History Project . «y • * . • & m 1 -Presented by: Yolanda Quinones . . .. , . ,,, ...... Vicky Romero Chicago Region sFiv<fP> fe • • -J i©§ . DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives FHOTOCOPf �DePaul University Library scial Collections and Archi PHOTOCOPY �BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE YOUNG LORDS (dates are approximations. Research is on going.) The Chicago Young Lords, founders of this Hispanic Movement, were iifu the sons and daughters of the first Puerto Rican immigrants to Chicago. Without funding, they successfully built a national grassroots movement within the Hispanic Barrios of the United States. It all began when City Hall decided to create an inner city suburb in Lincoln Park and in the process displaced the entire neighborhood of the first Puerto Ricans. DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives PHOTOCOPY �(page 2) 1945-1950 Luis Munoz Marin becomes first popularly elected Puerto Rlcan Governor. Fomento replaces sugar cane with Industry and Tourism In Puerto Rico. U.S. and Mexico In conflict with Bracero Program Massive unemployment forces Jibaros to emigrate to U.S. migrant camps. Jlbaro Tomateros" move from migrant camps to large cities. 1950 1955 Neighborhood barrios of La Clark and La Madison develop In Chicago. More massive migration: La Clark and La Madison expand. I960 Carl Sanburg Village and University of Illinois displaces thousands of Puerto Rlcans. ; Lincoln Park and Wicker Park develop Puerto Rlcan Barrios k Sons and Daughters of first immigrants go from Athletic Clubs to gangs. 4 Lincoln Park and OldJTown become an 'Inner-City Suburb." 1968 Young Lords thrash urban renewal office. Local Mafia owned real estate office Is picketed All windows of Anglo businesses on Armltage Ave. are busted. Jan. 1969 Wicker Park Welfare Office Is stormed by Young Lords and Latinos. Cha-Cha conducts political education classes In his living room. TIJerlna literature and Black Panther movie is shown to Young Lords. EOO People picket Chicago Ave Police station after arrest of Cha-Cha Jimenez. DEPAUL University Library S p e d ! Collections and Arduves P PHOTOCOPY �FEB. 1969 (page 3) Young Lords go to Corky Gonzales Youth Gang Conference, In Denver, CO. Demonstration to Wicker Park Welfare Office. Cha-Cha is Indicted 18 times In 6 week period. Ranging from aggravated battery on police to mob action Ralph Rivera's button Tengo Puerto Rico en ml Corazon" becomes symbol of Young Lords. Chicago Ave Police workshop Is taken over by Young Lords. Meetings begin with Armltage Ave Church for space for Young Lords programs. Young Lords march against police brutality. Alblzu campos march. Cha-Cha speaks at University of Puerto Rico. Students spontaneously burn down R.O.T.C'building. Fred Hampton, Cha-Cha and Young Patriots meet to form Rainbow Coalition. Cha-Cha goes on speaking tour with Fred Hampton. APRIL 1969 Young Lords and 350 Latino community residents take-over and sit In at Mc Kormick Theological Seminary for one week until demands are met: Demands Met; $ 6 5 0 , 0 0 0 Is to be invested In low income housing. $25,000 opens a clinic In West Town for Lado. $25,000 opens People's Law Offices In Lincoln Park. $S5,000 (committed but never received for a Young Lords Cultural Center.) Mayor Daley, Hanrahan and others call for a "War on Gangs" to attack Black Panthers and Young Lords. MAY 1969 Manuel Ramos is shot at Orlando Da vita's party by off- duty policeman James Lamb. Four Young Lords are arrested. Policeman is not charged. Service is held at Mc Kormick Seminary for Manuel Ramos IOOO people join Young Lords in purple berets at St. Teresa's DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives PHOTOCOPY �y ( page 4 ) funeral Mass for Manuel Ramos. Puerto Rlcans side with Young Lords against police abuse. Young Lords take-over Peoples's Church and set up a Day Care Center, a clinic, a cultural center, and National Headquarters. Gang Intelligence unit and Red Squad station a car 2 4 hrs day photographing anyone entering Y.L.O. Church, (later It was learned that "Colntel Pro" was also Involved In inciting riots. Infiltration, and creating divisions within the Latino and African-American movements. i • i JUN€ 1969 Urban renewal land to be used for a $IOOO a year tennis court Is taken over and 4 0 0 people camp out on Armitage and Haisted for a week. Later it becomes People's Park arid Playground equipment is added. Police create a riot In.People's Park. Cha-Cha arrested for mob action. Young Lords march to Humboldt Park with over 10,000 people. Many In purple berets carrying Alblzu Campos and Manuel Ramos posters. Chapter of Young Lords opens In New York. Young Lords Join Black Panthers In support of Bobby Seale conspiracy trial. Young Lords visit California and meet with Brown Berets, Black Panthers, and Black Berets. Chapter of Young Lords opens in Hayward, CA. Young Lords march with I.W.W. S6PT. 1969 Cha-Cha marches with Nationalist Party at Grito de Lares march in Jayuya, Puerto Rico. United people to Inform good doers- Uptight is formed to , discredit Young Lords. They pass fliers at suburban churches. Alderman Mc Cutheon's press conference is taken over by Young Lords. Mc Cutheon is exposed for soliciting prostitutes. Caballcros de San Juan vote to support Young Lords. Puerto Rlcan Bishop Antullo Parllla celebrates Mass for DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives PHOTOCOPY �( page 5) Young Lords in Chicago. Cha-Cha and Fred Hampton arrested at Wicker Park Welfare Office. Obed Lopez Is beaten by police. Mary lou Porrata Is assaulted by welfare case worker. Cha-Cha travels with Corky Gonzalaes on speaking tour. Young Lords visit Alcatraz during Native American take-over led by Richard Oakes. Young Lords visit Cuba through Venceremos Brigade. Police attempt to disrupt Young Lords block party. OCTOBER 1969 Emeterlo Betances Health Clinic screens people door-to-door for lead poisoning Murals are painted on church walls. Young Lords donate blood for local Puerto Rlcan businessmen. November 1969 Fred Hampton arrested for liberating ice cream and giving It to ghetto children. Day Care Center Is fined $ 2 0 0 each day it remains open, (unless floor is raised 3 feet and the celling Is lowered 3 feet.) Cha-Cha arrested for $23 dollar theft of lumber, while ten people flee and escape police, (later Cha-Cha pleads guilty and receives one year sentence. DECEMBER 1969 Fred Hampton is murdered by State's Attorney Hanrahan and Chicago police. Young Lords attend funeral. Cha-Cha is told by attorneys not to sleep in same house 2 days In a row. 1970 New York Lords and Chicago Lords meet and both agree to work independently as revolutionary companeros. Jose' (Pancho Lind is murdered by a white street gang. The killer Is a brother of a policeman at scene and is not arrested. DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives PHOTOCOPY �( page 6) Young Lords march to court to no avail. Rev. Bruce Johnson and his wife are both found stabbed to death In their beds. Rev. Johnson was stabbed 17 times, his wife 9 times. Women members of Young Lords meet with Vietnamese women at Canada Conference Young Lords march with Methodist Bishop In memory of Rev. Bruce Johnson. The Rev. Bruce Johnson case has never been Investigated nor solved. Cha-Cha decides to go underground, (while underground forms 2 chapters of Young Lords sets up a training school, and works on Young Lords newspaper. DECEMBER 1972 Cha-Cha turns himself In... before 5 0 0 people at the Town Hal! police station In 46th ward. Cha-Cha serves year and then released only after putting up bond for remaining IO cases. Cha-Cha plea bargains and decides to plead guilty for mob action In return for no Jail and probation. Cha-Cha visits Peoples Republic of China SEPTEMBER 1973 Cha-Cha announces campaign for alderman of 46th ward. FEBRUARY 1975 Cha-Cha comes in 2nd and gets 39% of vote in an area with only IOOO Latino registered voters. ALSO IN THE MID 7 0 s. Cha-Cha is wanted for burglary. While In hiding the machine controlled Uptown Lerner Newspaper runs same article several times. The burglary case never goes to trial. Fain Group Is arrested. Cha-Cha Is arrested the same week. Demands trial and Is released when time expires on speedy trial law. No witnesses or accusers are brought to court by state's attorney. FEBRUARY 1983 Young Lords work together with Puerto Rlcan Parade Committee. Cha-Cha introduces Mayor Harold Washington before a crowd of 100,000 Puerto Ricans In Humboldt Park. DePaui University Library Special Collections and Archives PHOTOCOPY' �DONATION .50 kuss . - 4 . • ... ... - . v. teK*?-•' VsiSWA'.-i-"--. . . . S.Su.>.".' Li . < QUE VIVA EL PUEBLO 11 A BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF JOSE CHA-CHA JIMENEZ GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE YOUNG LORDS ORGANIZATION ��w xt g 0 fl> p 1 X K O o H° < (5 O (/j O o TJ £L £-< •< >£f O f < i** v « CO ^ �"QUE VIVA EL PUEBLO" A BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF JOSE CHA-CHA JIMENEZ GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE YOUNG LORDS O R G A N I Z A T I O N �I Ull IT I U 1» i- iili Ultllir. I i u n J. I CHA-CHA JIMENEZ DEFENCE COMMITTEE P.O. BOX 3 3 8 2 MERCHANDISE MART S T A . CHICAGO , ILL. 60654 I �m 8 £L o « (5 c 0 , « H cf o§ I©' O o "U < 3 C O P w D - M o « f t cr �PLATFORM: SELF DETERMINATION FOR LATINOS AND ALL POOR AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD : r •' .»f• „.v<i5,S rV- •.•'.-/•••• ^/it-Ki-'ii. iV-'.*i&r v a v w V . V 't"".-/\r»>.- •- • 7 • * . v - . * ^ - . t - -^gr J*4* .•?. rrv .. f'^L*^*1 r . ' .1. We .want Independence and s e l f - d e t e n n l nation f:..- ^.f o r the Peopl e_ ; of ^Aztl an;and. Puerto Vu - ,, . 2. We want an end .to al 1 Ilmperi a l l s t wars— economic. a n ^ m u i t a r y . . ; ^ * We want an end ; t o the' mercenary": nature ofmQStffiiF the U.S. m i l i t a r y system ^nd'an end t o o p p r e s s l ^ ^ ; o f Latinos and o t h e r poor and oppressed people.o||n by threats o f Imprisonment o r by economicalTy ^ ^ ^ J .' - V . depriving them o f t h e i r b a s i c needs then f o r c i n g ^ ? them t o volunteer o r allowing thera t o be : / I n t o unjust, imperialist: w i r s . . ^ • ... : . 4 . . We want e q u a l i t y f o r the s e x e s . .; 5 . W e want an end t o the i n n e r - c t t y removal^o^^v - l a t i n o s and o t h e r poor and oppressed p e o p l e ; - W e 9 " want Latinos and a l l poor and oppressed people t o \ control the housing t o be b u i l t 1n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e conmunltles so that they can be sure 1t 1 s w f i t f o r human beings and economically reasonable. ' We a l s o want a l l e x i s t i n g housing brought up t o . comply with the codes. 6. We want a guaranteed Income and f u l l emoloyment f o r Latinos and a l l poor and oppressed people. 7 . We want b1-!1ngual education f o r Latinos. An education t h a t teaches Latinos and a l l poor and oppressed people the true h i s t o r y o f t h e i r past -»d exposes the true nature o f t h i s decadcnt ,1ety. (continued on bojdc cower) • �CO 13 |.o "U n e OS c ,O3 •ami (-C Ml OH ® O » a. O g # >sr o < a C O �Ui 1 f• O e- g o§ o§ o » op T? < < »-< C O > B2 S 3 Brca » �8. We want an end to the robbing o f Latinos and f l a i l poor and oppressed people by GREEDY YANQUI » BUSINESSMEN 1n the Latino cowminlty. - - ^ ^ ® 9 ^ ; ^ M w a n t : ; a n i e n d - t o the enormous drug problem m ^ c a u s e d by ;th1 s ^ e w d e n t ^ s o c i e t y *ant t h ^ W d n i g ; - pushers £ithe|r1 ch perpetrators o f t h i s I ^ s6c1etyi ; arrested >nd t r i e d by t h e l r y l c t l m s ^ H e : ' t ^ w a n t a l l those now In j a l l f o r crimes r e l a t e d ' ^ o to drugs discharged t o coemmlty-control 1 ed rehabX ? , n i t a t 1 o n centers and provided with good and ^ ^ ^ e f f l d e n t m e d l c a U c a r e . We want research begun v r 1nmed1 ately so t h a t the use o f methadone heroin addicts can be discontinued; ' ••''•V'^. f - P ? . #'10. We want the same good and e f f i c i e n t health H: I care that 1s given to the rich t o be given t o ' Latinos and other poor and oppressed p e o p l e . We want 1t to be f r e e t o Latinos and a l l poor n and oppressed people. HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN I RIGHT. . ; v 3. ,7 11. We want an end to the brutal1zat1on and cold-blooded murder o f Latinos and a l l poor and oppressed people by Yanqul p o l i c e 1n t h i s country. We want p o l i c e 1n Latino convnunltles t o be , ' ... Latinos and under the control o f the Latino comnunlty. 12. We want a l l Latinos released from f e d e r a l , s t a t e , county, and c i t y j a i l s , because they have not had f a i r t r i a l s nor have been t r i e d by a jury o f their peers as defined by the U.S. Cons t i t u t i o n . They have been t r i e d by Yanqul courts and jurors who have no basic understanding o f Latinos nor o f the conditions to which Latinos are subjected. Cha Cha Jimenez, General Secretary Young Lords Organization Cook County J a l l December 31, 1972 �:ktrcdj:':in Cha Cha's story shows the 'lenctht to which the rich who run this country will qc to keep Door people and Latinos down. Born ir, Puerto R1co and raised 1n a U.S. slum, Che Cha 1s only a l i t t l e d i f f e r e n t from other Puerto Rlcans; that 1s, he has already spent ten years of his l i f e 1n court and 1n j a i l f o r rebelling against tne system. Those near him 1n his teen-age years would ask i f he had been anything more than a drug addict and i gang member. But what 1s a gang but a chjup of younc people—products of the ghetto in r e b e l l i o n — d i r e c t i n c their H o s t i l i t i e s toward rther poo- v i c t i m Instead of their oppressors. Drun addiction is only ar extension of the gang. Altiiouah ccrfused fo** many years as to who thr oppressor was, Cha Cha used "his time 1n tc think. He l e f t j a i l with a vague conception of nr. oppressor— a conception he sharpened as he experienced continued abuse. He saw that his problems were not unique but common among the p o o r , e s p e c i a l l y among Latinos. He reorganised the dissolving s t r e e t gang—then on the verge o f f a l l i n g into drugs—and turned 1t into a p o l i t i c a l organization f i g h t i n g f o r the s e l f - d e t e r mination o f Latinos and other poor and oppressed peoples. The Young Lords Organization was concerned with the issues o f welfare, health, day care, and p o l i c e b r u t a l i t y . I t also dealt with the questions of Puerto Pvicar. Independence and urbar. renewal. These were the issues which brought repression from the oppressor. Mayor Daley and his "Maquina Demoeratica," who had dominated the Latino vote ever since we can remember, could not tolerate a Latino organization opposed to their scheme f o r driving the poor out of their neighborhoods so that suburbanites could return to the inner Daley drove the Latinos froir, the areas r: ^curled" by the Carl Sandburg Village and the b: • <tv" of . " H i n d s . Wher, ht promised then relocc'w * and decent housinc, h€ swindled I �them. He did the same thing to the Lincoln Park conmunity. But Cha Cha, the Young Lords, the Latinos and the poor of Lincoln Park who had been driven out of t h e i r homes too many times saw through Daley's demagoguery and p r o t e s t e d . This Daley could not t o l e r a t e . A deluge of indictments poured out o f S t a t e ' s Attorney Hanrahan's o f f i c e to Lincoln Park residents and Young Lords. The Young Lords leaders g o t f o u r and f i v e cases each—they were charged with e v e r y thing from l e a f l e t t i n g too c l o s e to a school to mob action. Cha Cha alone got eighteen cases dumped on him. He was given a year f o r taking $ 23 worth o f lumber. He has now won thirteen cases. He s t m has f o u r cases pending. w \ % 3J -o O § q ® 9 H & 5 ' 0 § ? O § ^ o- £ y §f £ E $ a> What were the crimes committed by the poor and Latinos of Lincoln Park 1n 1969 and 1970? Demanding self-determination 1n a democratic society? What was so d i a b o l i c a l about a fonner s t r e e t gang and I t s leader trying to serve t h e i r people? Why was the news media used to slander them? As long as s t r e e t gangs k i l l and b r u t a l i z e their own people they are Ignored and sometimes even aided by the oppressor, but when they attack the r o o t of "the problem, the creators of the ghettos, the actual criminals o f t h i s s o c i e t y — t h e oppressors—will u t i l i z e every means in t h e i r power—the courts, the p o l i c e , the S t a t e ' s Attorney's o f f i c e , e t c . — t o suppress them. The only crime that Cha Cha committed has been to wage a struggle f o r self-determination and to refuse to humble himself before the oppressor. For t h i s , he is new in j a i l . As Cha Cha himself said a f t e r the Young Lord Manuel Ramos was murdered in cold blood by an o f f - d u t y policeman: They can They can They can But" they j a i l us; brutalize us; even k i l l us— c a n ' t stor> us! �CHA CHA JIMENEZ Jose (Cha Cha) Jimenez was born or, August 8 , v 1948' in an apartment 1n "El Mi 11 on, a slum of Caguas, Puerto R1co. His parents came from a rural area. The youngest o f 15 children, his mother Eugenia had been raised 1n a convent because her' father was bl1nd and there was no one to take care of her. At the age o f 16, she l e f t the convent to marry Cha Cha's father Antonio. In her pregnancy, she went to Caguas to be near a doctor. 'Antonio had already l e f t to find a job 1p the United States; he was in a migrant camp near Boston when Cha Cha was born. Cha Cha's older s i s t e r died of pneumonia shortly a f t e r his birth leaving him the only male and eventually the oldest of four children. When Cha Cha was two years o l d , Antonio had earned enough money to send f o r him and his mother. They lived near Boston f o r a year, then moved to Chicago with Cha Cha's new-born s i s t e r . There they became tenants 1n a hotel which had been converted into r a t - and roach-infested apartments. Known as the Water Hotel, 1t was on the corners of Superior and La Salle streets on the near-north side in the old Clark Street area. There, the family lived near r e l a t i v e s and friends who had l e f t Puerto Rico f o r similar reasons. In the l a t e f o r t i e s and early f i f t i e s , migration of Puerto Rlcans to U.S. c i t i e s skyrocketed from an average of 10,000 peonle a year to 50,000. They came looking f o r jobs to establish some savings with the hope of eventually returning to their homeland. In Chicago, two centers of the Puerto Rican community grew up—an area around Madison Avenue from Ashland to Kedzie and the neighborhood where Cha Cha lived from Ohio to North Avenue with Clark Street as i t s nucleus. Among Puerto Ricans these "barrios" were corrmonlv called "Ls. Madison* and "La Clark." "La Madison" i �"<2c been an established r e s i d e n t i a l area with twoana three-story apartment houses. I t had a sense c f ccnm/nity with Latino b u s i n e s s e s , t h e a t e r s , and agencies. "La Clark" was d i f f e r e n t . Long before the Puerto Ricans moved t h e r e , 1t had been an area under syndicate c o n t r o l . "Los chinos" from "La Clark" had a firm g r i p on " l a b o l i t a " (the numbers game); there was a l o t o f gambling, drugs, p r o s t i t u t i o n , and homosexuality, e t c . . "La Clark" had "mixed h o u s i n g " - - i f you could call i t that. Although many Puerto Ricans lived 1n the Cabrini p r o j e c t s , most o f "La Clark" was made up of dilapidated hotels bandaged and divided into apartments and single rooms. In renting these buildings, i t seemed as 1f the landlords were trying to coin the l a s t b i t of p r o f i t from t h e i r Puerto R1can tenants. Cha Cha's family lived 1n the Water Hotel f o r a couple of years until i t was f i n a l l y condemned and torn down. Drifting northward two or three w blocks at a time, by 1956 the family had reached 1Q the boundary of "La Clark." In a t o t a l o f s i x \J y e a r s , they hadl^been-fo-rced 'to move nine t i m e s all because ofmrban^enewalX I t never dawned -is OO l . on them that trfe c1^~aeTTBerately intended to x Ho** a> * — ; push the Puerto Ricans out o f t h e i r homes. The Puerto Ricans thought the buildings would e i t h e r < a> be renovated or leveled and then reconstructed O K W) so that they would be able to return to l i v e in them. The men who ran the c i t y had a d i f f e r e n t O 5® plan. Today the expensive areas o f the Carl - o sL Sandburg Village and "Old Town" have replaced > ^ ft P most of "La Clark" and Puerto Ricans are a r a r i t y . To make way f o r the r i c h , the Puerto Ricans from "La Clark" were pushed into the adjacent community of Lincoln Park or into the new barrio o f "La Division." People from "La Madison" poured in there t o o . The other pockets of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago—"La Blue Island," "La 63," "La Sheridan," etc.—grew un l a t e r . h® ! ** o i y -eJ �Che. Che. had alreacy attendee Mo'iv Name Cathedral, St. Joseph and Frank!ir, schools when he entered Newberry Elementary School 1n Lincoln Park 1n the t h i r d grade. At f i r s t he had a d i f f i c u l t time adapting. Lincoln Park was a conwunlty of poor white Americans—Irish, I t a l tans7~peopTe from Appalachia, e t c . . ChaTChars tMli-y~was~one of the f i r s t Puerto RicajPfamITtrrTnJIhe neighborhood. Kids at scRooTTwould call "IfvT"few Puerto R1can children "spies" and beat them on t h e i r way home. Cha Cha came home injured many times. He told his Darents he had "tripped and f a l l e n , " but they understood otherwise because they had seen a f i g h t 1n the a l l e y next to their home. The s c u f f l e began among gypsy youth, whose families shared the building with the Puerto Ricans. All the residents o f the apartment house got a panoramic view from t h e i r windows as 1f they were watching from separate booths in an outdoor stadium. The youths were belting a young gypsy who was Cha Cha's f r i e n d . When Cha Cha raced outside to help him, the gypsy youths converged on him. When Puerto Rican youths poured out of the building, the f i g h t s h i f t e d to a b a t t l e between gypsies and Puerto Ricans. Even Cha Cha's friend sided with his kinsfolk. The soectators began casting t h e i r b a l l o t s arguing with each other, screaming and cheering v i c t o r y f o r t h e i r s i d e . After l e t t i n g the f i g h t go on f o r some time, the adults i n t e r vened and brought i t to a halt. As more Puerto Ricans from "La Clark" moved into Lincoln Park, Cha Cha's family followed the current a block upward as I r i s h , I t a l i a n s , and Appalachian whites moved further north. Cha Cha's father began guzzling liquor (two of his uncles had already died from l i v e r infections caused by a l c o h o l ) . To get her husband to stop drinking, dona Eugenia made a "promesa" to dress 1n black f o r a year. She persuaded her husband to j o i n the Knights of Saint John, a Latinc organization r �f c m e d by the Catholic archdiocese of Chicago. Through the aid of a p r i e s t assigned to L a t i n o s , she organized Spanish catechism classes in her home f o r Puerto Rican children 1n the area. Meanwhile, Cha Cha was getting Into t r o u b l e according to the neighbors who t r i e d to keep their sons away from him. Cha Cha c o u l d n ' t understand the d i f f e r e n c e between his actions and those of the neighbor kids nor did he know why people were t a l k i n g . In f a c t , a recording at the time with the t i t l e "Everybody E l s e ' s Son's a Troublemaker But Mine," would have been appropriate. At his mother's request, the p r i e s t talked with Cha Cha and met with him a l l summer. Soon he became an altar boy at the Spanish mass 1n Saint Michael's church. His mother arranged with the p r i e s t to enroll him in a Catholic school — « p j a i n t T e r e s a ' s . Though a poor f a m i l y , they did § h o t have to worry about t u i t i o n which the p r i e s t ^had taken care o f . Most of the classrooms 1n - g O e s t . Teresa's were f i l l e d with Germans, Polish X - § i J>®ople and I t a l l t a n s . There were only a few O 8 bblacks and Latinos 1n the s c h o o l . In Cha Cha's —4 cf. sslxth grade c l a s s , there were none. O?, ® O w 2. When he entered St. T e r e s a ' s , he had been O § C o m p l e t e l y transformed from nrischievousness to 3S ^ cplety. His teacher—a nun—took special i n t e r e s t y rfn him and became his f r i e n d . He put his mind to J5 sMs studies and no longer spent much time with his ST.'Neighborhood f r i e n d s , who people thought had been £ the cause of his mischief. Before and a f t e r class w and on weekends, he helped around the church and school—shoveling snow, sweeping, mopping and waxing the f l o o r s , and dusting the pews in the chapel. In the three years he attended St. T e r e s a ' s , he was always f i r s t o r second in the number o f candy sales made to raise funds to build a new church. Continuing as f *ltar boy at St. T e r e s a ' s , he else sane ir . i r . Hear comple- L �ticn of her "promesa," dona Eugenia had set up an altar in their home. Latino neiahbords o f t e n asked her to lead in the r e c i t a t i o n of a rosary; i t became part of the d a i l y schedule at home. I t was not surprising then that at the age of eleven, Cha Cha had made up his mind about his f u t u r e . After graduating from eighth grade, he wanted to enter a seminary to prepare f o r the priesthood. Meanwhile, although there were s t i l l only a few Puerto R1can businesses in Lincoln Park, the influx of Puerto Ricans continued. I t was the early 1960 1 s and s t r e e t gangs were spreading over the c i t y . There were a few gangs 1n Lincoln Park among the European m i n o r i t i e s , but none as yet among the Puerto Ricans. When Puerto R1can newcomers were detected in non-Puerto R1can sections of Lincoln Park, they were beaten mercilessly like someone was beating dust out o f a carpet. From time to time, the Puerto Rican grapevine r e ported incidents l i k e t h i s . St. Teresa's had no gangs although there were a couple o f gang members in the s c h o o l , which was l o c a t t d in the t e r r i t o r y of a European gang. In hopes o f preparing f o r the priesthood, Cha Cha stuck to his s t u d i e s . In the spring—when the gangs surfaced—he became inadvertently involved in an incident. A group of Puerto Ricans who l a t e r the same year would form the Black Eagles, the Paragons or the Young Lords, retaliated against some of the European gang members. Because some of their own had been hurt, the European gang was out f o r revenge. Although Cha Cha had riot been involved in the i n c i d e n t , some of the gang members ranembered him from Newberry. One day as he was walklnc home from s c h o o l , they caught sight of him from across the s t r e e t and yelled his name. He kept walkina t.ni pretended not to hear. They veiled aaai• "his time he looked at them, turned the come; "an down the Mock. The gang ris shed a f i e -r cha:" : nc M r :nt * 1 he net into �the Puerto Rican s e c t i o n . To avoid f u r t h e r beati n g s , Cha Cha found a new route home from s c h o o l . More f i g h t s accurred between Puerto Rlcans and European gangs. The Puerto Rlcans—who by now had grown 1n number—began to organize themselves in s e l f - d e f e n s e . Orlando D a v l l a , founder o f the Young Lords, asked Cha Cha to a meeting. He had met Cha Cha at his mother's catechism c l a s s . Cha Cha decided to attend the meeting along with nine other youths. At t h i s meeting, the Young Lords were formed. The Young Lords remained a nominal organization f o r Cha Cha: he was not an active p a r t i c i p a n t . Most o f the b a t t l e s were fought at the p u b l i c school while he was at the Catholic school. Further, at this time, gang organization in Lincoln Park was j u s t beginning. During the summer vacation, Cha Cha was in a few scattered f i g h t s at the beach, but when classes resumed, he s p l i t from the gang to readapt h1mg1 s e l f to a d i f f e r e n t environment. He returned to » ^ M s s t u d i e s . Now he was 1n his eighth year—th« g. year o f d e c i s i o n . He sent his a p p l i c a t i o n t o a ^ Redemptorlst seminary 1n Wisconsin f o r which he TJ Q needed l e t t e r s of reconrnendation from the p r l n c i anc* pastor of St. Teresa's. X tf r Although Cha Cha O o 3 had behaved himself all semester, toward the end tf. 4* o f the term he and another classmate were caught O a | throwing eggs at a bus in which—they found out O 4/5 later— the pastor was r i d i n g . They were suspended O S * from school f o r a few days. Instead o f a l e t t e r C 0 * recommendation, the pastor asked the seminary ^ > Sfto deny entry to Cha Cha. The seminary wrote him o <5to try again the following year. This would be . H T . ^ d i f f i c u l t . Because Cha Cha could not a f f o r d ^ t u i t i o n to a Catholic high s c h o o l , he would be w going to Waller, the public s c h o o l , which would make 1t less easy f o r h1rr to be accepted at the seminary the following year. Further, Waller was the school which the Young Lords and other neighborhood gangs would attend. t �Like his other classmates, Cna Cha t r i e d to find people from St, Teresa's who would be going to his new s c h o o l . Although Waller was the nearest high s c h o o l , only one other classmate planned to go so Cha Cha d i d n ' t find many a s s o c i a t e s . Soon a f t e r graduation, some of his classmates' families organized a graduation party to which neither Cha Cha nor his family were 1nvited—an example of ant1-Puerto R1can f e e l i n g which he had experienced c o n s i s t e n t l y at St. T e r e s a ' s . He found out about the party while walking down the s t r e e t with two other Young Lords dressed t h e i r purple and black sweaters. Two o f his f e l l o w classmates stepped out of the s t o r e f r o n t where the party was being held. When they saw Cha Cha they asked him why he wasn't at the party. "I j u s t d i d n ' t f e e l 11ke going," he r e p l i e d . The Young Lords were anxious to move Into the dance, but Cha Cha persuaded them not to. By now, Lincoln Park was flooded with Puerto Ricans and other Latinos. By sunnier, gang f i g h t s were routine. When e i t h e r side 1n the c o n f l i c t had I t s members roughed up, both sides would come together quickly l i k e s o l d i e r s 1n a f o r t a f t e r the sounding of r e v e i l l e — w i t h their weapons and ready f o r b a t t l e . However, gang f i g h t i n g was not the only wave of action the gangs created 1n Lincoln Park. The Puerto Ricans hung out on the playgrounds in their i d l e time. Cliques of twos and threes would disappear f o r hours at a time to get drugs, s n i f f g l u e , smoke marijuana, shoot heroin, burglarize homes, s t r i p c a r s , snatch purses, and s t i c k up people. After awhile, the Young Lords—the youngest of four or f i v e Latino groups on the playground—got Into t h i s . Cha Cha's Catholic education and previous environment did not help him here. I f he wanted to be accepted by the crowd—or as i t was called then, i f he wanted to be considered a "regular"—he had to change his ways. He did so and a f t e r awhile he a t �.•found himself in j a i l . In f a c t , by the time classes began at Waller, he had been arrested many times, had spent nearly two of his summer months in a juvenile home, and had been placed on a y e a r ' s probation. c/i H P. O % Cha Cha lasted only two months at Waller, Soon a f t e r r e g i s t e r i n g , he was arrested and spent two months in j a i l before going t o t r i a l . When his case f i n a l l y came up, the judge decided to deport him to Puerto Rico f o r a year. Discharged from 3 Q IL Z cs ^ ) ^ ^ H g". 5 § ^ ? w i § ^ J o- £ ^ > j u v e n i l e home, he was put on a plane f o r Puerto R1co. For the eight months he stayed 1n Puerto R i c o , he kept out o f trouble with the p o l i c e . When he returned to Chicago, he t r i e d to enroll 1n school but was turned down. A week l a t e r , he was back in j a i l . When the judge asked him how long i t had been since he had been 1n p r i s o n , he t o l d him eight months. So he put Cha Cha on probation f o r another year. 5". | By the time Cha Gha was seventeen, he had developed from a "regular" to the president o f the Young Lords—not f o r being tough but f o r being ••trusted" a f t e r so many trips to j a i l . I t was 1964 and gang fighting had stopped some. Cha Cha and most of the other members concentrated more on s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s and their g i r l f r i e n d s , but the p o l i c e wouldn't leave him alone. They caused trouble f o r him and his g i r l f r i e n d . Because they eloped and because Cha Cha had i long p o l i c e r e cord, his g i r l f r i e n d ' s probation o f f i c e r t r i e d to keep the couple apart by forcing her family to leave the community. It was d i f f i c u l t f o r Cha Che tc accept t h i s . He had been discharged on parole a f t e r two more months in the j u v e n i l e home and now her probation o f f i c e r and his Drobatlon o f f i c e r had taken i t UDon themselves to keep the couple apart. Cha Cha and his g i r l f r i e n d managed to meet s e c r e t l y f o r some months, but a f t e r awhile the g i r l found another romance in her new school. The authori t i e s ' scheme worked. the 10 �When Cha C'na's friends told h i * , he l e t i t ride at f i r s t , but one day they raised the subject again while drinking wine. Cha Cha and three otheYoung Lords took the El to the neighborhood of the g i r l ' s school where they found her with her boyfriend in a small restaurant. One of the Lords had given his k n i f e to Cha Cha because they thought Cha Cha too t i p s y to f i g h t and they d i d n ' t want to stab the youth. When the Lord threw the f i r s t punch, the boy started to run. He ran straight 1ntc Cha Cha who had been standing near the door. Cha Cha reached into his pocket, pulled out the blade, and stabbed the boy three times. The boy rescued the other side of the street when a gathering from the school stormed Cha Cha and the Lords. When Cha Cha lunged at the group with a cleaver, they took o f f . The g i r l also pushed her way into the f i g h t . Cha Cha belted her and stabbed the boy two more times, then took o f f v/ith the Lords i leaving the youth stretched out on the s t r e e t with f i v e knife wounds. Chasing the Lords, a group from the"school cornered them 1n a drugstore until the p o l i c e came and arrested them. When ^ they went to c o u r t , Cha Cha took the blame and got six months in a state penal farm. The other Q Lords were discharged. —j O When Cha Cha got out in mid-1966, the street O gang had broken up. Most of the* were in the O s e r v i c e , in j a i l , or married. A few stayed t o gether on. the corner but there were no mo^e ^ meetings and nc gang structure. Besides the Lords on the c o r n e r , there were others who came just to l o i t e r and get high. If there were any f i g h t s , they were with this combined group rather than with the Young Lords street gang, ' h i s s i t uation was pure gold f o r Cha Cha because he had nc desire tc be part of e gang. When he get out of the nena1 fan:., he founc job Li t £tocl:b©v ir t nearby *acter\ rr.akinc 3 * . 6 : ?.r h * j r . He faunc i nev p-".'>*, enc who* 11 li �he be.*;an to cake s e r i o u s l y . Problems i>-cse when the g i r l ' s family found out <?bout C'na Cha's o o l i t e record. Without t e l l inn , they l e f t ths rommunity. This time, however, Cha Cha managed to keen in touch with M s g i r l f r i e n d . n 2. O L % g ^ &< y c I 5. 5" % g P» gs ET a v § All was going well until he got i n t o an argument with a neighbor. Because he had spent so much time 1n prison, Cha Cha d i d n ' t knew his neighbors. I t was a Friday evening and Cha Cha had come home from work with Manuel Ramos. They had stopped to have a few beers before reaching Cha Cha's home. They planned to wait f o r each other while they changed clothes and washed up. They were going to a dance that night. While Cha Cha washed up, Manuel decided to leave because he d i d n ' t want doffa Eugenia to see him 1n a s l i g h t l y drunken s t a t e . He l e f t a message to t e l l Cha Cha he'd see him l a t e r at the dance. When Cha Cha g o t the message, he walked down the block t o catch up with Manuel to t e l l him his mother wouldn't mind, but He couldn't find him so he turned around and walked back toward home. From a distance next door to his house he saw an o l d e r man y e l l i n g at a young g i r l , who took o f f toward the backyard. A l i t t l e drunk, Chi Che mistook the g i r l f o r his s i s t e r . Not knowing that Cha Cha was his next-door neighbor, the man thought Cha Cha was provoking him. He t o l d Cha Cha to "mind his own business and go to h e l l . " Anytime he wanted t o , he said, he would y e l l at the c l r l . He f e l t p e r f e c t l y in the right since the o i r l was his own daughter, but Cha Cha took a swing at him and his son, who had come down to help his father. Dofia Eugenia came out to explain that Chi Cha was her son, he was a l i t t l e drunk, e t c . . She told Cha Cha that his s i s t e r had beer, 1n the house all alone. Apologizing to the mar ' his son, Che Chi shook hands with theft; and s v : - ' toward home., f t that p o i n t , i Dclice ca*- drew u The o f f i c e r c-de-ed II �Chs Ch= to get into the car. Ir borken English, dofie Eugenie, tried to t e 1 . the policeman that the problem had been settled. ''No trouble, no trouble,' she repeated. While she v/as t e l l i n g Cha Cha to go upstairs, the policeman kept pressing him to get into the car. Cha Cha told his mother not to worry—he would explain to the policeman and everything would be all right. Cha Cha never got a chance to explain. The policeman—angry because Cha Cha had not come right away—grabbed him by the c o l l a r . When Cha Cha reacted by grabbing him by the c o l l a r , another policeman came up from the rear and cracked his club over Cha Cha's head. Cha Cha lay unconscious on the pavement. The policeman knelt down on his arms and began banging his head on the sidewalk. Tn tears hi? mother screamed, "My son, my son! Por favor, no hit my son!" She and one of her daughters tried to pull the policeman o f f Cha Cha; another s i s t e r put her hands under his head as the policeman banged 1t on the concrete. The third s i s t e r grabbed the policeman's club and hurled 1t across the street. The neighbors— including the man and his son whom Cha Cha had h i t screamed at the p o l i c e to stop when doPla Eugenia nicked up a b o t t l e and threw 1t at the o f f i c e ^ . Blood streamed from his mouth along with two of his teeth. When he came t c , Cha Cha was in a police wagon with his mother, who was praying over a rosary. Though not arrested, his three sisters had asked to go tc the d o ! i c e station with their brother end mother. Cha Che did not know his mother had been arrested. When he found out he was so shocked and Infuriated that he began to fight with the policeman again. This time at least ten policemen beet him black and blue. He was lucky tc be e l l v e the next day when he appeared in court. His face was swollen; his neck showed signs of internal fc'e^-'nc where they had choked �him; h& was 1 imping, or. one leg whore they had kicked him. The neignbor who had argued with him brought no charges against him. The only charges brought against him were those of the policeman. Cha Cha was accused o f knocking out his tooth— or aggravated battery. Cha Cha's mother was charged with d i s o r d e r l y conduct, but her case was l a t e r dismissed. After the dismissal of her c a s e , Cha Cha eloned with his g i r l f r i e n d and l e f t the c i t y because he knew that he would l o s e his case 1n c o u r t . The courts would uniformly accept the policeman's word. Because of his previous p o l i c e r e c o r d , whatever he said in court would be of no value. a g El n o o o* g p jL . £ cr « A f t e r about a year, he and his underaged wife decided to return to Chicago. She was pregnant. They both f e l t they could c l e a r up t h e i r d i f f e r ences with her mother while Cha Cha wanted to c l e a r up his case with the courts b e f o r e the baby was born. When he went to the p o l i c e s t a t i o n , the p o l i c e could find no warrants f o r his previous a r r e s t so they told him to f o r g e t about the case. Q T h e a i r l ' s mother, however, did not want a "criminal" & g f o r a son-in-law so she v i s i t e d the court and had 5Cha Cha j a i l e d . She got a court order preventing h 1 m f r o m v i s i t i n g his wife or his new-born c h i l d , g. Cha Cha went to the penal settlement again. This < time when he returned he was r e a l l y depressed. He g began shooting heroin. Daily until he was addicted and l a t e r f o r what seemed a milennium, he kept f-4 taking narcotics. He was in and out of j a i l until 5 . in 1968 while in prison he made up his mind to ST beat the drug problem. At the time he was in maximum s e c u r i t y because of a rumor that he and twelve other Latinos were trying to escape from the House of Correction. He had not read a book in i t s e n t i r e t y since the eighth grade, but in his i s o l a t e d c e l l , there was nothing else to do. At f i r s t he started w J th �r e l i g i o u s books—Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton. He began to think about his l i f e . He pot into r e l i g i o n . He wanted to go tc church service but he c o u l d n ' t get out of his cell except to shower once a week. S t i l l he began mental invocation and regretted the mistakes of the past. He asked to see the p r i e s t and on his knees 1n his c e l l through the bars he confessed his s i n s . He read every book he could get his hands on. When a cousin who was also 1n j a i l told a Muslim trustee that Cha Che was Puerto Rican, the Muslim began to supply Cha Cha with p o l i t i c a l books. He could not see Cha Cha as a Puerto Rican at f i r s t because of -his l i g h t complexion. Jokingly, he would say, "But hs looks l i k e the devil—the beast." Then they would all break out in laughter. While Cha Cha was in maximum security reading about Martin Luther King J r . and other p o l i t i c a l leaders, protests were flooding the nation. It was 1968. Martin Luther King J r . had j u s t been murdered and r i o t e r s were streaming Into the j a i l s . He saw them as they passed the maximum security c e l l s . Along with the r i o t e r s he watched Mexican Immigrants being brought 1n—100 and 200 at a time—for having no passport papers. Cha Cha talked with their: in Spanish. They t o l d hirr, they had come to this country to get jobs so they could feed and clothe t h e i r f a m i l i e s . They had never been arrested until now when they were picked up at their work places. They would be flown back to Mexico, but they would return again to look f o r another j o b . The prison guards shoved them around because they coule not speak English. Chi Cha and the other"Puerto Ricans translated f o r them from their c e l l s and yelled at the guards f o r harrassing them. When Cha Che got out of j a i l , he returned to Lincoln »erk. The druc addicts on the comeo f f e r e d hirr hercir. but he had decided no* that he Ir • "D !X O 3 �wanted to help his people. He d i d n ' t want anything to i n t e r f e r e . He knew this was t h e i r way of t e l l i n g him they were happy to see him o u t , so he p o l i t e l y told them he d i d n ' t want drugs. They weren't surprised: people who g o t out o f j a i l usually said that at f i r s t — a couple o f weeks later they were back on drugs. But Cha Cha was s e r i o u s . He kept on reading and studying—about Malcolm X, the Massacre o f Ponce, don Albizu Campos, e t c . . . He found other people in the community who thought l i k e him. They Invited him t o urban renewal meetings. The people at the meetings were all white middle c l a s s peoDle.. There were no Latinos or other poor. Cha Cha began to see hov,' with the help o f these white middle c l a s s people urban renewal plotted to f o r c e the Latinos and other poor people out o f Lincoln Park. He O & p £- was angry, but what could he do? I f he t o l d his f r i e n d s , would they help? They seemed to be Interested only 1n drugs and gang f i g h t i n g . S t i l l he knew some o f them had been f o r c e d out of "La Clark" before and he knew that only the people could stop Daley's urban renewal plans, so he began to talk with them 1n the taverns, on the corners, and any place he found them. He put together three o r g a n i z a t i o n s . The f i r s t , the Concerned Puerto Rican Youth, was < co-opted by the YMCA and the same white middle class people who were pushing Latinos out of Lincoln Park. Concerned Puerto Rican Youth preferred to play basketball and b a s e b a l l ; they spent t h e i r time throwing dances to earr, money f o r more sports a c t i v i t i e s . Cha Cha could not see himself doing this while his people were being f o r c e d out o f Lincoln Park so a f t e r quitting them he organized the Puerto R1car Progressive Movement, which held classes on Puerto Rican issues. Later the Puerto Rican Progressive Movement disbanded t c become Da»*t of the Younc Lords which Cha Cha reorganized. It wasn't d i f f i c u l t *or the Young Lords tc under- [6 �stand what Chi Chi was saying aoout urban re/ewtl, racism, p o l i c e b r u t a l i t y , e t c . . After a l l , they lived i t . They developed quickly. At f i r s t , Cha Cha turned his apartment i n t o an o f f i c e and organized c l a s s e s . Later they shared an o f f i c e with another organization until eventually they occupied a church, renamed i t People's Church, and turned 1t into their national headquarters. The Young Lords held meetings in Lincoln Pari: on the problems o f housing and urban renewal. From early morning until late at night they would d l s t r l bute l e a f l e t s announcing t h e i r meetings until all Lincoln Park had been covered. In the cold winter months, poor people would come to People's Church with their children to t e l l the Young Lords that the s h e r r i f f ' h a d evicted them from t h e i r homes and dumped their belongings on the sidewalk. Taking the family's belongings i n t o the church, the Young Lords would ransack Lincoln Park looking f o r a vacated apartment. Because many landlords were remodeling t o . r a i s e r e n t s , many apartments were empty then. When the Lords found one they would move the family i n , v i s i t the landlord, and pay him the f i r s t month's rent i f the family had no money. They would t e l l the family to call on them 1f the s h e r r i f f returned. The s h e r r i f f , who had b u i l t no bonds with the people of Lincoln Park, usually took o f f when conmunlty people gathered. The Young Lords helped to organize the Poor People's Coalition of Lincoln Park, an organization of all races which protested Daley's urban renewal and fought f o r low income housing. With 250 poor f a m i l i e s , they seized and occupied an empty l o t at the corner o f Halsted and Armitage to protest the construction o f an exclusive tennis club (membership fee—$1 ,000) where Latino homes had once s t o o d . In May o f 1969 the Young Lords and other comnunity grouns confronted HcCormick Theological Seminary, en i n f l u e n t i a l backs'- c - II �urban renewal. Among other demands, they r e quested $601,000 f o r low income housing. When the administration of the seminary refused the demands, community people—Latino, b l a c k , and white—took over the Stone Administration Building and occupied 1t f o r four days 1n one o f the f i r s t conmunlty occupations o f I t s kind 1n the country. They renamed the Stone Administration Building a f t e r Manuel Ramos, the Young Lord who a few days before had been shot down in c o l d blood by James Lamb, a Chicago policeman. Lamb was not on duty at the time; when four Lords turned him Into the p o l i c e , the p o l i c e pressed charges against them, not Lamb. Recognizing that Manuel's murder was part of a broader movement o f repression 1n the United States, the Lords immediately organized a march o f 3,000 people from P e o p l e ' s Park to Division S t r e e t , the heart o f the Puerto Rican community. Shouting "Manuel Ramos v1ve en todos r e v o l u c l o n ar1os!"and demanding the a r r e s t o f Lamb, they were also marching f o r the Independence o f Puerto Rico. The Lords were the f i r s t to bring the Issue of Puerto Rican independence t o Chicago. Over 3,000 people took part 1n the w e l l - d i s c i p l i n e d Albizu Campos march. In a d d i t i o n , the Lords sponsored cultural f e s t i v a l s f o r the community with entertainment, f o o d , and c o l d drinks f r e e to a l l . They were involved in welfare marches to protest the harrassment o f Latino and other poor women not receiving t h e i r welfare checks. They set up a free breakfast pTtgram f o r c h i l d r e n , a clothing program and a f r e e health c l i n i c f o r f a m i l i e s . Chapters of the YLC grew up all over % the country—in New York, New Jersey, C a l i f o r n i a . They were in the process of setting up a free day care center and a druc ^ u s t program when Daley's systematic repress•' ^egar,. Mayor Daley coulc' buck nc inte* ce with his tr-bar �rerusial s(.her..a. Gctti ng funds frfir tf.fe r e d v i ' government, he could no I at*orri to be emo?rr~ ssstid or to frighten the federal o f f i c e r s frcm HUD (Housing tno Urban Development}, so wrier- the Latinos and'other people o f Lincoln Far'; under the leadership o f the Young Lords oecww an obs t a c l e to Daley's plans, he stflrinoned a press confcronc* tc announce his "War on Gangs." To carrv out t h i - wsr, he appointed his close •friend Howard Hanrahan, who followed his orders w e l l . From the way i t looked as indictments b i t all Lincoln Park residents objecting to urKsn renewal f Daley thought all Latinos *nd poor people in the area were gang members. The repression beosn a few months before Manuel's r.iuraer--in January 1569 when Cha Cha was nicked up and charged with two old warrants from 1967. He was standing on a comer explaining urban renewal to a crowd o f young people when a car with two policemen from the Gang Int e l l i g e n c e Unit drew up and ordered him to get in. "Am I under arrest?" he asked. "No, we just want to talk with you," they r e p l i e d . "Well, I d o n ' t want to talk with you," Cha Cha answered. The two policemen jumped out of the car and told Cha Cha he'd "better get i n . " The young people began to taunt the policemen t e l l i n g them Cha Cha d i d n ' t have to get in the car. Cha Cha t o l d them to cool i t and got into the car. The young people then rounded up community people and lawyers and marched tc the Dolice s t a t i o n . At the s t a t i o n , the p o l i c e keDt Cha Cha unstairs f o r two hours while the o f f i c e r s combed their f i l e s f o r warrants. Cha Cha was 1»to what seemed to be a f r i e n d l y argument with the p o l i c e about Balev's urban renewal. The o f f i c e r s upstairs were all Dcllce who had arrested Cha Cha 1n his gar.c - » r s — l i k e Commander Brasch, who is n-. ' indictment for exH �t o r t i o n . In the conversation, they brought up Cha Cha's p o l i c e record and advised him to " o u i t while the quitting was good." Cha Cha replied that he d i d n ' t see anything i l l e q a l in what he was doing. He had been 1n j a i l b e f o r e f o r stealing from his p e o p l e . If he had to go to j a i l now f o r helping them, he d i d n ' t mind. The p o l i c e downstairs f i n a l l y came up with two old warrants f o r Cha Cha's arrest—from the aggravated battery case in f r o n t of his parents' home. Cha Cha t o l d them the p o l i c e hadn't been able to find these warrants when he turned himself 1n f o r them long b e f o r e , but the p o l i c e were bored with talking to him and stuck him in the l o c k - u p . Cfl % 2. O §j C §• | w s' |F a, p< The Puerto Rican young people raised the bond money which got Cha Cha o u t , but the r e pression continued. A week or so l a t e r , Cha Cha and twelve others were arrested at a welfare demonstration and charged with "mob a c t i o n . " -The other twelve were l e t o f f : Cha Cha was n o t . The same day they charged him with another "mob action" 1n r e l a t i o n to an urban renewal meeting. Again he was the only one i n d i c t e d . Three times he was arrested f o r d i s o r d e r l y conduct—a charge placed on people when nothing e l s e can be found. He was then accused o f aggravated kidnapping o f his own c h i l d . The c h i l d was with i t s nether who had been separated from Cha Cha f o r some time. I t was his mother-in-law who with the generous help of the p o l i c e aeoartment had f i l e d the carp l a i n t . The case was sc ridiculous the judge got mad and mismissed i t the next day. As the Younc Lords " e r t Peonie's Church f o r . another welfare demonstration, Cha Cha and eight or nine others were arrested f o r aggravated battery against a policeman. (No oolicemen we^e taken tc any hospital f o - i n j u r i e s — n c one was bruised or scratched. Nc one had been touched. Ir court, however, oo* 1 cemen considered J n*t~" ik'e':. Mesnw1*'" 1 s ctner v ounc Lords we'"6 «- r �netting t r a f f i c t i c k e t s and being cneckec for i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . The idea was to keep all of then* o'Jt of the welfare demonstration. Two policemen told Cha Cha they had two warrants f o r his f a i l u r e to appear 1n court. Cha Cha was sure he had not skipped a court date so he asked i f he could phone his attorney to have his lawyer sncsk with them. They agreed. They couldn't dn much e l s e ; a f t e r a l l , when Cha Cha asked them to show him the v a r r c n t s , they had none. While Cha Cha was phoning his lawyer, comnunlty poon'e began to gather. This was enough to prompt the policemen to make Cha Cha get o f f the phone. They shoved him 1r,te the car and drove away. The lawyer went to the station to t e l l them there were no warrants f o r Cha Cha's missing a court data, so when the p o l i c e could find no warrants, they charged him with resisting--arrest. The arrests and indictments continued through 1969 and early 1970 until they totaled 18. The p o l i c e tried everything 1n t h e i r power to isolate Cha Cha from the community. Because he had many cases against him, he not only had to appear 1n court three and four times a week, he had to appear in d i f f e r e n t courts at the same time. When he arrived l a t e , the court would Issue a warrant. When lawyers told the court Cha Cha would appear l a t e r , the i r r i t a t e d judges invariably answered they weren't interested in talking to attorneys, they wanted to see Cha Cha. When all cause for arrest was exhausted, they started charging him with possession of marijuana. It is true that Cha Cha voluntarily pleaded g u i l t y on petty t h e f t charges o f taking $ 23 worth of lumber. However, the S t a t e ' s Attorney's o f f i c e acknowledged that this was the only case Cha Cha was g u i l t y o f . They placed i t f i r s t on the court case agenda while shunting and procrastinating or, the prior cases. Because Cha Cha had already Zl �pleaded guilty he did not think a t r i a l was necessary. However, at the l a s t moment, the S t a t e ' s Attorney, who "wanted to give Cha Cha all his legal r i g h t s , " added the charge of burglary t o the same case which made a t r i a l necessary. If Cha Cha were convicted o f burglary, instead o f the one year sentence, he would get f i v e years f o r a p i l e o f lumber worth $ 23. Of those protesting urban renewal in Lincoln Park, Cha Cha was not the only v i c t i m o f r e p r e s s ion. Because o f his leadership r o l e , he got the most indictments and i s currently 1n j a i l . But many community people were harrassed f o r nothing more than entering People's Church. The ttRed Squad" and "Gang Intelligence Unit" photographed the people from t h e i r cars and l a t e r v i s i t e d them in t h e i r homes. They stopped and questioned people wearing buttons distributed by the Young Lords l i k e the one which read "Tengo Puerto Rico en ml corazon." (I have Puerto R1co 1n my h e a r t . ) They were arrested at demonstrations protesting w e l f a r e , urban renewal, and p o l i c e b r u t a l i t y . Members of the Central Conmlttee of the Lords got f o u r and f i v e indictments apiece. Along with Cha Cha, other Young Lords and conmunlty people were forced i n t o hiding to avoid Hanrahan's and Daley's repression. Although the indicments were supposedly related to Daley's War on Gangs, the Young Lords Organization proved to the p o o r — e s p e c i a l l y Latinos—that they were not a s t r e e t gang as their enemies portrayed them. They were not in • any gang f i g h t s . Instead of harming the people, they served"them. Cha Che Jimenez was no gang leader. He was the leader o f a bonafide Latino pol 1 ti cal organi zation—struggl ing f o r sel f determination within the confines of the United States. LL �HISTORY Charges/Court OF CHA Bond 1. Petty Theft (Lumber Case) $20,000 Judge Rom1t1 None 2. Disorderly Conduct it Judge Wachowski $30,000 3. Disorderly Conduct Judge Mooney 4. Disorderly Conduct $5,000 5. Aggravated Battery Judge Dunne 6. Aggravated Kidnapping $25,000 Judge Epton Br. 43 7. Aggravated Battery 8. Resisting Arrest $1,000 Br. 46 9. Curfew Violation 10. Unlawful Use of WeaDon L3 $500 $10,000 �CHA'S CASES Maximum Sentence Won/Lost 1 Year Lost $500 Fine Won $500 Fine Won $500 Fine w°n 1-5 Years 2 Years to Life 1-5 Years 1 Year $500 Fine $500 Fine and/or 1 Yea- Won w°n Won Won w°n Won �Charges/Court Bond 11. Unlawful Use o f Weapon $20,000 12. Possession o f Marijuana $10,000 Judge Olson 13. Possession of Marijuana $1,000 Judge Surla 14. Resisting Arrest 15. Mob Action Etc. $20,000 Judge Rom1t1 16. Mob Action $5,000 Judge Romi t1 17. Aggravated Battery $5,000 Judge Romitl 18. Jumping Bail (3 Counts) $30,000 Judge Rorriti Total $60,000 t&. hntndmtnt ol Er.c.tulvt bcuZ thiCS. not be Ke/tiU/ied, not limit oat puniiK 2.S �Maximum Sentence Won/Lost $500 Fine Won and/or 1 Year 90 Days t o 1 Year Won 90 Days t o 1 Year Won 1 t o 5 Years Won 1 to 5 Years Pendi ng 1 t o 5 Years Pending 1 t o 5 Years Pending 1 to 5 Years Pending oo G. O fi.% a: & r/ "5 O 5 < 8 ^ Jfi Oa! ^BSfflj r r r .tne. U.S. ConiZUwtion cxct&A-ivc (IntL -unpoivi. noK cAueZ and X �cm* cha : s lumber case In August 1S70, Cha Che pleaded guity to taking $ 23 worth of lumber from a building contractor in Lincoln Park. A?. h< stood unemotional and s i l e n t before Judge Rom1t1 , he was given the maximum sentence one can rece1/e f o r petty theft—a year. He is now ser/ing the one-year sentence, We have included '.his section as part of the pamphlet because we f eel that 1t 1s Important f o r oeoDle to know ;he circumstances o f ^hs case. In the spring of 19CrJ, the Young Lords Organization began planning a new day care center where welfare mothers could leave their children wh1U looking f o r work. It was also seen as a means of involving welfare mothers 1n the community— especially 1n the issue o f urban renewal, as they would be most a f f e c t e d by Daley's i n n e r - c i t y removal of the poor. The comuunlty"responded w e l l . Many persons dropped Into People's Church to o f f e r t h e i r s e r v i c e s . The Young Lords gathered long l i s t s of children, parents, teachers, and personnel who along with the Young Lords would make up the center. They had v i s i t e d other centers to see how they were managed. They repainted the church ir. bright rainbow colors f o r the children. Community residents painted c o l o r f u l pictures of clowns, birds, &no animals on the walls inside the church. It was to be named after Manuel Ramos, whose port r a i t was painted on the w a l l . Coronunlty r e s i dents also put together a mural of Puerto R1can history. Preparatory meetings began with people who would be involved in the cei t e r . The opening date was set. People's Park was to be used f o r recreation. Nutritionists we-e busy making up menus. A few large companies ind many small £7 �conmunlty stores promised to donate food and supplies. There were more than enough nurses a v a i l a b l e . The Young Lords refused any aid from the federal government or the c i t y . They did not want the program co-opted. As opening date approached, Mayor Daley began t o move. . The Board o f Health and the F1re Department paid a v i s i t to P e o p l e ' s Church. At f i r s t , the Young Lords prevented t h e i r e n t r y , but the center s t a f f and the c o n g r e g a t i o n — s a t i s f i e d that the church was 1n p e r f e c t c o n d i t i o n — t o l d the Young Lords that no harm could be done. For two o r three hours, the o f f i c i a l s Inspected every corner o f the church. When they f i n i s h e d , they ordered f i r e e x i t signs be put up 1n a l l entrances. They concluded that the church f l o o r (the s i z e o f a gym) had to be raised two or three f e e t . They also decided the c e l l i n g was too high. They Insisted that 1f these things were not done, there would be no day care c e n t e r . They announced they would come t o the church on a weekly basis to check f o r more v i o l a t i o n s . Meanwhile, the Young Lords and the day care center s t a f f who were d i s tributing f l i e r s about the center were harrassed by the p o l i c e and charged with d i s o r d e r l y conduct, l e a f l e t t l n g too c l o s e to a s c h o o l , e t c . . Attention had to be refocused on the people being j a i l e d f o r whom bond money had t o be r a i s e d . The Health Department took the minister and congregation to court over code v i o l a t i o n s . The judge Imposed a $ 200 f i n e f o r every day the church stayed open. A t r i a l had to take place to determine whether or not the church could remain open. This Involved not only the f a t e o f the day care center but the f a t e o f the church and the Young Lords' o f f i c e . Authorities had ordered that room p a r t i t i o n s be b u i l t along with the enormous ^ o o r . The Young Lords and the center s t r ^ f ,t around 28 �to all the lumber yards In the area asking f o r donations. They came back with two o r three scraps o f wood. Cha Cha could not understand v/hy these huge lunber yards could donate only a few scraps o f wood when they supplied the same b u i l d ing contractors who were pushing the poor out o f Lincoln Park. .He went himself t o ask f o r donations. When they brought Cha Cha more scraps, he told them a n g r i l y , "You keep that garbage. We d i d n ' t come here to beg from you. This donation 1s something you owe to the cormunlty.' 1 With that, they l e f t , got Into their c a r , and drove o f f to the o f f i c e . That night Cha Cha and a friend were arrested. At the p o l i c e s t a t i o n , Cha Cha told the Young Lords that he did take the lumber; that he had mlstaklngly reacted and that he would be willing now to pay the consequences. In c o u r t , the building contractor could not prove the wood belonged to him. Further, Cha Cha had been given a r e c e i p t f o r the wood. There were no witnesses who had seen Cha Cha take the wood. In the l a b o r a t o r y , sand, dust, and wood p a r t i c l e s had been found 1n the defendants' c l o t h i n g , but 1n c o u r t , the l a b technicians said that these p a r t i c l e s could be picked up almost anywhere. The only reason Cha Cha was found g u i l t y o f taking $ 23 worth o f lumber was because he himself told them he took 1 t . The only reason there was a t r i a l was because at the l a s t moment the State's Attorney placed another f i c t i t i o u s charge on Cha Cha related t o the case. I f he had been found guilty o f the other charge, he would have gotten f i v e years Instead o f one—all f o r $ 23. The other defendant got t h i r t y days 1n j a i l f o r the same case: his sentence was l a t e r n u l l i f i e d . CHA CHA'S BOND JUMPING CASE At the end o f June or 1n early July o f this year, Cha Cha w i l l go to 'al f o r three counts of bond jumping relateJ * he f a c t that he did not Z1 �show up in court when he was supposed to s t a r t serving his one-year sentence f o r the lumber case and begin t r i a l f o r the remaining c a s e s , which at the time totaled n i n e . The charge o f jumping bond 1s usually dropped, but Cha Cha 1s not j u s t another case. Before Hanrahan l e f t o f f i c e , he made sure Cha Cha—al though away from the conmunlty at the time—got charged with Junplng bond, which brought the t o t a l cases pending t o ten. Bond jumping 1s a case which c a r r i e s a maximum sentence o f not l e s s than one year and not more than f i v e years f o r each charge. When a person f a l l s to appear 1n c o u r t , he 1s Issued a warrant and has t h i r t y days to appear to quash the warrant. I t 1s very easy f o r the S t a t e ' s Attorney to prove a person g u i l t y o f jumping bond. All that 1s necessary 1s to place the clerk o f the court on the witness stand to declare that the defendant did not appear. The judge then f i n d s the defendant g u i l t y . However, 1f 1t 1s a Jury t r i a l — a s Cha Cha w i l l have—1t 1s up t o a jury t o hear .the defendant's side of the story to f i n d him g u i l t y o r not g u i l t y o f intentional bond jumping. The whole matter hinges upon " I n t e n t . " Did the defendant have Intentions o f jumping bond o r was he placed I n . e x position where he had no o t h e r c h o i c e ? The matter now w i l l be in the hands of the j u r y . I t will be Interesting t o see what type of jury Cha Cha g e t s . There are not many Latino j u r o r s . So the case r e s t s on 1) whether there 1s a jury o f Latino peers t o l i s t e n to the e v i dence; 2; whether the judge and S t a t e ' s Attorney w i l l permit the choosing o f Latinos 1f there are any Latinos to be chosen; 3) whether the jury w i l l be able to understand Cha Cha's background and culture and 4) most Importantly, whether or not there will be a f a i r t r i a l . 30 �CALL FOR ACTION The hypocrisy o f the judicial system in t h i s country is clear in the f a : t that poor and oppressed people c a n ' t get a f a i r t r i a l by a jury of their peers. This in turn r e f l e c t s the f a l s i t y and contradictions of the s o - c a l l e d "democratic way of l i f e . " The self-determination and s p i r i t of struggle of an oppressed oer.ple can never be t o t a l l y repressed as shown oy the heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people a id as reflected in the words o f Cha Cha Jimenez: They can They can They can BUT THEY j a i l us; b r u t a l i z e us; even k i l l us; CAN'T STOP US! Cha Cha represents t h i s growing s p i r i t of "lucha" and p o l i t i c a l consciousness among Latino people in the U.S.. That consciousness comes from the i n j u s t i c e , the repression, and the e x p l o i t a t i o n which v i c t i m i z e us. We can c l e a r l y see how this process comes about when we look at the transformation of the Young Lords from a s t r e e t gang defending i t s e l f against other s t r e e t gangs—including Latinos—to a true Latino p o l i t i c a l organization defending Latinos against Daley's gang*--including the p o l i c e department and the court system. We should f i g h t against the injustices of this y&nqul government which wants to oppress us and put Cha Cha in j a i l . We should f i g h t against the i n j u s t i c e of Door housing which f o r c e s our people to l i v e in rat-androach-infested gnettos, where, f a l l i n g plaster and cheap paint give lead-nolsoning to our children—our children who c'on't know what 1t means to l i v e in one place f o r more than four or f i v e years because urban renewal oushes our families frorr, one qhetto to another. 3[ �We should fight against the i n j u s t i c e of racism which keeps all poor and oppressed peoples divided because of color and keeps Latinos divided among themselves. Hermanos are constantly fighting each other f o r j o b s , government funds f o r education, and t u r f , while this r a c i s t government makes no c o l o r d i s t i n c t i o n when i t decides who 1t w i l l oppress—economically, educationally, or by means o f open aggression Including police b r u t a l i t y . We should f i g h t against the Injustice of a court system which places high bonds our people c a n ' t a f f o r d , so they have to stay in j a i l separated from family and friends until they are c a l l e d to c o u r t , where their "court-appointed a t t o r n e y — - a l i a s PUBLIC DEFENDER—has made a deal f o r them with the State's Attorney's o f f i c e to get them l e s s time f o r a crime they did not commit. We should f i g h t not only against these i n j u s t i c e s but against all the i n j u s t i c e s o f this yanqui government which f o r c e s Its culture and l i f e s t y l e s on our country.and f o r c e s our people out of our country by promising them bigger and better j o b s , homes, and l i v e s , that do not e x i s t here 1n the American ghettos. We should and must f i g h t against a l l the i n j u s t i c e s of this yanqui government that wants to put people who struggle—people 11 ke Cha Cha—in j a i l . Que viva elISsPueblo! m > „ Libertad a Cha Cha! u � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00061-01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Quiñones, Yolanda Romero, Vicky Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1993/1994 Title A name given to the resource Young Lords history (English), 1993-1994 Description An account of the resource History of the Young Lords Organization. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Depaul University Library. Special Collections and Archives Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0688adc7ffd6351d02a2640adddc5976.pdf 2c3d090edb637d26772e9fece2ee15f9 PDF Text Text �J INTROT/UCCION Puerto Rlcoy esta situado a 1,000 mlllas de distancia del cabo de Florida 'el mar del Caribe, es una colonic: de lea Estados Unidos (Yanqtic»)f qua ha estado Estados Unidos, cons l l l ^ b a j o su .dominacion desde 1898s Aztlan, es el suroeste de loa : ido, Nuevo Kexi'co, Arizona, y Tejas) que M&ilii'teistis de cineo estados (California, Colorad Wg.'iiiiM'ti fueron : rotados de Mexico por el tratado de Guadalupe-Hidalgo de 1848, Hay rauchas Sltli;, il^P" similardades'en .la lucha por liberation del puertorriqueno y chicane, primero bf.jo Pf^,''la dpminacio*n de : Espana,,y ahora bajo la .dominacion de: los Estados Unidos, lo cual •J ' aqui n 0 aotros tratare men. Los chicanos y puertorriquenos han sido sometides al impe'rialismo de los ^r?";''., Estados Unidos''por la pe'rdida de sus tierras; y despues por ser forzados a defender a los mismos capltalistas, quienes les robaron sus tierras en guerras por adelant 'f'' taraiento del imperialisrao. Coijio resultado del imporialismo, han sido v'ictimas del racismo que se ha; creado en este pais; han side forsados a trabajar como campssinos f^silfemigrantes de sueldos simamente abijo de la line a de pobreza, y al m.ismo tiempo son mantenidos'quietbs;,por la iglesia, drogas y otros metodos de control. A consecuen. cia .se mantienen pobres y. han sido forsados a vivir bajo las mas peores condicionesJ 1 "'' | mientras no solanente como chicanos 'vpuertorriquenos, puertorriouenos, sisso siao tambien tambien como eomc latinoameri can OS'han sido lentamante despojados de'su cultura. Por todas estas similaridadcs y mas? hoy dentro de los limites de loo Estados Unidos estan tratando de unirse m m para pelear por .su libertad y destxuir el inperialismoo If^Mf,. .... . .. ' ' Un grupo-que ha desempenando una parte significante on este movimiento, es la organ5.2 acion de Los Young Lords, quienes por sus luchas de derechos de la gente latina han ayudado a' traer esta unidad.' Por su eiemplo, la•'organizacion de Los Young-Lords ha:;dado iniciativa a la lucha de autodetermininacion de la poblacion ^ . ; latina. : •• *y- ' vi v^-.w-'i^,-. . ' - ' ••.. i..- Gha-Cna.Jimenez ha manifestado direccion desde el comienzo de la organizacion. El ha sido la fuerza que formo'la organizacion de una pandilla callejera a una „'; o^Sanizacipfj^bllticaj y ; hasta la fecha la ha mantenido funcicnando. Para empez&r a entender la historia de la organizacion de Los Young Lords, debemos de principiar . > x con la historia del Ministro de Defensa. w< V Aqui sigue una brave historia tanto del Kinistro de .Defensa Cha-Cha Jimenez m .como de la organizacion de Los. Young Lords. No hay ninguna idiologia envuelta. e a escrito, ; Esta aqui estrictamente para su propia justificacipn e interpreta" , ' cion. ; J i ms ] V',/ , - * 1 •'.' IH •. �PARTE Is KISTGRIA BP CHA-CHA '• . - .:'•• - . a .San Salvador es una secc'ioh campina de Caguas, Puerto iiieos Dona Eugenia-y Don-Antonio padres.de Cha-Cha son de es'ta area en Puerto |,;'Ricot- Dc'fta/ Eugenia era la ma's -joven do 'una familia de 15? ella fue trasladadaa Un convento, porque su padre era ciego y no habi'a nadie:.. -.'mas para.cuidarla. Alii, ella no aprendlo' nucho de leer y escribir, pero .le dieron.una buena edu'caci on religiosa, lo bastante para : poner' la a pensar v e h ;ser una isohja; vivid*: allx hasta que conocio a Don Anfjf; .'tonio'j cor,' quien se ca'so a la edad. de 16 anos« 'Dor. Antonio t&mbicn si, efldo-de la rci'sma seccion de C'aguas fue creado dent.ro una familia'pobre. vT :: '. . Don Antonio, en b u s e a d e trabafjo fue*a Boston, Massachusetts, trabajc? como campesino mifrrante. en un cbnservatorio de totoates, era un 7. :' recolectador de tomates. Penso','que viniendo a Los Estados Unidos pot'f. dfa propcrc.ionar las neces.ldad.es de• su'''familia de la'vida diaria» Se 'vi vino- a Los Estados Unidos,. y Dona Eugenia se' fue a vivir a El 'Millon, • 'r barrio'bajo en Caguas, .'El Mill-on, es cpnocido-por sus drogas, roboa, prostitutes y otrss-' caracterlsticas de un barrio bajo. Ella fue'a ' vivir en una c a s a de "otras-;familias conbcidasei Una de las raz'oncs de -/:. ; I M ? , ' • mudarse fue para'ostar cercaiV.del hospital,adonde iba a toner su ninojr l^iit''' antes tuvo' una nina que murio'de pultcenia tres. messes despuos del nacimiento de Cha-Cha* Ello fue a causa de falta -de dinero para propor; cionar adecuadas "atericiones' rridicas., Don Antonio.no podia mandar ninfe-'ii V' gun dinero a su. ie'sposa, y por cbsas no'esporadas Cha-Cha. no pudo ser nacido. on el hospital{ y tuvo que haber nacido en ; la casa en El Millon. 1 I®®!' ' . '-.T{. ;' j'VfoS-'5'VI • • V.•• !j.-'j''••••::\i: '. :'• '•••"••• i" • I • t i :• !;.. r p .A la edad'de un ano, Cha-Cha y su mama regresaron al catapo. Otra '.vez, por razones monatarias, Dona .Eugenia fue'a vivir con los padres de Don Antonio, En Boston : Don Antonio no estaba haciendo'nucho dinero.no podia e m d a r lo suficiente para mantener su familia. -.Un ano mas tarde,. Don Antonio regreso con un poco de dinero que ; se habia ganado. , Como DoiTa Eugenia- tenia - pocos vestidos, la llevo al fflWWt- •' para-, comprar unas ro'pas. Despues, llevo a ella y a Cha-Cha a Boston, 'Massachusetts adondo el trabajaba. Lo habfan puesto de eneargad o del coriservator.ro de tomates, dandole alojamientp de casa. Como vivian cerca del trabajo, Dona Eugenia le .ayudaba a trabajar, des' quitando el alojamiento que les proporcionaban. En este lu.car nacio una de las hernianas de Cha-Cha. • . A la edad de tres afios, Cha~Ch'a y su familia se mudaron a Chicago. Don Antonio tenia familiares ,'en Chicago, y asi so "mudo en busca de mejor traba jo, para poder soportar a la familia. A qui, ellos vivieron en ;|||®fe.ter Hotel, localizado en las callss' Superior y IaSalle un bloque (cua- ! ifll^dra); de la Clark. : De nuevo, por falta: de dinero para cuidados medicos, , S otrajhermana fue obligada a nacer en ol hotel, ca'e-a infestada do ..rato- . .' filches y c u c a r a c h a s . Despues, de haber se establecido en Chicago con fa- • i miliares y amigos, se tuvieron que mudar, porque el hotel iba a ser demo•lido(donde el Water Hotel estalxi situado, all era, be encuentra un hotel similar a :Hollday. ;Inn,.: pifsoina.,-: sal^.uo deccanso ]ote.).jijDo aqui la fa- • \ m m i �-JlSs 5. ! .*:, 4;V' .... p -;{:/. : 7 S>.' •i / " milia '<3© Cha-Cha se r.ud o tree o cuatro bloquss al norte, en la calles LaSalle y Oak? all5' la -ultima do sus hermanas fue nacida. Despb.es, do do* o tres mudatizas, la farailia do Cha-Gha aparecio on las calles Gothe y LaSalle, donde despues de habor sido situados en osa comunidad, se tu~ vieron cue mudar porque la oiudad iba a rer.ovarla.Cada ves que, la ciudad mud abar~ari<r~gcrnte -para-ise-j o-ras'-la-ooRdici. o»es- de...la_c.ojrAiiiid3<dj.: las vi~ viendft-s eran modernizadas solamente para gents de r.uoldos medianos y . altos» Asf fue el caso aqui.En el area dentro de los 1'/mites de estas calles esta'ahora situado el Carl Sandburg Village, adonde hay una ciudad dentro d.e una ciudad, conciste de "townhouses" y 10 a 15 edificios >)j , de altos apartamentos, con rontas de $3C'0 para arribaj y su polioia de seguridad privada. Para dar el aire de una " ciudad real", tambien tiene tiendas, laundries y hasta sus parques privados. Do las cal].es Gothe y LaSallo se mudaron a una area 'ahora conocida comb "Old Town". En este • tiempo Old Town era un barrio bajo, pero ahora es bien conocido como area de clubs nocturnos y atraccioh turi'stica para las gerites de los suburbios. Otra vez igual quo antes; al pasar una temporada su farailia fue empujada por renovacion urbana hacia la comunidad de Lincoln Park, alii Cha-Gha vivio' por el mas largo tiempo, Al mudarse a Lincoln Park Cha-Cha tenia 9 anos de edad. En un total de seis afios ellos habian ] !.• sido forzados a mudarse de la comunidad nueve veces. y todo era a causa. de renovaciohes urbanas. Lincoln Park era una comunidad de americanos MjJ 1', blancos, aun no habia sido tocadn por renovacion urbana. En ese tiempo ' esa comunidad consistia de irlandeses pobres, italianos, y hlancos pobres de los raontes de appalfichia« Era tod a via un barrio bajo, pero esta vez era. un barrio bajo de gente blanca Cha-Cha habia vivido en comunidanes latins.s pero por renovacion urbana, ahora, estaban dividiendo a los latinos. • , . j . ^ En Lincoln Park fue adorrte Cha-Cha Jimenez y otros companeros ayudaron a forraar la pandilla callejera de I.os Young Lords. Estos siete jovenos eran de las prineras familias latinas que vivieron en'esta area. •>' • ..• ' Todos ellos eran victimas do renovacio'n urbana, viotimas del racismo en la coiiiunidad al igual quo Cha-Cha. Los jover.es eran molestados constantomente llamandolos "spies" y nuchas veces los golpeaban, llegaban'de la escuela a sus cases sin poder resplrar despues de ser correteados por las pandillas americanas blancas. Esto roalmente, fue lo que unio'y creo'a Los Young Lords. I'iasj y mas puertorriquenos de la comunidad vieja de Cha-Cha eran sidos vaciados, y eran movidos hacia la comunidad de Lincoln Park. Mas grande, y ma's grand© crecia la pandilla callojera de Los Young Lords. Ya no habia que correr de la escuela a sus cases, ahora era al revels. • Dona Eugenia habia sido c rend a en un converito, v era muy religiose; coroo resultado, clla no podia er.terider las rasoiies de la actitud de Cha-Cha, solamente sabi'a que su hi jo se estaba metiendoso on "trouble" (problemas). Dona Eugenia einpezo'a dar clases de catacismo, preparando a nines latinos para su primera coriunion. Un sacerdoto de rnudia confiar.za, de una iglesia cercana(San Kiguol), le ayudaba a pre'parar esas ''"::' ; . v clases. Daspuds de ciert.a tcr.porada ol'iba ye;car.5'nnbo a los nifios' para' -^ - V : saber quo tan to habian aprcndidc. Porque Don Antonio cot a ha bebiendo mucho, y Cha-Cha siampre se estaba metiondo eh "trouble", Dona Eugenia ; hizo una pi'unnBa, vir.t1^»v1 or.o do n o p m jv.r nn a no. Ella lo suplioo al ' t- • - '•}'•; . I ...... • ..i-Jm. . ... �: : turn : : padre, quoJ le hablara a Ch'a-Chaif pdnsaba que el lo podia- manteriOr fuera • : . : d'o . " trouble"0 ' -El padro le :hn."blo' acerca- de sor un mchaguillOi -para las '•' ':' misas de espariol -de dos 5.gle siac,. .de ..San -Miguel .y Santa Teresa. v:^- la mama do Cha-Cha, sc volvio M e n in tip. a con una r.:on;ia que era maostra. do Cha-Cha. Esta monja empezo' hablarle a Cha-Cha acc-rca de entrar al sacerdocic, ar.i eft crapc-so a tenerle• un gran -respeto. Por . toda esa influencia, Cha-Cha se corivencio'de que sus amigos (que por . , . easualidacL succ.djen sor todes latinos)» e r & h l a causa tie que o l se motie. ra en prohlenas ("trouble"). Tambie'n estaba convencido, de que-el se a r r e - . . penticra, y aytidara a con vert ir a la gente a la igics'iav Todo esto paso' . * cuando el estaba en sexto, soptlmo. y octavo grado. Cha-Cha era-1 rat a do con desprebi'o por su difcrente estilo do vida, . y por ser el unico nine latino en toda. la escuela. Un ojemp3o de esto, paso', cuando e'l fue. el unico on no serinvitado a la fiesta de.graduacionde-octavo grado, organizada por uno de los otros estudiantes (despues,jinas latinos ontraron a la escuela do Santa Teresa). , ; . •; Por todo esto, otra 'vez Cha-Cha empezo a juntarse- con sus viejos amigos. Tod a via el queria entrar al sacerdocio, pero de . nuovo empezo' a meterse en problemas® Ccmo rosultado, su principal y ol sacerdote de la i'glesia mandaron cartas al seminar.io adondc-.o'l habia hplicadoy y asi fui*-.= •:. ccrco no lo fc.ee'ptaron> SI neninario-le replieo'quo tratara ol proximo aho. pallor era la union, escuela que or. aquol ticmpc Cha-Cha podia atonder, era / mas o monoG Ids cusrtoles de^Los Young Lords/ No tcniendo dinerb para ' .;: a tender a una secundaria catolica, fue*. f orsacici - a ir a esa. secundaria. En el verar.o antes 'de 'entrar a .Wallor, .Cha-Cha se hizo popular on . la policia juvenil local. Fue* llevado por robo de carro,inhalacion de pegadura, pelea de pandillas, y por romper ventanas. Durante todo el vera n o , estuvo seis rue so s en la correccional. El sacordote le ayudo'a que saliera dos voces, pero de spues perdio las espcranzas. Estuvo un ano bajo vigilancia. Ese veraho fue llevado para ser interro/redo de 25 o '30 voces (todo su record juvenil fue' dado'de baja por habar cstado en la estacion d e policfa eomo 52 voces. Tod.?,s esas voces no fuoron arrostamlentos aunque nuchas veces era llevado coir un grupi tevtodos ellos'quedaban en libertad). Cha-Cha duro' dos noses en Waller antes de ser arrestado por un caso de robo. Durante sucscancia en Waller, fue conocido muy bien por el oficial Truent. Paso" eineo meses en la. correccional (Audy Home),esperando por cl juicio dc la acusacion del robo, Su mama no perdio'animo. Consigui o un abogado, quion le robo todo el diriero • porque el juez ya habia tornado una decision. El juc-s le dio' a Cha^Cha una aliernativa, irse a prisio'n por un ano (por violar la proeacion), o irse a vivir a Puerto Rico por un ano. Su mama prefirio que se fuera a Puerto Rico. Una semana despue's, Cha-Cha fue' entregndo ante sus padres on el aeropuerto asegurandose de que abordara el avion con destino a Puerto Rico, : : . ' • '; ..;...-. i. Cha-Cha regreso* a Chicago echo meses desput^s para reunirse con sus amigos. Trato de volvor a la escuela, pero no fue* aceptado, Ni siquiera se preocuparon por decirle que aplieara en otra escuela. '•''•'J WrW •;'.-.-vvi v. •• -v-'-^vB. tkmM't • ,,-jir.:; If ••-:> 1 • 'bv v �:— — t. Otra vcz, en el r-eri'edo de tres semanas Cha-Cha fue arrestado por .el rcbo de un carrc. Fue' enviado a la correccional por un mes esperando para el proceso de.corte. Violc'varias voces la probacion, pero su of icial'lo nculto'P'-rquo vie'"que Cha-Cha tenia interos en ayudar a gente que tenia los mismos problenias que el. Trato'de hablarle a Cha-Cha acerca de quo 'fuera a la-eseu£la,_y lle^rra_a..se.r un.jraba4ador_soclal_..(''Ceia.1 worker) 0 Cuando Cha-Cha tenia 1? anos • anunalo cinco veces a un jcven por el . pecho y la 'espialda. Se penso'quo el jcven iba a morir, por la • se'riedad de . este caso las autoridados juveniles dijeron quo no auerian tener.nada que ver con Cha-Cha. • Otros tres Lords., estaban enredados en el mismo caso^ uno de ell os" era. Manuel Ramos. El los tenian abogadc menos Cha-Cha. Su mama fue a visitarlo, y le dijo que un abogadc queria. $1500 dorales para comenzar el caso, que clla tenia ahorrado un dlnero y que iba, a sacar un pre s tamo. (Cha-Cha les habf'a dicho a las autoridades que su mad re estaba muerta. El no quiso comunicarle a su mama del incident,o porque sabia que la iba a doprireir? pero el]a se dio" cuenta por medio de los noti- . cieros,) Ko obstante lo dijo quo se clvids.va y quo no se proocupara- por el abofrado. •Cuando Cha-Cha fue' llevado a corte, lo pregunto al juez que si podia hablar. • El juez le pregunto que si tenia un abogado. Como ofl no tenia abogado fuo'parmitido que hablara. Cha-Cha. decla.ro que. el habia sido til culpable, cl unieo quo apuna.lo al joven, y cue los otros arres- , tados solamente t.rataron de evitar la peloa. Fuesto que esta era un?. corte menor, el jues no Osporaba que cl se confensara culpable. El defensor publico todavia no le habia hablado a Cha-Cha, y asi se prosento con el juez en la cdm&ra. Cuando aparecieron do nuevo, e.1 juez lo pregunto al joven apunalado cue si podia identificar a Cha-Cha, El jovon ocultando, dijo quo el rcalmente no sabia. El defensor publico trsto de convencer a Cha-Cha. para oue retraetara su confosion. Pero como no pudo ser, el defensor publico le pregunto al juez que temara on considcracion la sinceridad del joven; Cha-Cha no tenia n i w u n record adulto(en c-se tiempo la corte no permitia contar records juveniles), y como la arma alegada no habia sido encontrada. De spue's do una explication del jues, Cha-Cha fue' sentenciado a seis ir.osos do prision en Vandalia, Illinois, granja. del estado penal. Todo c-1 juicio dure? como vc.-in.te manutos. Cha-Cha. cumplio'casi todos los seis mesee en el calabozo por pelcar y negarse a trabajar. f Cuando Cha-Cha salio', emposo' a' salir con una muchacha. Plaiinaba casarse, 'cstablcserso y queria olvidarse do las peleas callejeras, drogas etc. Su novia so habia mudado al barrio previanente antes do su libertad. Algunos vecinos habian hablado ma] en contra, de Los Lords, y como Cha-Cha , habia sido el lider principal del grupo, los padres de la novia sabian lo- suficiente para no accptarlo. Lo hieicron dificil para los dos peder llcvar; acabo i-:U'.s nnos»Cha-Cha no era permitido ir a su casa, y despue's de un tiempo sus padres se mudaron del barrio para separarlos. Su novia eneontro la manora do comunicarse y le dio' su n u e v direccidn. De nuevo Cha-Cha fue a pedir permiso para podorla ver. Esta vcs le dioron per-' miso, y todo iba bion por un tiempo hasta que empesaron a entremeterse de nuevo lo hi cioron dificil pars quo se vis rati, y entonc.es Cha-Cha cmpez'o a trnliajar activamenvo oon el grupo. Aunquc era dificil todavia continuaban '••Aj^t; • V:' .-•'is; �?,•"• | ^Puesto/que Cfe-Cha e m e l liderc del groupo, y era M e n conocido por \i;.les pollen a s , siempre que algo pasaba on el barr":o, o cualgUier cosa relacionada con algun miembro pandillei-o, Cha-Cha era llevado a interroga: torio. Kuri'ca daba a la policia ninguna informacic>n. Nuchas de las veces lo dejaban i r W o r o a voces lo detcnian por cargo's de mala conducta, por' ^-fAt.^.^n r r n r ^ , Ite vea en cuando lo culpaban por de-., . litos que el ios bier, sabian que no los habi'a cometido^ .Habia veces que . • Cha-Cha sabia quien habia cometido los delitcs, pero el cayadamente lo ..' X £ guard aba - y servxa las sentencias. Por esto y ma's, era respetado por los :••••' roiembror. r?r>1 gruno D ., . V-v .: <;:.' . " : ,. ;. . . En una ocasion un. carro de policxa se encontraba estacionado en la callo, y a uno. de -los Lords se le ocurrio' ir y coger una cachiporra. De's-. pues de tomarla regreso a la esquina adonde Cha-Cha y Los lord's se e n c o n - , • ' traban, les di.jo a t.odos de lo que habia hechO* El policia regreso' al car-, ro y se d i o c u e n t a de que la cachiporra no estaba| la primera parte adonde fue',fuoaJa esquina adonde Los Lords rondaban. Al'Jx vio'a Cha-Cha con un grupo do otros Lords, dliguio' a Cha-Cha y lo llevo a la estacien do poll- j •. c5a. Estando allx, el policxa le dijo a Cha-Cha que alguien lo habia visto tomando la cachiporra. Cha-Cha rcplico', "JYo no se de que tu hablas'" El policxa lo eiapeao' a golpear. sangrandolo do la na'ris. Aunque Cha-Cha ;•"• sabla quien lo habi'a hecho, el se quedo cayado. Minutes despues un poll- -.. ci'a entro con otro Lord, la cachiporra y la tostiga, quien ya habi'a identificado al culpable. Cuando el policxa Is pre gun to a la testiga que si A.-] habia. visto a Chn.~T!ha cercas del carro* ella dijo quo solamente habia yisto i a una persona, y que no era. el» Allx todavxa Cha-Cha se encontraba encerrado culpandolo de conducta desorcdenada. -A -•'m En otra ocasion, cuando trabajando en un reciente empleo. Una tarde del viernes, de spues de haber reoibido su sueldo Cha-Cha y Manuel Ramos, quien estaba trabajando en el misno sitie, decidieron comprar unas cuan- )>'• tas cerbezas y ir a la casa de la mama de Cha-Cha a tcmarselas. Manuel no queria ir y beber en su casa, porque jahabl'an tornado y la mama' de Cha-Cha podia tonar una mal impresion. Cha-Cha convenc:! o' a Manuel de que fuera a su casa y esperara miohtras se barlaba y se cambiaba do ropas de trabajo; y as£ llevar acabo cl plan de ir a un baile esa noche• Mientras Cha-Cha se , estaba bariando, Manuel le dljo a Dofia Eugenia que iba a su casa a cambiarse de ropas, y que el encontraba a Cha-Cha en el baile. Cuando Cha-Cha termlno de banarse, canino por la calle para ver si podia alcanzar a Manuel. Como no pudo verlo, entonces regresaba a su casa. Cerca de su casa escueho a_r<n hombro^de edad gritandole a una nina, como el habi'a Ibebidp penso" que la nina era su. hermana. El fue hacla e l hombre y le dio'una bofetada, despuo's un hijo del hombre snlio'de su casa a pslear con Cha-Cha •• (Cha-Cha estaba en la car eel -cuando. sus padres se mudaron a ese sitio. . , Como arenas acabato de haber llegado de la carcel, el no conocia a sus vecinosj sin embargo sabian- de el por medio de su.mama). Su mama'ya habia . salido de la casa. Solamente tres punetazos habian sido lansados, y la \ ' pelea .termino. Dona , Eugenia le pre punt o a Cha-Cha que, que habia pasado; .' -. y el le dijo que habia cncontrado a el hbmbre gritandole a su hermana. Su"" ' ' '.'. '•""''.;' mama le probo'el echo de' que sus• h'enrsanas estaban en la casa. El y su mama -. . : - ; ' so disculparon del hombre y.su hijoj ya todo se habia arreglado. �•^j.-*/;.^;-I-;: ,1 rvv-l'V'/ • -v- : , .., J':'?.:. •..••.. : • ' - f , ? * ! ^ ? ? * . ^ ? ? ^ m w * > • ' , •U'.'.r: ). no-l-n una patrulla t,oT -1 a r^i vio'a \i>> n •»unungrupo m-imfldo gente,a.Cha-Cha rr»>i + n gb-n^Gfta' V r.u i En esto, policiaca y su mama' que camiuabari a su caca. La patrulla paro", y uno de los policias le , ';! grito' a Cha-Cha para que fuera hacia. el. Su mama'le dijo al policia. en ingl eo ihal pronu'neiado,"everything O.K., no trouble 0 " El policia de nuevo le grito'a Cha-Cha para que fuera? entonces Cha-Cha le dijo a su mama que' e»pc7rarai~qne---3^--a-habla4rls_al_pftllc:ra. Cuando Cha-Cha camino hacia el, el policia lo agarro' per el cuello y le dijo,"JMo~Te"d'i"j5~'qne-tra-jeras — tu culo aqui?" "J Maid it o J" Cha-Cha entonc.es. probocado tambien lo tomo' del: cuello y le di jo, "J Ponds jot" "JQuita las m'anos de mi condenadoj"1 ya la calle esta.ba llena' de patiullas, y'ol.ro policia vino por atras de Cha-Cha y lo tiro" al suelo de un naeanaso. Cha-Cha estaba inccnsciente. El poll-'r:=';".' cia que primefo lo'-'agarro', ahora. lo tomo de sus brazes atrapandolo bajo , .•'• sus rodillas, ;'y asotandclo contra el suelo. La mama'de Cha-Cha y una de sus hermanas trataron de quitarle de ensiina el policia. Su hermar.a puso sus manos entire su eabesa para que no se golpeara, mientras otra jalo'la ; macana del policia y la tiro'al otro lado de la calle. Los vecinos, in- ,'rr v cluyendo el hombre y su hijo, estaban alrededor, gritandole a los policies que lo -dejaran en pa's, . •;, ,, Cha-Cha fue' llevado a custodia. Su mama" y hermanas querian ir con el para ascgurarse que nada le pasara. la mama'de Cha-Ch.a, aun no habla sido culpada de nada. • De spue's de muchas dudas, su mama'y hermanas fuer'ori permitidas que ac'ompanaran, pero sus hermanas. tuvieron que irse en otra patrulla. Cuando Cha-Cha recobro' conocimiento. vie'a su mama resando el .. rosario. Le .pregnnto' que. que' estaba haciendo alii. Ella contesto'aue solamente oueraa a.companarlo, le di jo que se recast?.ra y descansara. Entonces ella continue' resando el rosario. Cuando llegaron a la estacion de policia, Cha-Cha fue' encarcelado. En el otro lado de la estacion su mama!* espcraba infomacioh de los ca.rgos y la hulta.Los policias que lo arreataron entraron a 2 3 celda, Cha-Cha estaba • despierto y era fichado. El oficial culpable de'todo el incidente, se encont.raba furio-o v alegaba de que habia psrdido unos dientes. Dijo que debian arre star a su madre por "privar el derecho de justicia." En esto le estaban tomando las huellas, se voltio'y dijo, " J No oi' lo que tu dijistes!" "I Due fue'?" El oficial replico", "I Voy arre star a tu madre!" Cha-Cha enojado dljo,"iTu': va's arre star a mi madre? ICondenadoJ" Cha-Cha empujo'al oficial que lo estaba ficl.vj.ndo, y per el lado lo brinco'al'oficial que lc habj.a ar-ostado. Como 5 ma's pel iclas brincaron sobre Cha-Cha, lo tirarcn a?, suello. Lo goltcaron con sus sacanas ahorcandolo y pegandole por tod as partes. Cha-Cha ahora tenia una hemorragis interna, y tocia sangre. Finalmente ,"'le torcieron sus brazos, esposandolo por detrasj de nuevo inccnsciente se enccntraba recostado en su cama. Mientras Cha-Cha era golpeado, su mama era arrestada por "privar el derecho de justicia," Tres sacerdotes, un capita'n recintoj familiares y amigos'quienes vieron el incidente : fueron a ver lo que habia pasado y die- ' ron $25 dolares de multa para Dona Eugenia, Uno de los sacerdotes, acompanado por un oficial se condujo nacia la celda par?, ver a Clja^Cha. El ,V-V, estaba toca a bajo, el. sacerdote trato" de despertarlo'' pero no pudo. El po- ' licia. le dijo al' sacerdote que toda via estaba borracho. ( A su regreso le dijo a su mama' que Cha-Cha estaba bie'n, rerco poroue todavla estaba borracho que era mejor dejarlo esa noche y sacarlo al otro dia. ;.";. r ' �'. Al rba siguiente, Cha-Cha entro'a corte cojeando (de las patadas que .: /.r^ ; le babi*an - dad o' la noche anterior). Su cara estaba hjnchada, su cabeza estaba tajada, y de la hemorragia tenia una 'sena roja en su cuello.. Pagaron la multa de $100 do!ares, y salio* ' / ' ' '-'vi. ; r ; Jpi!"''^ h h <Vry n r haV^r? i ^ d n ' p»r utv. largo tiempo; estaba;d.e«-';j; ^ • prim id o por lo que le habia pasado a su osposa e hljb; el salici' esa noche y se emborraoho. Le dijo a sus amigos". que esperaba quo los policias era- t .pezaran algo con el. El es con'ocido por sus ainigos por ser cayado y por ser una persona que no le gusta envoiverse en peleas. Esa noche, en la taveina habia la ordir.aria pelea de siempre, y esta ves .el se envolvio, Cha-Cha, con. su cheque quo ann-lo..tenia, se encarcino'solo a la estacion de . / .policfa - adonde el habia estado el dia anterior 5 pago' la ..'nulla de su papa y , '.'7 salio'. Was tarde, Cha-Cha y su papa' bromiaron aeerca del incidence* en vez .. . del papa sacar al hi jo, el hijo saco al papa. - . i E l . caso de su papa'fue' dado'de ba-ja, pero el caso do su mama consistio en el pago de los dientes de oficial (aunque ella no lo habia hecho, los pago) antes de que fuera a corte. . * '•.>-• •:<• ;'• ^ f : • . \ & ' vr'r El caso de Cha-Cha fue mas complicado. El abcgado le dijo que su caso era impossible. El sacordote, el capitan del recinto democrabico, y su abogado, le segufan dic-iendo que era toda su culpa,, que deberia d e . ; avergonza.rse por haber metido a su ma.ma' en p r o b l e m s (ella nunca habia . : tenido problr.tnr.c-, con la 1 *>y)» Tcdo lo escucho cayad.ameht.3* De spues .pregunto'"que, que le pod 5a pacar a su mama' si se iba. SI abogado le dijo, que nada le pass be. a ella, pero que el se iba a meter en muchos problemas, si trataba de irse, y que los poiicias lo agarrari'an. .y '-jy Cha-Cha decidio irse. Le dijo de su decision a su mama y novia. Su novia le dijo que ella queria acompaiisrlo. Como por un ano se fueron. Los dos estaban trabajando, y para este tiempo ella estaba embrazada, querfan arreglar todo con sus padres. Despue's de hablar con sus padres, tcdo iba bien en el transcurso de un jsesj entonces ella fue' a pasar una eemana con sus padres* D u r n t e esa semana* sus padres la influyeron para q\ie se quedara mas tiempo. Cha-Cha todavfa podia verla, pero ahora siempre que iba lo hacian sentir ma's y mss desgraciado, Se aoeroaba el nacimiento del bebe, y se estaba convenciendo ella de que.se quedara a vivir con sus padres. Cha-Cha trabsjabn fueras de la ciudad en el turno da la noche. Una noche de spues de vi.sita.rlo todo el dia fue a trabajar sin do'frairr el cansancio lo a^oto'y se durmio' en el trabajo, como resultedo fue despedido, Se puso bien deprimido* y teniendo un dinero que hnbi'a ahorrado fue' y se entrego' (por el ineidente que pa so'con el poll cia). Cuerla aclarar todo para / que cuando el bebe' naciera no tuviera que .preocuparse. Se entrego , y las autoridades no encontraron .ninguna cita para ru arrestamiento. Cha-Cha les dijo que rovisaran bienj al no encontrar nada, las autoridades le agradecieron mucho p o r haberse entregado, Le dijieron que ya no tenfa . nada de que preocuparse. (Dos anos ma's tarde, de spue's de educarse pollticaraente, apaicecio' esa cita para su arrestamiento, que fue servido.) . - . . . . 4 & 9 9 L 0 . . . ••>•• i ^ �. i s s s f e - g s ^ Todavia Cha'-Cha tenia p r o b l e m s para ver a su novia. Cadi- vez- que iba, "sal fa discutiendo con los padres. Ho se sentia l ien acudir sin dinero.; P o r todo lo que habia pasado, tampoco se sentfa bien vivir eon sus.padres. Como no tenia ningun sitio adonde vivir, se quedaba en diferentes easas. Todo deprimido y sin nada, el unieo refugio que .encontro fueron las drogas. > .•ffF'nrHrtft ''fl~hrriMi'iiij oinpczo''a vender'drogas para, otros vendedores. Solafoeri•te vcndia lo suficiente para softener su habito,' que "'h.ab1a-convertido- i.-;' en necesidad. .Despues de un tiempo no pudo venderla ma's. Necesitaba tan- . to la droga que rcbaba a los vendedores. Ya lo conocian por eso, y ya no lo daban nada para revender. Como resultado de todo, Cha-Cha tuvo que r. » 1 robar casas y asaltar prente. '". .V -,Un dia,' no pudo conseguir ningun dinorc para comprar la. droga. Cha-Cha se eiicontraba onfermo y desesperado. 131 vendedor en la esquin'a estate, impasiente,-ya. estaba por irse a su casa; Cha-Cha lo convened o'para que esperara por'el una hora mas. Cha-Cha era so' la calle, tcmo' un desatornillador y lo puso cercas del cuello de un hombre para que le diera su dinero. El no se did' cuenta que eran dos hombres, el otro hombre ompujo^a Cha-Cha, y les dio suficiente tiempo para irse en el carro. Trataron de atropellarlo con el carro, y rapidamente manejaron a gran vslocidadj regreso' hacla el vendedor pidiendole que esperara de nuevo, le dijo que estaba scguro de conseguir dinerc. En el otro lado de la calle el vendedor observaba todas las manicbras de Cha-Cha. v como no quiso mas esperar, le dio'la droga a credito, Dos dias despues, Cha-Cha regreso^a la misraa esquina trata ndo de conseruir la droga.. El hombre que i nfconto' robar dos dias ants'riores estaba en la esqu?r.a con la policia, senaio a Cha-Cha para identificarlo. Ma's tarde fue a corte y sirvi o 60 dias de prision. Cha-Cha. fue' enviado a la correccional. Al principio, fue' puesto en el dormitorio que tenia 12 latinos. Esto era bastante rare; por lo regular ponen 5 o 6 latinos juntos, y lo hacen, dado a la tendencia que los latinos tienen de unirse rapido. Alguien en la seccion, habia hablado acerca de huirse? tan pronto como lo oyeron, culparon a los latinos. Cha-Cha solanente tenia. 40 dias mas de servir (comparado por otros tiempos, cuando tenia que servir de 6 meses a un ano), lo dijo al guardia que no tenia porque eeoaparse; pero no obstante, fue'' rnandado al calabozo con el resto de los latinos. Despues los mandaron a maxima seguridad. En maxima segu- • rida.de habia un reli&ioso, 'que a escondidas repartfa librcs, pa pel y lapiz e s . A Cha-Cha y a los otros, les facilito sus servicios. Algunos de- los libr.os que Cha-Cha pudo leer fueron de Martin Luther King, y un libro H a mad o "Seven Story Mountain" (hasta ese tiempo no habia,leido nada desde el octavo grade), r i e n t m s estaba en prisic'n, su novia fue a verlo con la be b e . Por la.s visitas y los librcs, Cha-Cha empezo a pensar en porque deberia dejar las drogas. m Cuando Cha-Cha salio y fue al barrio, sus ojos vieron mas. Los morenos en ese tiempo estaban rotinando; conocio nucha gente en la carcel cue habian estado envultc-s en los motines. Cha-Cha continue" estudiando, ahora estaba y estudiando mas de otros grupos en las comunidades morenas y chicanas. Se llevaba bien con los grupos chicanos, r-uesto que eran latinos, y tambien porque en el movimiento latino todavia no habia ningun grupo puertorriqueno.^ Como renovacioh urbana era la principal fuersa, bloques completes en la area de Lincoln Park eran demolidoc. Cha-Cha so mudo tantas veces, que cauhdo sus padres le dljicron, q^e. tenXan-'q^Te mudarse de nuevo, o.l dijo, �, ; - . ^ , , If <4%mm* M i ustedes se pueden mudar? pero yo me 'quedare a qui I" ";ya estoy cansado de v mudanzasS" P o r todas esas contradicciones que eran M e n c'laras, Cha-Cha via la ,, necesidad de former un grupo que peleara per-los desachos do la gento lati:;a« . 1 -Ens' la comunidad comenzo a ir a reuniones de renovacion urbana y oouocio a otras gentes que teriian eT~ mis mo .tirtT5res-que~el«— -Esas -reunicnesJLa: ayudavon a ver mas claramonte las contradicciones* Cono todavxa era presidente.de Los Young Lords, el penso que este era el grupo que intenta edificar trato de establecer politica en Los Young Lords, pero no dio re'fjultado proque todavia Los Lords euerian tales cosas cono ir a baile s y partoo sociales. Organ!so oiros dos grupos permaneclendo presidents de Los Young- Lords* El conocio a esta gente en tavernas y centros de la comunidad, AX princiipio nadie le escuchaba, pore Cha-Cha seguia incistiendo y no perdia el anino., Los Lords may ores no iban de acuerdo con la idea de Cha-Cha porquo estaban muy ocupados "arre'batandose." Pero Los Lords menores ya hablair ido con Cha-Cha a algunas rbiroioses de renovacion urbana* Lentamente, re/rresaron al grupo porquo Cha-Cha estaba hablando del racismo y brutal.idad policiaca. 1 Con Los Young Lords mayores (Manuel Ramos era uno de ellos) Cha-Cha fijo' una . junta para la reorganizacion del grupo. Cuando Manuel Ramos murio' esa.misma seman'a las contradicciones se veian bien claras y todos los ultimos Young Lords se reunieron de nuevo. Cha-Cha no sabla mucho acerca de como organisor, solamente sabla lo qua habia aprondido por medio do la practice diaria. . '' • ' •, 'J. •';• • • t ^ . . . ; , . , jjesde entonces, Lcs Young Lords han ho oho y 1 participado en los siguientes eventos: se apoderaron del "Theological Seminary " (on ei oual, las d e a a n d a s p o r $601,000 dolares para construir casas de salaries bajos, fuercn e'ehas y confirm a d o s , pero nunca cuplidas); se apoderaron de una area vacia y la llamaron "People*s Park;" tuvieron demostractones para Welfare Rights y marches ortar.do la independencia de Puerto Rico? tuvieron festiyaies en las calles, relacionardoce con la cultura latina; atendieron a conferencias chica-ras- para formar unid&d entre toons los "latinos 1 y hasta esto memento, tienen en funcicn una clinica gratuita. Cha-Cha ya no se relac.ionaba con peleas calle jeras 0 drogas. Los Young Lords ya no eran una pandilla. cino, una organisaci.cn politica. Cha-Cha fue arrestedo 1? veces en un ano v medio, Estas voces fue'arrestado, segun ellos por acciones de desoxd&n, por atender a juntas de renovacion urbana, y por otros actos politicos. P o r tcdo esto, y mas fue"for;',ad0 a salir de la comunidad. •> il^myl-^/Ji^ M M 'v . .. J . '' J..•' - •• if 'i * V-T-.--- H v|||f't||| �! : Parte II'» EH. LPS PRIMERCS AMOS ' • ' Historia de la Crpanizacion de Los Young Lords ^ v;lv . , - fcgft ; ' ; : En 1959, siete jovenes fornaron una pandilla para protegerse} en ese tiempo # era cuando muehos" puertorriquonos y latinos eran maltratados por pandillas blancas en la area de Lincoln Park (cerca del lado norte de- Chicago)• El principal proposito y actividad del grupo era p a r a p e l e a r con las pandillas blancas que los molestaban, por controlar los sitios- de ronda.,. calles, y territories pandilleros* Al. misao -.tiempo que el grupo crecaa, se ramificaba a otras areas cercanas, a escuelas secundarias a donde otros latinos esta ban teniendo los mismos tipos de problemas. 'M';. -'..!'' [; V En ese tiempo, cuando la mayoria de Los Yc-ur.g Lords.tenian problemas. de. pobreza, con la polieia, con oficiales de vigilancia, con renovacion urbana, con drogas y con otras pandillas; los jover.es constantemente eran plagados por trabaj ad ores sociales que tenian por solucion a esos problemas, ,el de jugar baloncesto en una iglesia local. En 1964, Cha-Cha Jimenez fue"nombrado presidents de Los Young Lords ifu^ra, de los siete originales, el fue' uno de los poccs que quodaban. En ese tiempo, el grupo empezo"*a tener actividades sociales en una YMCA local. Algunas hermanas por medio de los eventos sociales en la YMCA se estaban asociando con Los Young.Lords. 'Mas tarde ellas fueron organizadas por Cha-Cha en un grupo llamado Young Lordettes. Represion golpeo a los Lords, al mismo tiempo se transfornaban pasivos jugando baloncesto en la iglesia cercana, y ycndo a los eventofe sociales en la YMCA. Tcdos los prin'cipales lido res del grupo fueron encarcelados incluyendo a Cha-Cha', a qui en por ser el principal lider fue atacado con mas fuerza, Despues de pocos meses; el grupo de Los Young Lords se destruyo". Ya no iban a la YMCA o a la iglesia local; el proposito de los eventos sociales y programas que habian sido originalmente planeados para los Lords, ahora eran descontinuados. Como resultado de todo eso, la u'nica cosa que esta ban haciendo ahora, era "arrobatarse" en la esquina. Una cosa que continuaron haciendo fue'llamarse Young Lords. * — f Despues de casi'dos anos,y en 1968, Cha-Cha regreso a la comunidad de Lincoln Park. En ese tiempo la mayoria de Los Young Lords estaban casados, tenian en sus casas problemas financiered, en "welfare," y todavia rondaban en la esquina arrebatandose. Muchos de ellos tambien habian sido mudados por renovacion urbana. Al ver todo eso, Cha-Cha quien a la rnisna vez tenia problemas con su novia, se deprimio bastante, y recurri'o"a la heroins, y asX.otra vez aparecio'en la carcel, A su regreso, despues de haber leido libros acerca de pasividad social, , y de unidad dentro de la comunidad morena, 61 reorganiso Los Young Lords. Esta vez'fue corno la organisacio'n "de Los Young Lords-que iba a pelear en contra de las' injusti- '-.-•; cias de la "maquinaria Daley," injusticias. recivida.s pOr el pueblo latino. En . : algunas de las cosas ^oue la organizacion paptieipo', fue''en . la recaudacion de fondos (bailes, Has do Salsa;, dinero que fue" recoiectado, y utilizado para la compra do comida, rcrpas y .jugetes.,dis.tribuiaos a familias necesitadas.durante la na\ - —. uuun» . uuinJi we id, .Jist„, / j. r"r .-v-y^ + if-^vv o-x �fete^vi. ^ - ....... . : ' '' ; ' rf • 7 • ^mm^NAM'^h. M m m . Cosas que la gente pobre experimenta todos los dias pobreza sol Ida> hambre, y casi dcGer.ploo total atccarcn <r-acv.' esquina de la vida puertorriquena. Un grupo de "interesados" duenos de tierrasj quienes habi'an formado una organizacion proyanqui, ellos tnlegrafieron al presldente Roosevelt diedendo "existe un estado actual de anarqufa, pueblos sitiados; policias sin potencia y negocios paralieados;" ; Jorge Bird Arias, admjnistrador y viceprcsidente da la companta azuonrera Fa.ia.rdo,- : U y { coritrolada nor los americanos, mando"'un telegrama al secrotario de guerra Stern, . . y decla "condiciones existentes, econolnicas y polfticas demandan un hombre bueno ; i-„ fuerte y capaz." '•'.. ' ; . - v IGenei.Jj. Blanton Uinship! asf penso'ol departamento de guerra, que el era el u hombre "capaz". Con sus acciones claramente comprabo'qUe no disgusto al gobierno ameri carlo, El General Uinshipenposo 'ligerame-ntc. moviiizandq. el aparato federal ii'f; y ordeno el arresto de Don Pedro Albizu Campos, y de otros lideres puertorriquenos . independentistas. Pero el movimiento independentista se aguanto firrco y el pueblo siguio"luchando® " ' Poco mas' o renos por el l'l- de marzo do 193?; les lideres locales ihdependentistas notificaron a las autoridades de un desfile (en protesta por el encarcelamiento de los lideres independentistas) que seri'a celebrado el domingo 21 de. m a r z o . Aunque rsalmente el permiso no era requerido, la peticion fue enviada al alcalde? el respondio' dando el permiso rapidaracnte (la peticion era una cortesia de los independentistas que extend.iercn al gobierno municipal). . • ' Arribando a Fence el viernes 19 de marzo, el eoronel Crbeta jefe de policia ' llego^ a estudj.ar la situacion; despues de su regreso a San Juan el eoronel Orbeta hablo* con el general kinship quien en ese momento nlaneo* y ordeno"'el masacre de Ponce. El eoronel Orbeta fue* regresado a Ponce para conveneer al alcalde que diera fin al desfile. . En los dias. anteriores del 21 de marzo en Ponce una significante central!sacion de policia. fue ll.eva.da a cabo. Ctra fuerza adiclonal de 200 hombres fue llevada para ayudar a la rutins ria. guarnicio'n policlaea' de Ponce % '"so encon traban bien armados de rifles, carabinas, semiametralJadoras Thompson, gases lucrimogenos, granadas y ademas con las comunes naeanas. Despues de largas discuclones con el eoronel Orbeta, finalraente el alcalde se : convencio. El alcalde inmodiatanonte notifico'a los lideres independentistas, les informo que no habi'a notado que el di'a del desfile era el Domingo de Ramos, festividad religiosa, que los sacerdotes Paulinos lo suplicapon que' no permitiera dar a cabo el desfile. Ignorando el hecho de que el' estaba' nintiendc.,- lob independentistas ' le dijieron que la gente quo iba al.desfile ya estaba en Pence 9 que el desfile pro^ seguiria en orden y^ que ellos le dirlsn a los •sacerdotes-;'de las realizaciones. En 1 eso el alcalde paro la. con versa cio'n y les di.-jo que. el permiso habia sido cancelado. ' •' ' " " ' 'L .......... . , ,. . . . . . "I " '' • . . . . ; . ....... .. .. ...... �Alii siguio una discucicn agitada en contra de uno y otro, por un lado el coronel Orbeta, el capitan'Felipe Blanco (jefe de policia del distrito de Ponce) y por ol otro los lideres independentistas«, . •i ' •--.' * Hlentras las dlscuoiones proseguian, la policia se consentraba excesivamente en toda las calles alrededor del sitiotty /euuiou y larebien-en—6-squina:d.e_ .las ._ calles Aurora y Marina. Los independentistas ontraban al sitio de reunion junto' con sus esposas y nines. Bastantes evidencias Questran que aquellos que no erai» -.;:' independentistas fueron avisades por los policies que no fueran dentro de la area de las calles Marina, Aurora y Jobos. Los que eran permitides crusar las lineas It.eran independentistas-, facilmente rcconocidcs per sus uniformed y por insignias puastas en alguna' parte do sus ropasV."""• i - • -• -. - i . . . ••u. . El coronel Orbeta y el capitan .Blanco visitaron el area brevemeute arites de •; los disparos. Hasta la misma atmosfera se encontraba tonsa» Los poiJiH'nr. ofih.-VKm all i v los independentistas ya eran rod ©ados. Ma's tarde dijeron que no les habian dado ordenes ,a los policias. Segu'n Orbeta fueron en una patrulla a los orrillas y cercanias.de Ponce sola,mente para, ver el paisaje; que despnos de .los d:isparos ellos regresarepn. ' •• La calle Marina corre de norte a sur, la calle Luna es la primera calle que crusa. Mas arriba, la calle Aurora crusa la calle Marina, es en esta esqUina en donde los independentistas tenian su sitio de reunion. La policia se alineo'en los dos lados de la calle Marina, entre las calles Luna y Aurora. En donde la ca~ 11c Aurora crusa. la calle Marina, uri giupo namcroso se paro'esp&rardo ayuda de cualquiera de ley dos 2ados. Todos se encontracan armados con rifles, con gases lacrimogenos, con carabinas etc. No obstante otro grupo de policias armados con •semiametralladoras se paro'detras de la formaoion de los independentistas. Testigos quo vieron y fotografos ensehan como en todos los respectos, los independentistas estaban desarmados completamente atrajpatlos en la esquina. Tarnbien demuestran que gente en grupos grand.es, casi todos se reunieron on. la esquina de las calles Aurora y Marina, aproximadamente enfrente del sitio de reunion de los independentistas! Completamente rodeados sin posibilidades de escapar, es evident© que la for™ macion policiaca solaiaente tenia un propo'sito en mente. No solamente era para romper el desfile o desenvclver un motin.• Despersion classi ca y tactions antimotinantes dan oportunidad a'despersarse. Puertorriquenos independentistas en ese fiel Domingo de Ramos eran deliboradamente negades de esa oportunidad. £,Cual era el proposito? Era aterrorisar al pueblo puertorriq-.cno eon nria-et±ibiciou'de" brutal.idad vulgar-—un masncre e Por tolas ..partes los llovieron a la gente descargas de fuego. Por aproximada- . mente diez minutos fueron sonetidos a disparos crusados. Los ultimos disparos .terminaron su mision y 20 muertos eran tendides. En un hospital cercano, un nino lloraba a causa de he'ridas, mas de 150 personas fueron heridasf algunos fueron. mutiladas para el resto de su vida. m :1 ' <' La ultima media hora antes de los disparos y los mortiferos die?, minutos de •• v'^v masacre nan pa sad o a la hir.torla como un insuperable ejempl o de calrca y valor de la, -. gente bajo fuego« ' c-y. ^^'.•Jijr .r:^-.- •rm •ivn-^ui^-^^kAxitw �s s g ® ^ :;:, : i\ i . RENOVACION URBANA ^ • rnimmmmm . •. • • : •• :: -J i.V- • • : 1 : &••>//: •.'••••• $ -M••; - V , ':••'•.•'''• - 3 Aproxi.madamehte a fines de dleiombre de 1968, la organizacion de Los young Lords se die cuenta de que tres campanias de bienes y raices on la area de Lincoln Park,""estaban--tra:b3->.nd<^Gon-renQvaGloajirlaMj_plane^,n rindsr afuera a todos.los latinos. Fue en este tiempo cuando Cha-Cha decidio^qiiFla "6rganiSa6I"on do "Los- Young Lords tomaran una posicion sobre el problema de "Renovacion Urbana." Una demost^acion fue planeada'en rrotestacion de "Fat Larry" (un agente de bienes y raices) por sus abuses en .la comunidad hacia la gente latina y por sus notas racistas en contra' ' de ellos« v;-,; M-.: : ] • . . ••;: U n f--- - .... .. • ,• .y * ,. grupo de Los Young Lords, represantando los demostradores, entraron a hablar con "Fat Larry", el respondio'sacando una pistola automatica *38 y otra semejante a • una ametralladora que apunto'a Cha-Cha* Despues su a n d a n t e comenzo'a llamar a la policia. Cuando la policia llego', ellos inmediatamentc c-mpesaron a esculcar a Cha-Cha, mientras "Fat Larry" lo vigilaba. Tcdo esto pasaba adentro de la oficina de "Fat Larry"j mientras, la gente era ordenada a dispercaroe* Ellos no se fueron hasta que Cha-Cha salio' • • -, : V , A l dfa siguiente una3 hojas sueltas fueron distribuidas para informar a la ' comunidad de las conexiones entre "Fat. Larry" (incluyendo a los otros agentes) y la renovacion urbana* En enero de 1 9 6 9 , EX Concilio de Conservacion de la Comunidad (CCC) se reunie- : ron para aiscutir el futu.ro do la comunidad latina. (El CCC deciden en'asuntos de renovation urbana, tal cono, cualer, cases debon ser demolidas y cuales no deben ser demolirlas*) La organizaeion de Los Young Lords, y otras gentes de la comunidad asistieron a esa reunion. Despues de vcr a todas las gentes que asistieron, la junta directive decidio posponer la reunion porouo no tenian los principales miembros de la ;unta directiva. Al mes siguiente, el CCC vote unanimemente (despues de ser forzado por la co- }' munidac) para no reunirse de nuevo hasta que tuvieron en su junta directiva a repres e n t e e s latinos y morenos de la comunidad. Al dia siguiente de la primera reunion de CCC, Cha-Cha fue arrestado, Dijeron que solawente querian hablar con e l , pe*-o cuando se nego a ir con olios, eacaron dos citas viejas de arrestamiento de 1 9 6 7 , las cuaj.es ya estaban ac3.ara.dao (una tenia que ver con el caso de asalto grcvio en el cual un policfa .psrcio'unos dientes; pero Cha-Cha ya se habia entregado). Su multa fue fijada por $2,500 dolares, el nismo dfa salio'en libertad con dinero donado por la comunidad. BIENES TAR Pi'ELICO El 31 de enero, Cha-Cha acompanaba a la Oficina d e l BJenestar Publico, a una recipients, este es un procedimionto que generalmente oojc todo el die sin'dar aingun resu.tado al final^del.dfa. Y a era tiempo para cerrar la oficina, las recip- ' ientes que estaban alii, docidieron en no irse hasta oue las atendieran. Cor.o consequencia, una confrontacion resu.lto" cuando una cafetera accidentalse voltio: El Director Asistento de la oficina viendo esto, camino hacia ' > • ;•>,• X. �do« f.onoras y las empujo, una tie ellas estate embarazadai Cha^Cha viendo•.I'd slicedidoVk'^ fue y tuvo nu'as; cuantas palabras con el Director Asistente. En ningu'n tiempo; ChaCha toco' al Director, porque-el sabia que la policia lo queri's, tantc que lo arrestarian por cualquier cosa; y tambien porque las recipientes .tenian•la situacio'n : blen eoutrolada. ' : y - : - — ~ 1 \ ' \ • •f^r' "' La policia fue llamada, y cargas de agravlos fueron fxjades a Cha-Oha, por lo c u a l u n a inulta fue dad a de $ 5 w 0 dolares. Cuando 1.1 ego a la estacion de policia • ;. otra cita vieja de arre's tam3.cnfcofue' encontrada, la dual era por. "acolon de muche- .",'; dumbre," y otra ves $5000 do!ares de multa fueron fijados, Un total de $1000'dol-' V.& ares en dinero en efectivo tenia que ser r e u n x d o — y se reunion Cha 7 Cha fue' sacad o esa-misma noehe* •• » _„_..••_..•';.-j...- .\ J. • /••'''•{t'^''Ji '^y/-': f'^.'. V " V V ';•• V , . " : ' ' . ';.' * * '' : ' ^ • v' •'• - ?} C O ^ * ^ " Como resultado del incidents on la oficina del. Bienestar Publico y porque Iks recipientes no estaban recibiendo sus cheques, una marcha fue' planeada en la comunidad lati.. . Mas de 500 recipientes y otras gentes de la comunidad marcharondesde la esquina de las ca.Lles de California y Division (cerca de la parte* norte ."'•"•'. de C h i c a g o — a l oeste de Lincoln Park) hasta la oficina del Bienestar Publico, Ifielcer -' Park, localinada en las cal3.es de Daroen y Milwaukee« la organ.izac3.on do tc'.? .Young '[I ' Lords, otros latinos, morenos, y grupOs de blancos pobres marcharon. bajo uav bands ia. que decia: "In.iuR+.ir.in hacia uno, cs in just tela ha.cia t o d o W Cha-Cha no pudo asistir a esta marcha. Apenas saliendo de la oficina de Los Young'Lords con camino hacia la marcha, Cha-Cha en el proce'so de explicar a lbs miembros algunas cosas relaci.pnadas con la marcha{ fue' arrestado junto con otros Lords por conducta desordenada. Algunos de Los Young Lords fueron a la estacion de policia para depositar la multa de Cha-ChaJ mien bras ,ei resto fue' a la marcha. Cuando la marcha terai.no, Cha-Cha todavi'a estaba encarcelado® No porque Los Young Lords no depositaron la nsulta, pero porque la policia estaba deteniendolo. La gente en la marcha oyo'quo Cha-Cha habia sido arrestedo, y asx continuaron la marcha hacia la estacion de policia. Cha-Cha y lor. otros Lords salieron en libertad; pero no hasta que $100 d d a r e s (dinero en efectivo para oada uno) de rescato fueron pagados. Mientraa la gente estaba protestando la p(>bresa y la b!cu!.a.lidad policiacaj el establec5.miento estaba demostrando a la gence que ellos en realidad no tenian ningun interes ,por sbs d'emandas. Esto fue mostrado por medio de, los arrestamientos y las multas dadas a Cha-Cha y a len otros Young Lords, Mas tarde hubieron otras marchas de recipientes- en las que la organizaeion de Los Young Lords participnron. En cada una de estas marchas Cha-Cha fue' arrested o por aiguna cosa u otra, tol eon.o por ixieitar un mot in j conducta desordenada; y por aselto gravio. �5 ffifyftyi'!,'-'' 'v< J IvV. ' ^ " ••'•'•.,-. it' *• ,rn;j>nn „ „ • fe S ASESINATO^DE KAHUEL RAMOS MARCHA . i , . • ; ; 1X• ,1, V (.,.:,% ,":. - $ Wv - - f > ••"•'•,.> - \ O^Vh J:' ' il fe if V.3 . ,l • "•'/•••••••l- _ EI sabado tres do mayo da j.969, un grupo 'de casi 15 amigos, incluyendo Young y sua lamalias.estaban en la casa de unos-do "loo '.orris -odloTbrando el 21 'cum?.•• -V ' • Pl^anos de Manuel Ra.ir.os y tambien el del otro compahero. La casa esta' 1 ocaliikda^v.f on el lado sur de Chicago, en un barrio predominante de blancos que es conocido " por su racismo. Era una noche cal^rosa, la puerta.de entrada oe habia dejado . abierta para ventliar el apartamento. Cerca • de las once de la noche, Manuel y.. ''' ';';'• otro bensa.no .oyeron dicputando, y oian much03 otros ruidos que venian de afuera, entonces olios decidieron sali'r a haber que e m lo one estaba pasardo; Desde la u o r t a . P hasta^el apartamento habia un pasillo, alii fue donde Manuelr.fu.a disparado por el policia James Lamb. Lamb tenia su brazo ernpunado en el cuello de un Lord,:-rAi^ con un .38 en su otrs ma no one aguantaba sobre el hoxbro dorcnho del Lord, • aquien fn agarro usandolo para protegerse. El dispare a Manuel en cl ojo a kJj u I w I o y a olvo '-'r •'.' Lord lo raspo por el cuello. " 1 *!:>•• • ' .:'>"•,. •'' -v. • : i';V.;' E 1 policia James Lamb estaba descansando esa noche. pios, una camiseta y unos pantalones todos chorreados de presentss, : nmediaitamente atendieron al lado de Manuel, ensangrentado. Durante todo ese tiempo, todavia Lamb no Traia pueatos unos -'chainpintura. Los Young Lords quicr. estaba tendido tcdo se identificaba. . . 1 . .V ' . En unos cuantos minutos, las calles se llenaron con patrullas policial's. "Los Cuatro Lords" llevaron a Lamb ante los policies, y no fue'hasta ese entonces cuando por primera vez se identifico como un policia. En vez de que James Lamb : fuera arrestsdo, "LuL Cuatro Lords" fueron los arrostadosj les forjaron cargas in- ' ventados, tal como el de "agravios." Mientras Lamb conversaba con las nollelas, tirades en el suelo se encontraban Manuel y el otro hermano que tambien..habia sido disparado. Iamb afirmo'que el habia inicialmento salido porque oyo un di spare. Tambien sostuvo que vio'"un revolver que..era apuntado desde la puorta; asi pues el disparo, sol amen be Viendo el revolver y no a Manuel, quien segun Lamb, tuvo que haber toninido el revolver apuntandolo desde adentro "el apartamento. Conforms al la forme de la entrada del apartamento totalmento expuento on la entrada'do la puerta. ' • . 1 Para "Los Cuatro Lords", una multa fue'fijaria para cada. uno por cantidad de' $10,000 d d a r e s (despues fue reducida), "Los Cuatro Lords" fueron sacados al dia siguiente. Los Lords sabian quo en una fcrna tenian que protestar el asesinato, tambien sabian que por todo el pais gente pobre habia sido asosinada asi como y Manuel. En ?Jl- horas, una maroha, fue organi'ssda. Comenso en "El Pa roue de la Gente;" las 3000 personas que participaron maroharon por la calle Division en la comunidad latina. El estendarte que guxaba la marcha decia,"5 Manuel Ramos vive en todos . revolucionarios!" - L a marcha a la fur.eraria, viendo el cuerpo de Manuel• se convert!0 en mas infureciniento por el raciomo y explotacio'n. Una earavar-a de 75 carros fueron mane-: jados hasta la ,estacion.de poplicia cn las calles 35 y Loue (al lado suroeste), demandaron justicia. por el asesinato. Exlgian el aa-retjto de J.-,nes Lamb. Seguro que la demanda fue re oh <\.v, ad 3 . ^ X Z J?, ^ •'. �W i g El d£a del funeral, Los Young Lords sirvierch de guard!a a la'carrosa..En la" ,|f . ruta al sementerlo, ir.anos empuriadas eran eleyadas desde casi todos los cien carros. : K La organizacion de Los Young Lords sabia el vordadero significado de "unidad/' Y - . A* 1 • hasta la fecha saben la importancia de unir a tcdos lod gentes pobres, oprimiuas xtl^—-^—y-de—todos-C-Qlores. para que asi" yeleeii en contra- de los verdaderos opresores. . . 1 I;: ':; En mayo 1 9 , el abcgado defensor de "Los Cuatro Lords" presento en corte, ante el juez Oerda una queja fi.rn.ada por los familiares de Manuel Ramos, la queja era* ;. / en contra del policia James Lamb; solieitaba una cite de arrestamiento y encarcelamientb por el asesinato de Manuel Ramos.. El juez Corda solamente replied, " INoI" Kasta..ahora,. James . Lamb es.exisicnte cor.o un "oficial dc la paz"- (uti policia). LA TOMA DEL SEMINAR 10 Kc CORMICK ;.;.'• Durar'-r la misma sernana de la muerto de Manuel el McOormiek Theological Stone Administration Building fue' tornado por la organizacion de Los Young Lords, todavia 7, se encontraban enojados por el asesinato de Manuel y renombraron el seminario con el nombre de "Manuel Ramos Memorial Building." El seminario McCormick ha contribuido a crear problemas en los alrededor.es de la coaunidad, el mayor problema es' el de casa y vivienda* • ,' ." r, i i •. •". / Junto con otras instituciones en la comunidad, el seminar!o' soporto' y empeso un programa de renovacion urbana, que fue' i'ntentado para raudar a las gentes pobres de la comunidad y reemplazarlos por rasident.es de altos y medianos. ingresos. Eso lo hacen constantemente, priricipalmente por la exterminacion de mas de 1100 casas familiares y la remocio'n de tres a cuatro voces mayor In cantidad de familias? son areas do viviendas tornados por instituciones y tambie'n para viviendas de precios ma's altos p-ra los residentes en la -conuniuad. Como resultado Cha-Cha dijo, "Queremos que ellos,».empiezen a ecsprar algunas casas y propicdades' para la gente pobre \y algun as viviendas ae baja r e n t a g ( C h a - C h a Jimenez, Ministro de Dofensa, de la organizacion de Los Young Lords). La organizacion de Los Young Lords tuvieron una. junta con representantes de la administracion de McCormick; la junta fue' una sen-ana antes de la toma del seminario, presentaron una. lista de dies demandss con el punto principal de una requisicio'n de $601*000 dolares para viviendas do bajas rent as. CincO dias despues, tuvieron una junta en la que Kc Cormick presento'una serie de respuestas formales, la. mayoria. de las demandss fuoron rechazadas. y el rest-o fueron contestadas en '_"'[' voces enganozas. ; • , / r .Dos dias despues tuvieron otra junta, en la Que se hizo ver, que era evidente que las respuestas dad as por McCormick habfan sido totalmente insuf icientes y que, ahora los Young Lords ten!an. que reeurrir - "vna. accion educative en la comunidad". A media noche, el Stone Administration Building fue' tornado. Inmediata seguridad fue' fijada en el odificio la ontrada y la sal Ida de todas las personas fue controlada por aproximadamenta GO personas de la com>midad, quien oficientemente cerraron todas las entradar. del odificio, A la srhniri is Iranian so lo inforjad de la ' : : "V '' "•• / -'i ••' �tiff W • -'V.-• ;.<• p ' v Toina rlVl erHficio; mientras la gente esperaba las respuestn.s de las demandas. \\' Una de las rrimeras respuostas fue deliberada en forma de tribunal, ordenando a la gente que desocuparan el edificio. Finalmente, despues de cuatro dras el director del semlnario 11a mo' una c.onfcrcncla de prensa, prosponld* eljtribunal y dijo que iba a Ilevar a cabo las demandas. El edificio fue desocrupado >eea uiendo una junta popular. « • -v l i B M m ^ : 'M' . « -'i ; ••.- 1 • i i f e l f l Aunque los funcionarios del semlnario estaban de acuerdo con las demandas? aun hasta ahora, todavxa las demandas no re han llevado a cabo. El unico dinero que .fue,recibido fue' el dinero. para "La Oficina de Loyos para la Gente" (localizada en las calles Hals ted y Webster), los Lords ayudo'a establecerla para el sirvicio do la gente do esa area. Tambien otras cantid&des chicas fueron recibidaa rara cier--.v,: A',.tas actividad.es en la comunidad, pero son insignificantes comparadas con. las demandas originalss -que fueron pedidas y e.cordadas, El dinero para' viviendas ($601,000 dolares), es una do las diez mas import,ante dcmanda que nunca fue' cumplida. Hi tampoco se llevo a cabo la demanda de $25,000 dolares en la que la organisacion de Los Young Lords pedran para eropezar un centro cultural, quo era forsosamente necesita- ,., d o en J a c .munidad,. , . 'AA\'a A,'/.:• •••"•' Para exagerar la sign if i can sa de esta accio'n serla dificil. En recientes anos A en Los Estados Unidos esta.es probablemente la primera vez cuando gente de "la comun i d a d — g e n t e p b b r o — t o m o en posecion una instituci^n principal en la comunidad. cor.o la de McCormick que fud con la intenci^n de una ejscucion ccmpleta" de una lista de demandas polxticas y economicas. Ademas, los grupos que tomaron el edificio no fueron solamente latinos, pero tr.mbien morenos y blancos. Ellos son en general, politicamente radicales? ademas do sxmplemonto tratar do forzar unas cuantas conce«* siones, interrogan la legalidad del sistema y su poder, « LA COjhFEPENCIA DE D g W g H La organiaacion de Los Young Lords, consciente de la necesidad por unidad para obrar con tooos los p r o b l e m s que efectan a la gente latina, y pobre, asistieron a La Gonferencia. de la Juventud en Denver, Colorado. La raso'n principal de la conferencia, fue para que los chicsnoa y latinos de los cinco estados suroestes (Tejas, California, Colorado, Arizona, y Nuevo Mexico) se unieran todos bajo el nombre de "Aztlan." Estos cinco estados una vez pertenecieron a Me'xi.co, pero fueron robados por los Estados Unidos en 1893. - Aztlan - - - I.os Estados Unidos empezaron infiltrando a Tejas. Desde el comienzo'de la migracicn, hasta la abolicion de la esclavitud; la csclavit-ud era el principal, argu- .. mento en la historia de T c j a s , porquo la. oconomia del nlgcdon do los inmigrant.es do lcr. Estados Unidos depend5a totalmente en esto. Cuando el Fstado M«?x}cano descen- • die?' una constitucion abollendo la esclavitud, Stephan Austin, quie'n estaba. hablando -.jAAA por los enojados blancos poseedoros do eoolnvos, fue' a la ciudad de Mexico con una propuesta para separar Kd>r1 on. El amenav?o', que el gobiei'n.o de ••n-M v ^ p - a.y Tejas - ^ ^del S srosto' ? » deif?"T'ia �S f t ^ Tejas iba hncei- derrocadc por los GoJ-Onistas blaneos si cstos arraglcs no se T i e - ' : ' • varan a cabo, Como Mexico. se nego, los americanos (bajo 1:?- orden del Presidents ,. : Polk) se rebslaron y veocieron a. las fuerzas Msxicanas (ba.io la orden de Santa Ana/ la batalla de San Jacinto pero on abril de el 1836» Santaa .Ana fue' capturado y forzado a". aV .,—'•en f lxmar^la.iaiifreg2L._dalXeJaff,'• cuando rcgreso. Mexico, el renuncio' la concurYa que el tratado de pa's nunca fue'.discutido, ninguna frontera entre las dos lactones fue fijada, Tejas reclame'el territorid hasta el Bio Grande, p e r o Mexico.. .x insistio que la frontera se fijara on el Rio Nueces. Porque Mexico no reconocio' ,las..fronteras. f i j a d a s p e r . los _Estacios_ Unidos. clla continue' ocupando la f a c a d e \ > tierra entra ; el Rio Nueces y el Rio Grande, ' (Esta'faja de tierra fue conoCida come'; la zona sangrienta por las continuadas guerras-.de guerrillas.) En este tiempo habia un fuerte movimiento en La Republica-de Tejas (Kex.ics.nos Vendidos).; era gente. que estaba lUchando por el estadismo al principles de Tejas se .convert.to' es- . tadoi •. . £ • v• 7f Como Tejas ya era un estado, el gobierno da. los Estados Unidos estaba en la po.sicion ?•> enforzar la reclamacio'n fronteriza de La. Republica de Tejas. El .Presidents Polk qiseria• fornar a Mexico a pelear, asi el iriando H-000 tropas para ocupar tierras Mexicanas en el cur del Rio Nueces, un terrltorio que Tejas nunca habia controlado. Antes del final del ano do i 8^5, Polk habia ordenado sus tropas a el otro la do de la faja de tierra del Rio Ilueces testa el Rio Grande* Los Mexicanos t todavia no hablan ensenado niguna opcsicidn. En la mil-ad de 1 "nkf>. T-olk se canso' a de esperar, a s i el mando sus tropas para floouear la embccadura del Rio Grande. Este acto da o gresi on fue" respondido por el ejercito Mexicans, Ahora Polk tenia el "derecho" para declarer la guerra. El ejercito de los Estados Unidos planeo un ataque triangular en contra de Mexico, Una orden fue' da d a a el general Taylor para capturar Monterey y avangar ' hacia Mexico desde el nortej el general Winfield Scott iba a capturar Vera Cruz, y avanzar hacia la ciudad da Mexico por el surj y coronel Kearney fue' ordenado a ocupar el Nuevo territorio Kexica.no, Los Estados Unidos ton San un ejercito bueno y almas buenas, y asi puss conduciercn una ofer.siva total en contra de Mexico. ^ Pero el resultado de la guerra dependi'a, en los grupos dominantes. Ellos le • tenian mas miedo a los campesinos que a ningunos otros invasores, asi ellos se aseguraron quo los campesinos estuvieran desarmados, Como habian sido los campesinos qu.ienes fueron llamados a pelear; este acto por la clase dominant^ Mexicana", fue" prcbado ser desastroso para tcdo Mexico, Los Estados Unidos estaban avanzando mas adentro de Mexico, y los campesinos fueron dejados (desarmados) defendiendo su pa~ tria lo mejor posiblo que ellos podian. Los campesinos mexicanos y los indios estaban haciendo lo posible para rechazar.a les americanos, Ellos no estaban propiamente armndes y no habian tenido entrenamiento militar, sin embargo la rcsistencia aumento. Presidente Polk habia sido afrontndo con la posibilidad do desastre. No era solameirte que la resistencia mexicana estaba crosiendo y que el tenia la posibilidad de una larga ocupacion''' de Mexico, pero tambie'n texia que ol 'Congrcso negara. la vctacion para fondes de guerra. Polk quteria torminar esta guerra lo m s pronto posible. El mando a su oficial mayor del departamento estadista, Nicholes Trist, para negociar un tratado con el gobierno mexicano. �•'••• U n ano mas tarda, ya habia sido tomada la cuidad'do Mexico,' el Presidente fornia. Trist no pago'ninguna v — / - para..sus^^vjLag_.demandas en el Tratado del Guadalupe-Kidalgo. (151 . brado asi, porque Trist escogid para +'ir:SaT~<t~TOTTtra-to nl pueblo i/i'rgen"de Guadalupe, El .esperaba que los.mexicancs qvdeh.es son muy pensa.riari que la Virgeh habia perraitldo que esto pasara y que ella Vdirigiondo.") . ; • j Tratado fue' nomdedicadp a.la.^ .. religiosos, " / los estaba « Aunqua Polk queria mas tierras, el recomendo' que el Senado aceotara el Tratado, El.Senado acepto'todo pero mends .cl a r t l c i Q o , ol •'Cua'Lvparanti.zaraa 16s'. txtuLcs a las tierras de los mexicanos viviendo en Tejas. Los maxicancs no querian ver todas sus tierras despojadas dc su gente que vivia en Tejas, entonces^ellos no ciorabinieron con esos arreglos en el Tratado. Polk en bonces respondio que r, i no wdiaii ,-b guerra podia- continuar. Por su economia pobre y dispues de hacer vcncidos tanta veces en batallas con • los Estado? Unidos; sintieron que perder la mitad de sus tierras era mejor, qiie perderla t.oda.; Fueron forsados a firmar la entrega de su territorios que ahora 11amamos Nuevo Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada? partes de Colorado Kansas, • •• ! Oklahoma y Wyoihir.g. , '•• ; LA T-: MA de LA IGLESIA » El 29 de septiembre de 196?, el reverendo Brace Johnson J r . y su esposa fueron enc ontradns apunalados a muerto en su casa localizada en cl 2028 norte do Sem: inary (en Lincoln Park). El reverendo Johnson era el passer de la Igle'sia"Metodista en la avenida Armitage, fue renombrada La Iglesia de la Gente (mayo de 1969) cuando la organizacion de Los Young Lords y la gente de la comunidad se apederaron de ella, despues de una solicitud negada por espa'cio para establecer una oficina y un Centro de Kinos. •> * Explicando a otros la exactitxid de las acciones de la organizacion de Los Young Lords; el reverendo, su esposa v la junta directive de la iglesia empesaron a ayudarlos en sus sixpence para abrir el Centro de Cuidados de Ki'nos Gratxjitt.o. Esas gentes defendieron a Cha-Cha y La Organizacion a pesar de presiones y amenazas; • cuando Cha-Cha y La Organizacion eran atacados por la policia, por el regodor del • distrito, por otros politicos, y ademas por los intentop de los inspectores de estructura de cerrar la iglesia. • • • - . • '• En los mesas previos a su muerte, el reverendo Johnson a lo nenos una ves por la semana iba a corte en conexi on a "violaciones" legales tales como violaciones de estructura codiga; violaciones sanitarias; y por el peligro de combustion en la, iglesia. �Lea participation do la comunidad tenia que extenderso a todas las gentes pobre en la comunidad, incluyendo a .madres de families. . La organisecion de Los Young Lords sanla esto. Una de las racones brincipa.Les por la cual no podicn envoiverse -a-ca_por su vlgorozo envolvlr,lento en el cuidado de sus nines. El "centro-'de cuidado de ninos" fue "ihtendad.o pare cuidar a los ninos de laS seis de- ia-manana-a la seis-—. de la. noche. Esto reducia el di'a de labor de las madres para darles oportunidad a participar en las actividades de la comunidad. & & & & & ' ' •' m ^ l d i ^ ' ^ y M i ^ • -A , Cuando la comunidad fue informeda del Centro, ayudaron a establecer las fac alidades, .en la Iglesia de la Gente. Hacioron tales cosas como pir.tar, poner parti-" clones, cor.siguieron mate'riales, litres y coeinaren etc. E l Centro de Cuidado de Kinos consist'ia en educar a los nir.os a su culture, pin tar, leer, escribir y a tender a varias actividades de campo, etc. .i , El Centro de Cuidado de Minos nunca se pudo Ilevar a cabo, porquo fue atacado con difcrentes violaciones falsas, segun ellos decien que el techo era muy alto y el suelo muy bajoj- y que las series do e m e r g e n c e en las sal Idas no tenian sus requis- .• itos. tiki, de 30 miembros de le organizacion fueron arrestedos por,causes como, por • re part, ir ojad sueltos cercas de las escuela s , por conducta desordenada' por 'distur: i*' ber 1a pas y otros cergos conectados con el Centro de Guide de Ninos. Cha-Cha tam'-i i bien fue arrestado supuestamente por hater robado $23 dolares en madera para, el Centre, Le fijaron una multa por cantidad de $5000 dolares.. (rocibio* una sentencia de un ario do prision solamente por este caso)* ' Por cade di'a que el Centro Permanccla habierto la corte fijo, $200 dolares de multa. El sisten.a no queria que los Lords continuaron educando a la gente en sus necosidades5 ni tampoco querian que recibieran el apoyo do la comunidad. Cuando los Lords'vieron que no podian operar el Centro (por causa de la Maquinaria Daley)» Cha-Cha y los Young Lords no se dieron por vencidos. Trataron otros me todas pare servir a la comunidad. Ademas del "Prograna de ropes C-ratuites" que hasta la feche continue y el'Trograraa de Desayuno Gratuito" que funciona durante la tempors.de- de escuela, ellos se reuniercn con estudiantes de -medicine de la universidad Northwestern y planearon una "clinica de salud gratuita" para la gente latina y la gente pobre de la comunidad de Lincoln Park. PROGRAKA. DE SALUD •> Las condiclones en la area de Lincoln Park son los misses come on tcdas partes. Los latinos no cst-an irformados de la seriedad del cuidado do salud. No saben de las vacunas anuales, de cosas venenosas (por re suit, ado de malas condiciones de vivienda) y otras preceuciones de salud. La gente pebre tione que ser educada a cerca de le salud de sus hijos, Las sehoras embarazadas tiene que tornar varias medidas de precaucion durante el estado de enbarazo para a segurar un alurnbramiento sa- ; ludablo. Una dieta baloceada, vacumis fr~cuonc.es, y viviendas adequedas son necosidades que les hace falta a la rente pobre; como resuliado sufren una male salud; . �I i m m i t e Por eso, Cha-Cha y la organizacion de Los Young Lords ompezarcn la ; clinica de oalud para educer a la gente en sus necesidades de salud y dereehos. Pero porquela clinica no tenia tolas las facilicad.es y equipo,, hicieron arreglas con Grant Hospital .(tree bloques de dista.nc.ia de la Iglesia do la. Gente) para llevar ar sus ... pacientes, para rayos X y otros exam :'.r,aci ones sofisticadars Un arreglo fue hecho tuvioran que pagar, pues la clinica es gratuita. • *>•>"-"»'• Viendo que la clinica de los Young Lords habia tenido una reaccion bueria en . la comunidad, la .administration y la con,junta del Grant Hospital empezaron-a da.rles .'. a los pacientes una actitud mala en la recepciones y ompezarcn a cobrarles. Varias.'' . reuniones se llev-iron a cabo entre la comunidad' y la administration de Grant Hospital. Los Young Lords desenmascararqn en cuanto a el arreglo de'-. admision y las realidades que • ellos piac+,5 caban; dos maneras de cuidado de saluds cuidado de salud ' para los rices,y cuidado de salud para los pobres, esto se revelo claramente a la ^ ''''' gente de la comunidad. Ellos habian dado a la gente el ultimo traio de atencion, ' Como resultado de las reuhiones; las rienandas de la organizacion fueron reconocidas y la clinica recivio mss equipo medico, • Unos '«. -uip'os de salud fueron f'ormados. Yendo a casa por casa, ellos informaban a la gente pobre de la clinica y sus servicios, v tomaban .examines s e n c U l o s ' " en l a c a s a r La Clinica de Salud Gratuita ofrece cxaminaciones fisicas y de ojos, ' • •" trabajos dentales, vacunas, cuidado de nine, cuidado prenatal y postnatalj y si algunos do los pacientes necesltan cuidado bajo supervision de hospital, son mandados• a Grant Hospitel, Poolores y enfeaaeran do habia copancla fueron ccpccialr.cnto pro-. cur?.oos, Ssi los pacientes puedea hablar libremente, sin dixicultades. La clinica • al principio era abierta una vez por la semana, pero fue' rrolongada dos veces por .la semana por la buena respuesta de la comunidad. " • '' Por el envoiviniento de la organiaacidn de Los Young Lords en la comunidad, el sistema hizo todo lo pcsible para cerrar la clinica- 'Los Young Lords han reci- varias citac jones para aparecer on corte a Dropueota, cue la "clinica ruederser un peligro de combustion y por no tenor liconcia. El sistema sa.b£a cue"la clinica tenia doc tores licenciad.es y adecuados. La razon que ellos ouieren fa clinica .Licenciada es para que la junta de Sanidad Pueda investigar en cualquier tiempo los archives unformaeion podri'a hacor tomada de estos archives y u s arid--para morootar a los pacientes), Abierto a todos, la Clinica do Salud Gratuiita no rechaza a nadie„ Lor empleados voluntaries quieren que todos sus pacientes sean sinceros acerca de su salud y condiciones famiiiares; cualouier informac-ion respecto al paciente son nantenidos confidencialmeute, y no seran enceriaacs a la-junta de sanidad o a cualouier otro que pueda usarlos para molester a l o s p a o i n t e c . _EL PARQUE DE LA GENTS ' ; - • -'> El Parque de la Gente es un terreno vaci'o en la esquina de las calles Halsted y Armitage (cerca de la parte norte de Chicago) adondo la gente rica estaban pen-. .,,, sando- con.stru.ir un club privado de .tenia, en el cual el pago de cada miembro era i Z'-L $.1000 dolares al.ap.o, Cohs-ciontes do la real i dad de que f ami lias pobre s habian v vivido en ese sitio: y habian sido fcrzadoc a mudarse; v ademas tambien conscientes V de xa ..necesiaad.de tener un campo do recreo para los n.inos, la organizaci6n. de Les . ' ' v . •s / ••• - - . - - . . . . . . . . �l l ; . p ^ Young Lords decidieron tomar ol terreno. Tomaron el terrene aproximadamente eon 250 families pobres sorportandolos para formar ol Parquc.de la Gente; esto era, mientm.s que la gente; empezara hacer planes para viviendas de bajas rentas para. contruirlas en ese lugar. • .: ;; : h; r - \ Renovacio'n Urfena forzo que^e~T^ittar3.rra- -5:5CO -gentea- pobres ,en_l9 ->5o JL©r osta razon el terrene vacio aun existe, Despues do cuatro aiics que se dejo baldio, la . ciudad decidio que la mejor cosa para ol t e r r e n o fuera una cancha.de ter.ls. Cuando vl/;; la gente lo supo, empozaron hablar para recobrar el terreno, '.. La organizacion de Los Young Lords soporto.a la gente en sulucha,' a.yddandolos : 'a- iomar' el .terreno' vactf.ai'' El'parqne se limpie>•• •• colurvpios y Ibarras fueron puestae. ; p Esto essolamente uncs de los muchos cases adonde la gente pobre osta lunhando por . sobrevivir en una ciudad que esta tratando de expulsarlos. ' ' Yj'iy> LA FIESTA BCRIKQUENA Otro ajemplo do la "lucha por sobrevivir" fue en la fiesta llamada "Recordando a Boriqueu que la organizacion de Los Young Lords patrocinaron. Iba hacer;una fiesta pacifica; la'organizacion de. Los Young Lords abastecio comida gratuita y , ; / entretenimi.en.to» Como 200 policias' aparecieroh. para parar la fiesta. Dijeron que Los Young Lords no tehian permiso, y a r r e s t a r o n cinco Young Lords por decirle a la ' gente que se que.da.ran ,y no se - 'fue ran. • ' • '•••. Sin embargo,'ellos no' pudieron parar la fiesta, porque las gentes llenaron las calles y sopori.aron le organizacion de Los Young Lords? e'so otra, vez demuestra, cuanto respeto el "establecimiento" do les Estados Unidos tiene por la gente latlna« Cha-Cha Jimanez oomento' sobre los inoidentes del dia, y dijo, "No hay necesi- . dad de dadicar esta fiesta a 'Boriquen,* la policia ya'la dedicaron ensenadonos, que todavia somos esclavos." Puerto Rico Puerho Rico se \nri : vo i l.,UkC'j anas b? io la, dominscio'n espanola* .Se convertib a territorial en noviembre 25 de j.t59y con una constitueich de gobierno autonomo, Un gobierno mtlitar fue' esta.blecido ocho meses despues, cuando e.l ejercito de E.U. bajo el general Miles ocupo La Isla y la declare colonia, yanqui. En 1900, La Ley Yanoul Foraker lie go a existencia. Esto establecio un gobierno civil, pero todo los cficiales eran mandados por los Estados Unidos. (Los E.U. con el tiempo, tenian eai mente hacer a Puerto Rico un estado, pero si se hiciera, • je de desarollo do La Isla ,) Un ejsmplo de la "ayuda" de dependia en el porcenta, E.U, a Puerto Rico fue en su donacioh que les did a las vietimas del hurracan d® San Ciriaco (tenpranos 1900's) dinero que aumaba a no mas de ochenta centavcs per persona. 1 El Acto Jones fue pasado on 1917-. Esto estampo la ciudadania do los E.U., al pueblo puertorrique rio0 Uno de los "privalegios" de la ciudadania es el dereeho de �' ser reclutado. En yorfad este fue el a n o , en que los" t i W entro a • la' primera" giier- ra mundia'J -3 f i Los 1930's fueron anos terribles para el pueblo puert'orriqueno. Dos hurracanes y La Depresion Grande trajo casi dest r a d o n total a Puerto P i c o , una isla colonial del pais r,as rico del raundo. Habia anargufa polftlca, desempleo en ;masas*-•-,.•.;. y hambre on dondc quiara. Fue en este tiempo' que 'las TucHas'' puertotriquenas-por- : independencia empezaron. Alii habi'an muchas. corifrontacionss entro los "Indeponfjentistas". y la policia puertorriquena (vendidos). un ejemplo fue'"El Masacre de Ponce." Un grupo de marchedores pesivos, iban andsndo, bajo la calle principal de , Ponce tocando el himno puertorriquefco el Domingo Die de Bancs. Una ordon vino, originaliriante do general Wjnship (Yanqui), y disparos fueron descargados entre el gen- ' tio,. raatando a 21 persona e biriendo a mas d e 150« En este tiempo, las condiciones eran igual que los de los ternpranos 1800, E l mejor ingreso de'un trabajador de fines era de $il8 dolares a l aMo* Puerto Rico, en 1 9 ^ 7 , fue' dado el privelegio de electar su propio gcbernador. Luis Munoc Marin se hizo el primer gcbernador de Puerto Rico P elcctado en 19^8. Como nadie mas corr i o , en.contra de e l , el ga.no la elecioh® - El Pre. id elite Truman firrco' el proyecto de la Ley, "Commonwealth"'de Puerto ' Rico (conocido como la loy Publica 600)«. La gente estaban protestando por toda L a ; t I s l a . Un policia y cuatro demandantes fueron matador, cuando un grupo de 'gento ata• caron La Fortaleza, la mansion del gcbernador en el viejo San J u a n . Mientras, al-' zamientos sucedian en P o n c e , Utuado, Arecibo, Narraniito y Jayuya. Dos puertorri- .-,.-' queries de Kueva Y o r k , en 1950. fueron a Washington B . C . y atentaron asesirmr al presidents Truman. Hoy Puerto R i c o , sigue siendo ussdo por los Imperialj.stas americanos, por medio del gobernador Ferre'i I-ks de de la tiorra de Puerto Rico es usada por • bases inilitares do los 2 . U . , para protejer la costa surena de lor. B . U . (Primeralfiente. la base Ramey de Fuerza Aerea en el costa oeste y la estacion Roosevelt via. Naval, on la costa este.) No puoden volar en cleccionos, por legisladores que declaran guerra.s en l.os E»U», pero tienon que eervir en lac fucrzas armadas de los Estados Unidos, En el Congroeo no tienen ni voto, ni v o z . Bajo el control Federal esta el corcesi nnario do la. caoa de correo, la radio, la television y el serv.ic.io de derechos de aduana* Mientras la mayori'a de su poblacidh se mantiene pobre, es llamndo "El apartvlor de America, en el mar del Caribe,"' • Negocios amc-rio.mas tienon cadenas.de tiendas alii (Gulf, M o b i l , y estacinnec faRilnnr-rar. Esso; S e a r s , J - C . Fenney's, y Woolworth's),, Ademas do todo esto, Puerto Rico comparado con otros pai'ses del roundo, tiene la rcS's grande poblacion en drogaa, do acuerdo a, su tamano. Los Estados Unidos, forza a los ninos puertorri quenos- a hablar ingle's en las escuelas y esta tratando de hacerloa civ5 d a r su. culture.. •••'•;.' Puertorriquenos hen sido expuestos al racismo de la. democracia en los E.U. E<3tau oprimidos, como toda la domes gente pobre que esta. bajo el imperialism©. .Ell- .i£(§j o s , son msntenidos pasivos, por drogos; subyugadc.3 a viviendas inadoonatlasj proven- , tides a recibir una buena educacion; y > mir.'ar ayuda mediea en el unnn-n fjnf t.i r-JK-n nr> <l.in<-•»•«.." �• I L I INDEPENDENCIA PUERTORRIQ.UENA MARCHA FOP. — — ; — .. . : . , , , ^ I , S M La organizacion.de Los Young Lords dirigio a la comunidad lat'lna en una marcha' ' para dera'osirar apoyo a la lucha por Indepehdencia .de los pnortorriquenos y tambien ""para"-protestar e l a.Q061na.to da Manuel-Ramos»..asesiri.?,do._en el Otono d e 1969« La marcha empezo'en el Parque de la Gente, una. cuadra de distan'cia del Cuari^l Naclonal de la orga n is acio'n de Los Young Lords. Como la policia estaba.,en contra de la marcha? * -ma's de 250 policies se presentaron y con la ayuda de un "vendido"' . j-.p' trataron de persuadir a la gente que no partioiparari.cn la marcha* Pero el; pueblo respondio diciendo ":Q,ue vivan Los Young .Lords/," y la marcha creclo'"mas y ma's g r a n d p., .• La policia empezo hacer su retirada, cuando la marcha se acercaba a la calle . Division, corazon de la comunidad puertorriquena en Chicago. La gents qui en habia. estado mirando a la policia desde sus vertanas, vajaron de sus casas y se juntaron a la marcha. Se termino en el parque Humboldt, adonde Cha-Cha To haKlo'a la. gente acerca de la necesidad de oue los latinos se unioran. Esta no fue' la unica demostracion en apoyo a tod as las gentes pobres incluyendoa latinos, >rovovida por la organizacion de Los Young Lords. Hubieron nuchas mas, tratandose de viviendas inadccuadas, brutalidad policiaca? y abuses por el Depart a•V mento del Bienestar Publico y los hospitales. ; , /. 7 . ;.•',.'•'••'. ' '. • •. '• • ;f".'.; .... ; .V-^.,,.. '•"•' '..rfi'fi.;,», El incidents mas rccicnte que c.c llcvo a eabo, relacicnadc con la organizacion • de Los Young Lords, del Cuartsl Kacional en Chicago, fue el aseainato racista de uno de sus miembros, asesinado por un grupo bianco. •"PAMCHO" « » • • . • '.' . En el domingo de abril 11 de 1971, a las clnco de la'manana, Jose Luis "Pancho" Lind fue pror.uncia.do muerto do una severa fractura dul cranio en el hospital S t , Mary de Nazareth* Acercandosc a la media noche del viernes, despues de habor visitado a farailiares en esa comunidad; Pancho, su herma.no y su curiada andaban cerca de las calles de la narte norte de Chicago. Un grupo como de 12 blaucos se acercaron, atacandoIcs ccn bates de bcisboJ f sin rringuna razort o cause.> exeepto'el hecho de que ellos eran puertorriquefios trigeno?, en una comunidsd rac5a.ln.ente tcneaV Pancho estaba tendido en la cera, inconsciente, cuando la policia llego". Ccr.o resultado de la pal is a- su herrrano tenia urr. murieca. rota y el cuerpo do su esposa estaDa magullado. El grupo de blancos huyeron, sin stento por la. policia para cap— turatios; ni siquiera uno fue'arrestado. En este tiempo, su esposa estaba en la Conferencia de Mujeres en Canada'con Los Young Lords aprendionde de las atrocidrdos y brutalidados que el gobierno Imperialista los estaba inflictnndo al pueblo Vietnamitaj- Hiorii.rar, su esposo era otra vict.ima de la Vmita] idad en las naVlea dr> Chicago* • ' ':'' : ; v ' �: •' EveHittklffienie seis personas fueron arrestadas y detenidas por $1.5*000 dolares: . ^ v . s: de .lianza* Pero despues del line-up" oinco fuerc.i solt.ados por imprcpia identij |,v."" V-: . ficacion, El sexto tuvo una jurado en j u l i o 1 de 1971, casi tres neses despues' de*. la ranerte de PanchO« •'-.•• ' •' • \ '" '-V' ^ ' ' € —---Ufr-efi-oia-1 ^an-el-^irado_di4_o..qi\e_.Pancho fue pfronanctad.o "Nuerto a lav llegada" (BOA), sin embargo Paneho estuvo incapaoitado -en el hospital por un dia~.y medio," t:~'.."~ jt ;• teniendo transfucior.es de sangre y otros examenes. . .„.,.,........ -»-•, • Pancho fue' miembro de la organizacion de los Young Lords desde los primeros ."• >.. d i a c , .tambien antes que la organizacion se convbrtiera political El activamente !,.. •soportaba.a L a Organizacion, y habia.participado or. las numorosas kctividades que la organizacion de los Young Lords habia fomentado* Mieniras e:ca' perseguiclq ante's;;""';:: do ir e. una dempstzacioh al departamento del Bieuestar Publico, el fue arrer.tado'. : Vl junto.con Jose'.-"Cha-Cha" Jimenez, y recibieron cargos do asaltds gravios en. contra de un policia. Tar.bictn, fue' arrestado junto con nuevo Young Lords, . incluf yendo a Cha-Cha, per cargar ura arma escov.dida, iLa arrsa? Un serxuebo mojoso* . ; one entrada atras de una "guagua" perbeneeiento a un amigo.-carp'lrtere0 Mas tarde v,, '•'•;•; ^ los cargos'fueron retirados® ..:•''. : • -k •:.' J' a POR QUE NO MPS PUEDEU PARAH? TSrnpeza.pd o en 1959; como una. raildilla c&liejeraynnng Lords fneron re organ--,•-.-.is ad os en <969, por Jo se "Cha-Oha" Jimenez (uno do los siete originates que • emrezar- / on la pandilla) como la organizacion de Los Young Lord*. Su proposito no era ya . el de pelear con pandillas pero m s bien polesr por la liberacibn de tcda la gente . pobre. La organizacion de Los Young Lords rapidamente se extendio' , foraando ramas no solamente en Chicago (Cuartel-National de la organizacion da Los Young Lords) pero tambien en comunidades latinas en otras "partes de los Estados Unidos; fue el primer grupo do latinos (y el mismo tiempo jovenes) que demandieron*cambios radical-, es en el gobierno de los Estados Unidas imperial :1st a. El 26 de julio do 1969, un grupo en Kueva York fue oficialmente i-econocido como la. prinera rama de la organizacion do Los Young Lords. En septiembre, bajo la dire cci err del Cuartel Kacional en Chicago y por su ejennlo, Nueva York abrio' su oficina en una. extie nda, er.pezo un program a -de desayunos, exa minacioncs do descubri— miento de veneno de p i c m c y obraron con los problemas de derechos de salud. En oetubre del mir.mo one, dos ramas mas do la orcp.Msacicn de Los Young Lords, bajo el liderato del Cuartel Kacional en Chicago, fueron reconocidas y abiertas en I.'uevo Jersey y California. Tarnbi.fn por coo tiempc, una rama local en Chicago Heights fue formnda, pero a c a u s a de la repression dada per la policia local, la -rama fue descontinuada. • - . La rama en Bronx, fue abierta en abril de 1970, otra vez bajo la conduceion de Chicago, SiRuiendc la apertura de .la rc-ra er: 'Bronx, dor, raoao mas en California, roconoclpndo a Chicago como on .Vlnv'nv'r.-t r.-vlor, fu^aw; ,-nrlertas: a la. t;onte» En enero 1971, 'las war, rsciente rama so abrio en el esta.do an 'Jir.oonsi:s» '•• �m V o ,Wt K -1• Cha'^Cha sabia' que estableciendo Los Young Lords on una organizacion para uni~ icar y .guiar a-tod as las gentes opremidas en su liberacion, era conirario a este sistema de capitalismo, y indudablemonte se proponon a dar represion. Sin embargo, 'aur.que esta represion las ha golpiado muchas veces'.'en dife rente's formas, ellos la •Vhan blenvenido, la organizacion do Los^Yrnng Lords, fcajo el mandato de Jose "Chaper el Car3.no hacla las masas de la genie quo es superior, a la represion sistema ha clavado score ellos» jHos pueden encarbelar; Kon pueden- brutali.sar,* Hos. pueden mata.r; Pero no. no.s pueden parar! (Jose "Cha-Cha" Jimenez, Kinistro de a Defensa, Organizacion de Los Young Lords) Comite Central Enero de 1972 m m m � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00060-01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1972 Title A name given to the resource Young Lords history (Spanish), 1972 Description An account of the resource "Breve Historia de la Organizacion de los Young Lords." Spanish language history of the Young Lords Organization. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Depaul University Library. Special Collections and Archives Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource spa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/aca1b2879f0f4dedffb077f5b1999dd8.pdf af31cce9dd88ef0d4223e38d92cddfd2 PDF Text Text A? pUERr0 jJP EN Ml QPUERtEN Ml CORAZOJI^ O 0 4 � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00058-03 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Title A name given to the resource I Am a Revolutionary with Young Lords and Black Panther logos banner Description An account of the resource Young Lords and Black Panther Party banner reading "I am a revolutionary!" and "Chairman Fred Hampton" and featuring the Black Panther and Young Lords logos. Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7cef672f6257ac6496bd3a44a62e9dc9.pdf 3603cbc1012f888a99cc00d537614325 PDF Text Text & EN Ml ^ � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00058-02 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Title A name given to the resource Manuel Ramos Y Pancho Lind and Young Lords Logo banner Description An account of the resource Poster reading "Manuel Ramos Y Pancho Lind" in large lettering below the Young Lords logo. Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource spa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/555700da32023d9c7f967245a437a0ff.pdf fdd6bf25e243c1ed649b9510b04c04f7 PDF Text Text � 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00058-01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Title A name given to the resource Young Lords logo poster Description An account of the resource Poster featuring the Young Lords logo of a raised fist holding a rifle. The phrase "Tengo Puerto Rico en mi Corazon" is arched above the image. Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource spa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/957864380a98e73a118a4e426c376da8.pdf 00d1c4f20112730669556e195e1ecd3b PDF Text Text �•§m I ptit • National Headquarters 352 W i l l i s A v e . B r o n x , New Y o r k 10454 First Printing — p t - Feb. I972* criticisms /v / ^IHH* W i l l be u p d a t e d and r e v i s e d at f i r s t party conaress J u l y 1972 All HBimiffite and s u g g e s t i o n s " welcomé fT/ 3*-» �THE I D E O L O G Y O F THE YOUNG LORDS PARTY ( P u e r t o Rican R e v o l u t i o n a r y Party) Juan Gonzalez, Minister of Defense Juan " F i " Ortiz, Chief of Staff Gloria Gonzalez, Field Marshal David Perez, Field Marshal Denise Oliver, Former M i n i s t e r of Economic Development Pablo "Yoruba" Guzman, Minister of Information "I have lived in the belly of the monster, I have seen its entrails, and mine is the sling of David." TABLE OF CONTENTS — Jose Marti 1. INTRODUCTION 2 2. D E F I N I T I O N O F TERMS 3 3. ON HISTORY A N D DIALECTICS 5 by Yoruba 4. P R O T R A C T E D WAR IN PUERTO RICO by Gloria Gonzalez 13 5. ECONOMIC A N D M I L I T A R Y STRUGGLE by Juan Gonzalez 20 6. C O L O N I Z E D MENTALITY AND NON-CONSCIOUS IDEOLOGY .26 by Denise Oliver 7. THE PARTY A N D THE STATE 33 by David Perez 8. THE PARTY A N D THE I N D I V I D U A L ,,,37 by Juan " F i " Ortiz 9. A N A L Y S I S OF PUERTO RICAN SOCIETY 4I �INTRODUCTION This is the beginning of the ideology of the Young Lords Party. What is ideology? It is a system of ideas, of principles, that a person or group uses to explain to them how things operate in the world. Our ideology was developed out of the experiences of almost two years of struggling everyday with our people against their oppression. The systematic ideas and principles in this pamphlet are guiding us as to the best way to lead the liberation struggle of the Puerto Rican nation. These are not fixed, rigid ideas, but constantly developed as we constantly work to serve and protect the people. There are certain principles that are fixed and unchangeable to us, though. First, is collective leadership, not individuua I leadership. One individual can never see the whole of a problem. Only collectives of people, working together, can solve problems correctly. Second, we can understand nothing unless we understand history. One of the problems of the Puerto Rican and amerikkkan revolutionary movements is that they have not done systematic, scientific study of their history and so do not yet understand the countries that they wish to liberate. Third, a revolutionary must be one with the people, serving, protecting, and respecting the people at all times. "Wherever a Puerto Rican is, the duty of a Puerto Rican is to make the revolution." GLORIA GONZALEZ, FIELD MARSHAL 2 �DEFINITIONS When we begin to read and study things on revolution, on how other people's have liberated themselves and on how we can develop our revolution, we come across a lot of new words we have never heard or seen before. We should learn what the words mea n and then learn how to explain those ideas to our brothers and sisters in ways they can understand. Nation: A people who have had the same history, culture, language, and usually have lived in the same territory for a long pe riod of time. Colony: A culturally, nation militarily which by is controlled another country economically, and whose government is run by that other country. Capitalism: A way of running the economy of a nation, where a few of the people in the nation own the factories, trains, business, commerce, and the majority of the people work for those owners. The few capitalists make large amounts of money by selling what the rest of the people make--the products, like dresses, cars, copper, oil. This is called profit. Vendepatria: A sell-out. One who has sold out his or her people for money or powar. Contradiction: When two things are opposed to each other, for instance, right and wrong, up and down, good and bad. When you have a contradiction, you have a problem that has to be solved. If someone says that the way to get to a place is by turning right, and someone else says it's by turning left, you can't get to that place until the contradiction is solved-it's either right or left. Jibaro: The mixture of mostly spanish and Taino, but also some Blacks, who developed in the mountains and campos of Puerto Rico mostly as small farmers and as peasants. The language is spanish, the culture Spanish and Indian. 3 �Afro-boricua: The mixture of mostly Spanish and African who developed in the sugar cane plantations and coasts of Puerto Rico doing fishing, and whose ancestors were slaves. Most Black Puerto Ricans try to call themselves mulattos when the language is Spanish, but the culture and customs are still mostly African, and when the racist societies of Spain and Amerikkka still treat them as though they are inferior. Class: The group of persons that an individual belongs to all of whom make their living the same way. For instance, lumpen make their living by surviving -stealing, prostitution, dope, etc.. The workers make their living by working for someone. The petty-bourgeois make their living by working for themselves, the peasants make their living working on the land for themselves or someone else. The bourgeois make their money off the labor of everyone else. They don't work at all. Self-determination: It means very individual, every nationality has the right to determine their own lives, their* future, as long as they don't mess over other people. A nation shoud be free from control by another nation. Independence: When a nation has a government made up of people from that country, but it is still controlled economically, and culturally by another country. National liberation: When a country is completely free from control by another nation. When the people are in control of the government, economy and army. Lombriz: A parasitic worm that produces intestinal disease, found in tropical countries. We use this word for all the Puerto Rican traitors, for the parasites they are. "The price of imperialism is lives." JUAN QONZALIS 4 �ON HISTORY & DIALECTICS The Young Lords Party has always believed in the correct studying of our history, the history of the nation. Puerto Ricans are told we have no past, not as good as the oppressor's past. So finding out the truth is a good thing. See, the game that the amerikkkan enemy runs is to tell us that we ain't got no history, no roots, no tradition, no nothing. In this way, we are made to feel as though we have just popped up, and when we move against the enemy, we move blindly. If we had a knowledge of history, we could study the mistakes and successes of those who came before; instead of starting anew, we could begin where the last generation left off. It is time that all Puerto Ricans get down to studying our history. This serves three purposes: 1) We'll be able to check out what our ancestors did and did not do. Also, we'll get a sense of our people's development. In a national liberation struggle like ours, a movement must be built that comes from the people, from our experiences, sorrows, joys. There is a certain way to organize the Puerto Rican nation, as opposed to say, the Polish nation. 2) Studying history allows us to see the enemy's master plan develop, such as the one being used to control Puerto Ricans. 3) Finding out about our roots gives us a certain pride in the knowledge that we have withstood oppression for so long. We must transmit this righteous pride to all of our people. Let me run something down on history. In school, or in society in general, we are taught that events in history take place because of a few "great" individuals, like Napoleon or George Washington (specifically, "great" white males). We are taught that history goes in cycles, that it repeats itself. 5 �This is all jive. In the Young Lords Party, we are training ourselves in thinking scientifically, in looking at things from an orderly point of view to arrive at the right conclusions. All Puerto Ricans concerned with their people must begin to see things in a scientific way. Scientific?: Well, we learned in school that the way a scientist approaches a problem is by way of a thing called the scientific method. The scientist first say, "What do I want to get out of this thing after I understand it? Where do I want to go? Now what would be the best way of getting through this 6 �problem and to my goal?" And then the scientist lays out each step, one by one, until the goal is reached. This is the way we must lay out the revolution, using our passion, our feelings, to keep us going, step by step, until we are free. This means that we will become something called "dialectical materialists." What does this mean? First, take the word dialectics. Dialectics is the study of contradictions. What is a contradiction? We've heard about something being contradictory, right? Like say you're having a discussion with someone, and then they say one thing and you say the opposite. That's a contradiction, and it must be resolved one way or the other. The both of you could have an argument and walk away, or a unity of thing between you will arise. Contradictions are everywhere, even in nature. Say you have a herd of pigs, the last herd left. Then say there are some people who are starving , and they come across the pigs, a decision has to be made. Thft people or the pigs. That's a contradiction. A Puerto Rican in, say, high school who hears their history teacher say "history repeats itself," will say, " N o good, teacher. History flows, like a river, and the course that river takes depends on how contradictions are resolved. In other words, history is always moving ahead, teacher, going forward, once a contradiction is dealt with (resolved). Sometimes a contradiction is resolved in a way that it only looks as though history repeats itself." That sister or brother would say, "See, let's say you have a nation where most of the people are starving, and a few people in power are eating well. That's a contradiction. It could be resolved either by the people rising against those in power, tike in Cuba in 1959, or by those in power taking the country into a war against another country, like the united states in 1941 against Japan (sometimes the rulers of a country go to war so that the people forget their internal problems, like their stomachs)." This Puerto Rican would say, "That's history, that's life: you have contradictions, they get resolved, which changes history's course, and since there are always contradictions, 7 �there will always be new changes." Some contradictions are the ones between machismo and male-female liberation, or between capitalism and socialism. The second word is materialism. This means that all of these contradiction occur in the real world, the world we can see around us. Many times, for example, the economic facts of life cause other things to happen. Yet, we are taught in school that the united states went into World War I "to make the world safe for Democracy." This is a lie. The u.s.a. went into World War I for the same reason it went into the Mexican-American invasion, Spanish-Amerikkkan Korean and Indo-China Wars — invasion, economics. Wealth. As an imperialist country, amerikkka resolves the contradiction of constantly needing more wealth to keep its machinery running by going to war to rip off land (Puerto Rico from Spain) and to put people to work at home. (Defense contracts=f actor ies=employment=products=consumers). Scientific analysis show that it is materialism, real things, that exist in the world. Part of dialectics is that everything has its opposite, and the opposite of materialism is metaphysics, idealism. Idealism is ideas that have nothing to do with reality. It's like saying that the reason why flowers grow is because of magic, or why people are here is because man was made from dirt, and woman came from man's rib. The reason why flowers grow or why people are here is because of certain scientific laws of nature. That is real. That is materialism. With this kind of thinking in mind we can now briefly cover Puerto Rican and Black history. Why? Well, there are contradictions between people and the enemy; these are natural contradictions since it is the enemy that enslaves us. Contradictions with the enemy are antagonistic, non-friendly. These differences are resolved ultimately through war. Then there are contradictions among the people. We have been divided and conquered by the enemy in hundreds of ways housewives against against women, unionized prostitutes, Puerto workers Ricans against young against non-union 8 against old, men Afro-Americans, workers, workers �against drug addicts, families against other families, one ar rabale against another. These contradictions should be kept non-antagonistic and settled among ourselves, as friends so we can unite against the enemy. So, in studying Black and Puerto Rican history, we look at the history of the contradictions between Blacks and Puerto Ricans as differences among brothers and sisters oppressed by the yankee. "We wasn't thinking about the other guys being Puerto Ricans •••iff he was your enemy, you kill him." CEORCIE We studied the history of Puerto Ricans. First, we saw that the u.s.a. took control of Puerto Rico because they were preparing a "safety valve" country in case the "Black Problem" got too heavy. In case Afro-Americans increased their efforts to remove their chains, the u.s. intended to ship the Black people to Puerto Rico, the Phillipines, and Hawaii. The gringo came claiming to be liberators from Spain, and our people couldn't even understand the lies since they were made in english. We were ruled by interpreters. By changing the currency of Puerto Rico to u.s. dollars, one unit of the old currency was now worth 60 cents amerikkkan. Then a hurricane wiped out the coffee crop (the only crop), and this, combined with the currency devaluation drove people bankrupt overnight. A severe depression set in. The u.s. self-proclaimed liberators of the island, sent aid to Puerto Rico that amounted to about 8 cents a person. Dig that. Already the Yankees had a master plan — First, to take military control; then, to make Puerto Ricans citizens; then change the colony to a dominion status, like Canada; then make it a state. This plan was made in the early 1900s and the enemy is right on schedule. The governors amerikkka picked to rule over us weren't exactly gems, either. They were perverts and lames. Not one knew a thing about diplomacy, shown in how they 9 �constantly said openly racist stuff, or got caught either embezzling or having late-night sessions with ambassador's wives. We studied how Munoz Marin weasled his way into power, running an independence line here, a commonwealth line there. Most important we saw Iombriz Ferre's scheme for getting Puerto Rico to be a state: 1) Before the '72 elections, he was gonna ask Nixon to set up a commission to see if Puerto Rico could vote for u.s. president. (The commission has already been set up). A referendum would be called for the people. 2) They are then gonna ask that the resident commissioner who now sits and watches what happens in the amerikkkan House of Representatives, be doubled (another resident commissioner) and the both of them would be given the right to vote. 3) Ferre runs for governor again in 1972 on a maintain the commonwealth line. 4) After Ferre wins, after there are two resident commissioners in the house of representatives, and after the island is given the presedential vote (so that Puerto Rico can vote for Nixon in 1972) Ferre puts out the referendum to make Puerto Rico a state. Ironically, the u.s. congress may be most strongly opposed to this. A lot of those red-necks wouldn't want no "spanish-speaking fornicating, colored, poor, rum-drinking, illiterate, welfaring, nasty, smelly stupid, lazy, troublesome spies" to be a state. Next, it is important to study the history of Afro-American people. Many people think that Puerto Rican history is like one circle sitting by itself on one side, and Afro-American history is a circle sitting by itself on another side. Actually, the two circles are linked together. To study Black history is to complete the study of Puerto Rican history, and vice-versa. African people were brought, in chains, to the americas, and the resistance started from day one. The ships brought Africans to Hispanola, Cuba, Jamaica, Brazil, Puerto Rico, etc. Moving through history, we see how many of the organizations and tendencies of the Black movement in Amerikkka are definite outgrowths of history as are all people's movements. 10 �The Young Lords Party recognizes Black people in the united states as the leaders of that country's revolution, since they have been the most oppressed people in that empire's history. INio other people in amerikkka were ripped off from 11 �their country and brought here as slaves. For 400 years, the only change in Black people's conditions was that the visible chains were removed and non-visible ones put on — segregated schools, ghettoes, police aggression, like or mind-bending chains like "No niggers allowed" signs. One of our most important allies in the fight for the national liberation of Puerto Rico, will be Afro-Americans, and we must eliminate the racism that divides us now, or else all of us be killed off separately. Let us look at the history of the revolutionary struggle in the united states. For example, most of us never were taught in school the true history of that empire, how it expanded from a rebellious little colony of England to destroy a whole people, the Native American, how it committed genocide against the Hawaiian people, how it conquered and exploited the Filipino people, how it forced large numbers of Chinese, Mexicans, and Japanese to leave their countries to come to the u.s. like Puerto Ricans did, looking for jobs, how it massacred large numbers of poor European immigrants who rebelled against the conditions they were forced to work in. Most of us were never taught in school about a righteous white workers' movement of the early 1900's called the International Workers' of the World (IWW) or the Wobblies. These were some revolutionary people. In the early 1900s amerikkka was uptight. It may seem shocking to us now with the hardhats walking around, but these white workers were revolutionary. And the IWW was the leadership of their struggle. One leader of that movement was Elizabeth Gurley Flynn who was a leader of a general strike of 25,000 workers in Patterson, New Jersey. What happened to this progressive movement was the sell-out political parties, like the socialist party, and the enemy's tricks like World War I, and their final tool - repression, the jailing and killing of many leaders. We must study white amerikkka's background to see how the monster developed, then we can begin to move in the manner which Jose Marti 19th century Cuban Revolutionary, described, "I have lived in the monster, and know its entrails (insides), and mine is the sling of David." * 12 �PROTRACTED WAR IN PUERTO RICO The concept of Protracted War best describes the history of the Puerto Rican people. For many centuries our people have been invaded by one nation or another. Two oppressors were successful, the spaniards in 1493, and the yankees in 1898. When a country is invaded by another, it becomes a colony, slave, of the occupier, and that control stops the normal development of the people. In Boriquen, the Taino nation had its own economic, social and political structure, and was developing in its own way. When these people came they used the riches of the island to aid Spain's development and destroy the Tainos. The Taino people rose up against the enemy. The war did not last long, because the Spaniards, with their plunder of the rest of Latin America, had more power and arms. Many Tainos died, some because of diseases the Spaniards had brought, others through the war, and the rest fled to the mountains to avoid slavery. Then the Spaniards had the problem of who would be their slaves. Beginning in the 1500s, they showed how barbaric and criminal they were. They began to ravage the African lands, kidnapping our Yoruba brothers and sisters to serve as slaves. By the 1600s there had been four slave revolts. We were once again defeated, but they did not destroy us, as is shown through the influence of African culture in Puerto Rico. Out of these temporary defeats, our people became stronger, and by the 1800s, the Puerto Rican nation, as we know it today, was formed, 13 of the mixture of Taino, �Yoruban, and Spanish, of the most exploited by those in power of men and women more determined than ever to be free. Among the many freedom fighters were Ramon Emeterio Betances, Maria Bacetti, and Segundo Ruis Belvis. These were the ones who toward 1868 raised the cry for liberation on September 23, in Lares. Eventhough we were defeated again, Betances knew what a protracted war was and he said, "Men and women pass, but principles continue on and eventually triumph." And so our struggle for liberation continued. In 1898, the Spaniards had war declared on them by the united states and were quickly defeated. As a result, Puerto Rico passed from one slavery into another. Now the invaders were Yankees, and on July 25, 1898, 18,000 amerikkkan troops landed at Guanica. This new invader would be the most criminal and vicious that has touched our land, and with the new invasion began the new war of liberation. The principles established by the Taino nation, by the African people, and then by the revolution of Lares were advanced by the Nationalist Party, which in the 1930s proved to the Yankees that our people have never been docile. During this time our people suffered from unbelieveable hunger and misery-that was the "democracy" the Yankees brought to us. The Nationalist Party, under the leadership of Don Pedro Albizu Campos, became the defenders of the people. In 1936, the amerikkkans arrested Don Pedro and the rest of the leadership of the party, because they were considered a threat to their plans. It was during this period that occurred what we have come to know as the Ponce Massacre. On March 21, 1937, the Nationalist Party organized a demonstration in Ponce. The day was the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the era of the Spaniards. The demonstration was to let the Yankees know that our people would not tolerate either political prisoners or continued occupation. Throughout this period the amerikkans had one of their own as governor. At the time the criminal was called Blanton 14 �Winship, and he, along with the lombrice, Corsado, gave the order to assassinate the nationalists; 200 persons were wounded and 22 killed- With this act the united states declared war on the Puerto Rican nation. The enemies of our people continued their brutal attacks, arresting 2,000 persons and sentencing many to 400 years of prison after the revolt of Jayuya in 1950. All of this had one sole aim- to end the operation of all the just struggle for liberty because we were receiving international support. In addition to all of this, the yankees began operation "co-option." That is, they looked for sellout traitors, and during this period they began to heavily support the electoral parties, especially the Popular Party led by traitor Munoz Marin. The combination of the repression of the Nationalist Party and the lies of the Popular Party created a lot of confusion among the people. Another important factor was "If our people fight one tribe at a time, all will be killed. They can cut off our fingers one by one, but if we join together we'll make a powerful fist." LITTLE TURTLE, MASTER GENERAL OF THE MIAMI INDIANS, 1791 that the Yankees tried to weaken us by dividing the people through "Operation Bootstrap," and they moved 1/3 of the Puerto Ricans to the united states, but our struggle continued. 15 �It's true that they weakened us when they took away our revolutionary leadership, but what they did not understand was that it is impossible to stop a liberation struggle. Once again, in the united states, we rose up in the belly of the monster. In 1965, we rebelled, together with Black people in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and in New Jersey; wherever there were boricuas, the cry of liberty was heard. Out of those rebellions, developed the Young Lords Organization in Chicago, in 1969. With the example of the Afro-american people, who throughout their prolonged war inside the united states, raised consciousness among Puerto Ricans, and with the principles and examples of Don Pedro, Lolita Lebron, Dona Blanca Canales, the Y L O began to organize the Puerto Ricans in Chicago . Meanwhile, in New York arose a group, the Society of Albizu Campos, young students and lumpen (lumpen are the class in our nation which for years and years have not been able to find jobs, and are forced to be drug addicts, prostitutes, etc.), all of whom had the same sole objective, the liberation of Puerto Rico on the island and inside the united states. The Young Lords of Chicago united with the Society of Albizu Campos to create the national organization. With a 13 Point Program the organization began to serve and protect the people, with free breakfast programs, free health and clothing programs , and with the taking of the People's Church, where the organization was recognized as a group with support from the community . Each day the organization won more support, but it found itself with many problems. Because of its oppression, the Chicago group did not understand the necessity for discipline and political education, which is needed to achieve our liberation, and was not able to further the struggle. In New York, was the Eastern region with a much more disciplined and developed leadership, which was anxious to advance the struggle. We split with Chicago and formed the Young Lords Party. With three bases in El Barrio, another in New Jersey, and another in the South Bronx, the Party began to analyze Puerto Rican society, and we soon realized that 16 �2/3 of our people, almost wholly unknown to us, lived on the island. The analysis of Puerto Rican society made it clear that our nation is composed of distinct classes and social groups and with this understanding we began to formalize ideas to bring the Party to all sectors of our people. Always remembering that we are a revolutionary party whose goal is complete national liberation, and about the job of uniting that nation. In August, 1970, two leaders of the Party, Juan Gonzalez and Juan Fi Ortiz, made the first official Party visit to the island. From that trip we analyzed a number of things. For example, we saw that the struggle in the united states was much more advanced since the conditions in the u.s.--the racism, the oppression was much clearer; hunger and oppression expose quickly the lies of the amerikkkan dream. Although it's true that there were other established independence groups, the Movement for Puerto Rican Independence, founded in 1959, the Puerto Rican Independence Party, founded in 1947, the origin of these groups was either from the petty or upper bourgeoisie (the middle and upper classes). Also, they were either social movements or electoral parties. As the years have passed. 17 �these organizations have raised the consciousness of the people, especially MPI, but for our revolution to succeed it's clear that we need more revolutionary leadership. With this in mind, we began the preparations for the move to the island, this being the best way to unite the 1/3 of our people on the island and the 2/3 in the u.s. The Yankees have divided and weakened us in many ways--the analysis of Puerto Rican society helps us to understand the divisions. First, we have to unite the two most oppressed classes, the lumpens and the workers, and also the two social groups in which our people are divided, the most oppressed Afro-Puerto Ricans and the jibaros. This is not to say that we won't also unite the petty-bourgeoisie and the students. As we have seen, with a little education, they will come in large numbers to follow the lead of the people and will take part in the revolution. Taking into account our origin in the u.s., we began to analyze the 2/3 in Puerto Rico. In the northeast of the island, are the towns of Loiza Aldea, Fajardo, Rio Grande, Canovanas: it was to these towns that the Spaniards brought the African slaves, and to this day these population, towns, with are Afro-Puerto one third of the island's Ricans, victims not only of exploitation, but of racism. Carolina is one of the most industrialized towns where the Yankees have built many factories, and the people are all workers. In this area are the big arrabales (slums), like El Cano, in Santurce, Barrio Obrero, Martin Pena, Catano, and the housing projects like Lloren Torres where 26,000 people live, and communities with large lumpen populations, like La Perla, in San Juan. With this, we have briefly described the north of the island, The second area of major importance is the center- Lares, Adjuntas, Jayuya, and the south, Ponce, Cabo Rojo, Salinas, and Guanica. The social group of the center is what by the 18th century received the name Jibaro. The jibaro of that period was humble and illiterate because of their exploitation, very superstitious, and always ready to 18 �defend their honor. It was rare when the jibaro or jibara visited the town. Their calendar was the many hurricanes that passed over the land. The Jibaro of today continues to be illiterate, not so superstitious, and now not only visists but lives in the big towns, now that the Yankees have forced them to leave their lands, turning them into tomato pickers in New Jersey or dishwashers in New Y ork. The jibara, who once had her herd of pigs, her house in the mountains, now is a worker in a factory making a miserable amount, while producing brassieres. It's obvious why this group, a large part of our population, will give strength to the revolutionary movement.Our job is immense. We have called it the Chains Off Offensive nation, (Ofensiva Rompecadenas). To reunite our we began with a demonstration on the 21st of March, the 34th anniversary of the Ponce Massacre. Together with our revolutionary example , the Nationalist Party, we raised once again the cry of liberty in Puerto Rico. T H M ^ r e many reasons why we chose Poi; the secoraMjest city on the island, n e ^ d t f P ^ T u a n . The place where u ^ Q ^ b j o was b o r n ^ ^ t i p M v n e r e the Yankees have establishec^^kMfPj^'plants, unemploymen^^gfPlM^^^^ave although the all sectors of our s o c i e t y l ^ j ^ ^ ^ P i h e lumpensara^taM&ers and also the d j | j | ^ ^ ^ r o c i a i groups, Afro -Puerto R ^ l p f c and jibaros. unified can we break the chains of slavery. For the Puerto Rican nation this is another stage in our protracted war for liberation. To achieve our liberation we need a revolutionary Party, representative of all the people with one sole objective, national liberation. In that way we will give our largest contribution to the other oppressed people's of the world, as the people of Vietnam have done for us. Liberate Puerto Rico n o w ! Venteremos! 19 �ECONOMIC AND MILITARY STRUGGLE On the television, in newspapers, wherever Puerto Ricans go, they tell us that money is the key to a good life, that if you work hard you'll make enough money. But who tells us that money is the key — the ones who have the money, who own the televisions, the factories, azucareras, the refineries, the hotels, the restaurants, the hospitals, and even own the government. We work and sweat for $50, $70, $100 a week. We work and the companies grow, and the bosses get richer, and we stay the same. And whatever we produce the owners sell for a lot more^poney, that's their profit, for doing nothing. We, the people, work and they, the capitalists, profit. We must begin to demand that all the money and factories made from our sweat and blood be returned to us. We know that this is the only system where a woman can work nine hours in a factory, produce dozens of dresses in one day and not go home with enough money to buy herseff a dress. That's why many of us hate our bosses, and we should — they are robbing us. That's why many of us would like to, and do, steal the bosses' products, because they belong to us. If we study history, if we talk to our parents, we will see that things were not always this way. Capitalism is just one phase of the human race. It has existed since the late 1700s, but the human race is probably 25,000 years old. The whole history of human beings is the story of our trying to develop our ability to survive, to have food, clothing, shelter, and mental satisfaction. We used our hands, feet, and brains to increase our power to survive, to 20 �produce out of nature, what we needed. First we traveled in tribes looking for food. Little by little we settled in one place, the men hunting and the women bearing children and planting food. As agriculture became more developed, not everyone was needed to look for food, so some people could do other things. Some farmed, others made clothing, or tools, or built homes, and little by little cities developed. Then, some began to become more wealthy than others and soon enslaved others to work for them — like the Pharoahs of Egypt, the Emperors of Japan, or the Aztecs of Mexico. Then came the period of feudalism, when there was no slavery but people were serfs, worked on the land of one rich prince or another. All these periods did not come at the same time all over the earth. Some areas, like the African nations of Mali, Songhay, or the Biblical kingdoms of Mesopotamia, developed faster, or at different times. Then came the period of capitalism and of nations with a state and a regular army, both working under the employ of the capitalists, who began to buy and sell politicians like they bought and sold goods. In the 1800s revolutions in France and all of Europe brought the rising young businessmen to power against the feudal Kings and Queens. Why was it that Europe, a backward and barbarian country in the year 1300, rose to conquer the world by the year 1900 is hard to say. Maybe it was because Europe was sitting on much of the iron needed to build factories and had many rivers needed for steam and electric power to run those factories With that iron they built the guns that conquered the rest of the world in a few hundred years. As capitalism developed, there was competition between them to control the wealth; the little ones were cheated, killed, outcompeted by the big ones, who then began to look to other countries in the world where they could make money. They looked to Latin America, Asia, and Africa, trying to find natural resources, cheap labor, and more consumers. We call this, when one nation oppresses another nation, Imperialism. In the 1930s came the world-wide depression. Millions of 21 �people were out of jobs — capitalism had collapsed because of its own faults. In Puerto Rico, the depression meant complete hunger and misery. The old type of competitive democratic capitalism had failed. A new type of capitalism was suggested by one of their own politicians, named Adolf Hitler. He put forth fascism, open dictatorship and genocide as a solution to the problem. Meanwhile, Roosevelt in north amerikkka put forth the "welfare state", the government controlling things peacefully for the welfare of the businessman. We call this monopoly capitalism. Rexford Tugwell was Roosevelt's lacky in Puerto Rico and he together with lombriz Munoz Marin developed Operation Bootstrap, the welfare state idea for Puerto Rico. Roosevelt was a left-wing capitalist and Hitler a right-winger. These divisions still exist. Nixon, Reagan (the governor of California) and Ferre are right-wing and Lindsay (the mayor of New York City), Kennedy, and Munoz Marin are left-wingers. Both are enemies of the peoples. World War 11 was a war between left-wing and right-wing capitalists. But the ones who fought the war are the ones who always fight the wars, the poor and oppressed people. The capitalist and generals always stay far away from their own wars. While the u.s. and its allies fought Germany, in Asia, and China, which had been long exploited, was fighting the Japanese fascists. Twenty million Chinese were killed by the Japanese but China liberated itself and in 1949 emerged as a socialist country with 1/4 of the world's population. Since then Korea, Vietnam, Cuba have also become socialist, and little by little capitalism is dying. Chile and Guinea-Bissau and other countries are not far behind. We must begin to study economics. We must begin to learn how the yankees invaded Puerto Rico destroyed our economy and rebuilt another to meet their needs. The main capitalist countries are the united states, england, france, germany, japan. They are surrounded by the 2/3 of the world which is starving, homeless, and angry. The europeans and yankees are like one big city and the Third World is the countryside. They must fight genocidal wars in 22 �the countryside as well as fight against their own internal enemies. The first front is Indo-China. The second front is Palestine. Where will the third front be? Puerto Rico? Black America? Brazil? India? Meanwhile, these wars are destroying northamerikkka internally. A recession in the u.s., Puerto Rico, and the world is leaving hundreds of thousands out of jobs. Layoffs in New Jersey factories, Fajardo sugar centrales, Mayaguez refineries, the New York garment center, general 23 �motors plants, and the California aviation industry. For the first time since the depression, workers are looking to revolutionaries for the solution to their problems. This is just a summary, but it shows that we have much to study in economics and world politics. If we are to liberate Puerto Rico and control our own destiny, we must study how we have been enslaved and how we will release the power of the people, through socialist revolution. The amerikkkans tell us we can't exist without them. But Albania, Israel, Switzerland, are all countries with similar populations and area and they exist well. They tell us we have no natural resources, but they try to steal $3,000,000,000 of copper from the island's center. Another deposit of $2,000,000,000 worth of nickel was found in Mayaguez, and they are looking for oil in the off-shore areas. They tell us we have no food but before they came we grew our own food and ate decently and we fished in our own waters. Now we eat only canned foods and New England codfish. Yes, we can and will be free from the Yankee. MILITARY People ask how can Puerto Ricans, 2,700,000 on the island and 1,500,000 in the united states, possibly hope to fight a war of liberation against the united states, 200,000,000 strong and the most advanced country in the world? Our island is 100 miles by 35 miles. The united states is 3,000 miles by 1,000 miles. The u.s. is thousands of times bigger. First, the Young Lords Party and the Puerto Rioan people do not want war. We would prefer peaceful liberation. We would prefer that the yankees left Puerto Rico and gave us self-determination in the u.s.a. peacefully. But they refuse. Instead, they cover 14% of our land with military bases and bombard our islands of Culebras and Vieques. So we have no choice but to fight for liberation. The other choice is the slow destruction of the Puerto Rican nation into the 51st state. 24 �If they want war, we will fight it on our terms. That means first that the liberation war for Puerto Rico will not just be fought on the island but also in the u.s.a. Since there are Puerto RI cans in every state of the u.s.a. forced to leave their homes by the yankee, we will fight wherever we are, because the enemy is the same, from Humacao to Aguadilla, from Florida to Seattle. If there are less than 5,000,000 of us, we will show the strength there is in unity. Since we have lived and developed close together for 500 years we are more unified as a people. If they forced us to work in their factories, we will fight in their factories. If they filled our land with military bases, we will fight on their bases. If they herded 1,000,000 of us into their most important city, New York, then we will fight in that city. If they use us to slave in migrant camps and factories throughout their east coast, then we will wage war on that coast. If they stuck us in barrios isolated and oppressed, we will take control of these communities. If they have bombers, missiles, modern weapons, and a regular army, then we will fight guerilla warfare, with few weapons, gotten from them, but using creativity and our own resources. If we are a few and they are many, then we will fight a protracted war, eating them away little by little, one by one, until they either withdraw or are crushed. We will always be on the initiative, always fighting to win. We have the moral superiority because our people fight for freedom, for their homes, and loved ones, while the enemy fights for money. We only attack when we know we'll win. The enemy attacks whenever he can, and many times loses. Our army will be made up of free, thinking, men, women, and children — a true People's Army. Their reactionary army is made up of mostly racist, robot-like men. If the u.s. appears strong, it is just a trick. Thirty million Black people, 20,000,000 Chicanos and Chicanas, 500,000 Hawaiians, 500,000 Chinese Americans, 250,000 Japanese Americans, and 700,000 Native Americans and millions of young and poor white people fight with us. The u.s. is really very weak. 25 �In the rest of the world, with Indo-China, Palestine, and Latin America rising up for freedom the amerikkkan army is weak and overextended. With socialist countries like China, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Korea, watching it, u.s. imperialism can't do whatever it wants. So we are sure to win if we maintain unity and strength, and if we remember that combined with our fighting is the constant education and mobilizing of lumpen, workers, and students. Guerrilla War, People's War, Protracted War, is the key to an underdeveloped people defeating a larger, more technologically advanced people. COLONIZED MENTALITY & We are all fighting against an enemy, the Yankee and the Puerto Rican lombrices. The one major thing that holds us back in our fight to liberate Puerto Ricans and all oppressed people is a lack of unity. If we are not united, like a fist, we are weaker in our battle. In unity there is strength, and a nation divided is a weak nation. We have been divided geographically, with one third of the nation on the mainland and two thirds on the island. To be stronger we must unite. But even this unification will not be enough if we still fight against each other. One of the problems that we face is the fact that we have been taught to fight against each other. Capitalism is a system that forces us to climb over our brothers and sisters' backs to get to the top. It is like a race, in which the prize is survival, with 500 people in it, and only one person is the winner — the one who gets to the finish line first, the losers all starve to death. The prize money which is equal to life: We fight against each other to live, and we are divided into groups that fight against each other. These groups are formed out of artificial divisions of race and 26 �NONCONSCIOUS IDEOLOGY sex, and social groupings. The struggle between men and women, the struggle between lumpens and workers are all contradictions among the people. Contradictions among the people must be erased in order to form a solid fist, a fighting force to destroy the enemy. Many of these divisions that exist are a result of colonization. Puerto Ricans are a colonized people. As a result of generations, the oppression first under suffered Spain for and generations then under and the amerikkkans we all develop a "colonized mentality". The colonizers divide us up, teach us to think we are inferior, and teach us to fight against each other, because as long as we fight against each other we won't deal with our real problems — slavery, hunger, and misery. We are brainwashed by the newspapers we read, the books they write for us, the television, the radio, the schools, and the church, that we don't know what our real thoughts are anymore. We are afraid to be leaders, because we are taught to be followers. We have been told that we are docile so long, that we have forgotten that we have always been fighters. We are afraid to speak in public because we have been taught not to speak out. We are told that we cannot exist without amerikkkans in Puerto Rico, and we believe it, even though we know that our nation existed for hundreds of years without them. All of this brainwashing, this "colonized mentality" holds us back from our liberation. If you take 10 rats and lock them up in a cage which is only big enough for 5 rats, some of them will kill each other and some of them will go insane, just as we kill each other in the streets for five dollars, or in a stupid argument, and just as we 27 go insane and turn to drugs to �cover up the ugly reality of our lives. We can only unchain our minds from this colonized mentality if we learn our true history, understand our culture, and work towards unity. This colonization is responsible for the racism that exists in our nation. We do not see it all the time, and most Puerto Ricans believe that we don't have any racism. Most people will tell you "we are all Puerto Ricans, we are all different colors, none of us are black or white, we are just Puerto Ricans." But that doesn't mean that racism doesn't exist. It is so deep that we just don't see it anymore. The darker members of every Puerto Rican family have felt it all their lives. We have been so brainwashed that it has become unconscious. The Young Lords Party calls this "non-conscious ideology." We believe that Black is bad and ugly and dirty, that kinky hair is "pelo malo," we call Black Puerto Ricans names like prieto, moulleto, and cocolo. We are not proud that our ancestors were slaves so many ot us say we are "spanish" or "castillians." Our birth certificate says white even if the reality when we look in the mirror is very dark. T h e Spanish treated the slaves as if they were animals, and none of us want to believe that our ancestors were animals, so we "non-consciously" reject the Blackness we are all a part of. All Puerto Ricans have a Black heritage, in our culture, in the way Spanish is spoken, in the blood which flows through our veins. Having slaves for ancestors is not something to be ashamed of; one should be proud to know that one's ancestors were strong enough to live through the horrors of slavery, strong because of the rich and beautiful history of Africa. We are taught that Africans were savages, and this makes us non-consciously ashamed of our past. We must study true African history, of the civilizations of Mali and Songhay, for this history is part of our history. The Young Lords Party is a Party of Afro-Americans and Puerto Ricans. Both have the same roots in the past, similar culture and the same types of "colonized mentality." Because of the Black Power and Black Pride movement inside of the united states, American Blacks are now able to hold their heads up high 28 �"The chains that have been taken off slaves' bodies are put back on their minds." DAVID PEREZ and be proud of their past. It is necessary that we understand and study Puerto Rican history, much of which is African history so that we can move on ridding ourselves of the barriers that exist between Afro-boricua and jibaro. We should not be afraid to criticize ourselves about racism. We are all racists, not because we want to be, but because we are taught to be that way, to keep us divided, because it benefits the capitalist system. And this applies to racism towards Asians, other Brown people, and towards white people. White people are not thè oppressor — capitalists are. We will never have socialism until we are free of these chains on our mind. The other way in which "non-conscious ideology" divides I our people is through machismo, or male chauvinism. We have said for a long time that sisters and brothers should be equal in the struggle, that men and women should work together and that Puerto Rican men should not oppress their wives, mothers, and daughters anymore. When we said that machismo is fascism, we were saying something that was true, but we couldn't understand the reasons why men became uptight when they were accused of machismo. Brothers could not understand why some of the ways that they treat sisters are wrong. Brothers did not know how to act differently than their fathers and grandfathers have always acted toward women. Is it all right to rap to a sister? Should I give a woman a complement? Is it machismo if I want to protect a woman? Because we did not understand why there is this division we could not explain well enough, all we could say was machismo was bad, male chauvinism is wrong, you are oppressing your sisters. 29 �On the other hand, we criticize sisters for being passive and docile. We want women to become leaders, to speak out in public, to stop being shy end timid, to learn to be strong. We tell sisters to change, the way our mothers have taught us to be, the way our mothers mothers' have always been. And again, we did not completely understand why our sisters had difficulty in understanding what passivity is, and how to change. Sisters still volunteered to cook and sew, to take care of children. Sisters still felt more comfortable letting the men Palestinian Women's Militia Jordan, July 1970 be the leaders. Sisters don't like other women to be leaders either. We did not understand why women constantly get into arguments with each other. When a woman is strong and a leader she is considered to ba a "bitch." When a man is 30 �strong he is a "good leader." But why? We have realized that the division of the sexes between male and female have existed for such a long time, that all societies have accepted the "fact" that there is a difference between men and women. We know that the only differences are biological — women have a womb and ovaries and they make eggs, and men manufacture sperm. All societies developed around the first oppression; man used woman as a worker, to reproduce, to make babies, while men were free to do other things. This ideology of a division of the sexes is called "sexism," just like the ideology of the division of the "non-conscious women produce is called ideologies." races From "racism." the Both simple are fact that babies and men didn't, developed all sorts of ideas that women were a certain type of human and men another type of human. What is a man? What is a woman? "Non-consciously" we believe a man is strong, aggressive, hairy, bad, decisive, hard, cold, weak, firm, intelligent. timid, smooth, "Non-consciously" soft-spoken, a woman scatter-brained, is soft, warm, dumb, and loving. Both of these sets of descriptions are a result of the way we have trained "non-consciously." From the time a baby is born it is taught by its parents and by society to be a "man" or a "woman." If it grew up alone, with no outside influences what would its personality be like? Just because it has a womb, would it be weak? If it had a penis, would it be aggressive and strong? No. These traits of personality are part of the way we are taught to be. A little boy wears blue. A little girl wears pink. A little boy is given trains, trucks, toy soldiers and baseball bats to play with. Little girls get dolls and suzie homemaker sets. Little boys wear dungarees and can play rough and get dirty. Little girls wear dresses and stay at home near their mothers to play and watch them cook. When a little boy talks about what he wants to be when he grows up he dreams of being a fireman, a doctor, a lawyer, a cabdriver, a revolutionary. A little girl can dream, but everyone knows what she will be a mother, a housewife.Anything else is strange — and temporary. Any other job she has must be something for her to do part-time until she can quit and stay home. If she has 31 �to work she then has two jobs — the main one is the home. Women cannot exist in this society without a "man to protect them." Women who have no men are forced to make it in a world that doesn't accept them. Welfare mothers are women with no men. Women compete against each other to "get a man." So we don't just have division between men and women, sexism divides women against each other. By the time a baby is six months old it has already been treated differently if it is a boy than if it is a girl, and acts and responds differently. Baby boys are more active. Baby girls cry more. Because Puerto Rican society is structured in a sexist way, it is very difficult to fight against things that we are not aware of. If we want to change this society and develop a new one that no longer oppresses anyone we must try to eliminate the sexism that we "non-consciously" retain in our minds. We must become instead of men and women — new humans, revolutionary people. Men should learn to cook, to care for children, to be open to cry and show emotions because these are all good things — needed to build a new society. Women must learn to be leaders, to speak out, to use tools and weapons, because our army must be made up of brothers and sisters. One of the ways that brothers can figure out if they are oppressing sisters is to ask themselves if they would treat another brother the same way. If you lived with another brother, would he always cook the meals and do the housework. If you lived with another brother and friends came over would you do all the talking? Sisters can judge their passivity the same way. How would you repair machines if there were no men around? Who would protect you if you were attacked? We must think about all the ways we have been brainwashed un consciously and fight against it. It is a hard struggle, because everything around us is sexist — the books we read, the t.v. shows we watch, the institutions of our society. We will never«be free until we have broken all the chains of our "non-consciously ideology" and our colonized mentalities. 32 �THE PARTY & THE STATE We are a colony of the yankee. We have been kicked and pushed around, and forced to work for the lowest wages while we do the hardest work. All major decisions that concern Puerto Rico and our people are made by racists in Washington, by crooked politicians who represent their bosses, the capitalists that own the factories and tourist trade of the island. One third of our people were conned into coming to the united states so that they could divide and control us better. We are programmed or mis-educated to do whatever the yankees desire. If they say Puerto Rico should be a state, we are Supposed to bow our heads down like good Puerto Ricans or spies and agree. We are allowed the privilege to vote for some of our own oppressors like badillo or hernandez-colon. Soon they think they will give Puerto Ricans the "privilege" to vote for the pig president of the united states. By keeping us from coming together they have been able to remain in control. Whenever we make attempts to liberate our people, they use whatever force they have available to prevent it from happening. When the Nationalist Party was becoming successful in educating the people, they were crushed, by having their leadership jailed and assassinated, and they succeeded in terrorizing the people. Now the Young Lords Party is becoming the force to organize the nation for a struggle for national liberation, a struggle where the whole people will be organized to fight against the colonizer. We are the Party which through our practice, has raised the consciousness of Puerto Ricans in the u.s. to the point that "Viva Puerto Rico Libre" has become a household word and "Power to the People" is replacing the unhappy good-byes. We have come to understand that without a revolutionary Party based on scientific analysis, 33 �we will not be able to gain our national liberation. A Party is necessary because there has to be a leading body to give direction. The revolution is not made by a bunch of individuals running around doing their thing. Our problem has been that we have too many individuals and little groups doing their thing and forgetting that the struggle for national liberation is our thing. What we need are leaders that come from the poor people and who place in their hearts the interests of the poor people and oppressed above anything else, and who are prepared to die for the liberation of the people, struggle is for "power", power to determine the direction in which we and our people move. That power means a struggle for control of the churches, hospitals, schools, police departments, political system. Any struggle that builds the consciousness of the people to control their institutions, helps the national liberation. A struggle that raises consciousness abo ut the reactionary and corrupt commonwealth or amerikkkan state and government is good. While we fight to control and destroy the old government organization, at the same time is being formed the new people's government which grows as we fight. This concept we refer to as the Party and the State. We recognize that a Party has to exist to give political direction (revolutionary theory), that it has to show people how to organize themselves, how to move against their landlord, a government agency, a factory boss whatever, and how to build organization), organizations and the Party that last also supplies (revolutionary revolutionary examples of what to do, for example, when we seized the People's Church, or Lincoln Hospital, or the National Students' Conference of September 23. This revolutionary Party is composed of the most active, most politically conscious, disciplined and committed revolutionaries in the nation. We understand that the Party will be a minority in number compared with the masses. But because we serve and protect and are one with the interests of the people, we represent the majority. The Party cadre (members) are all leaders of the battle of the people, and will coordinate the national liberation struggle. 34 �We see that there have to exist other organizations which we call People's Organizations. These organizations are massed based, try to get as many people as possible involved in struggle. They are not cadre organizations, like the Party. They have a specific are of work to control; for example, student organizing, workers organizing, community organizing. We think as many people's organizations as possible should be formed. These organizations work closely with the Party and have Party members in them, or working with them. We see this method as preparing the revolutionary state, the People's government, in th at the people are braining themselves how to run their own society. As the People's organizations grow, there will then be two powers in the Puerto Rican nation-the power of the reactionary present government, police, and businessmen, and the power of the poor people, people's organizations, and Party. These two cannot exist peacefully side by side. There will be conflict until one destroys the other. And as the people gain in strength, the revolutionary movement, together with the People's Army, will destroy the old state and set up a new revolutionary government. Many people ask, who will make this revolution? Everybody? The Young Lords Party feels most of our people would live better in a socialist society. But there are two classes of people that will fight harder for the new society, because they have been most oppressed in this present society. The lumpen-worker alliance is the name we use for the two classes who will lead the revolution. It means that according to our analysis of Puerto Rican society, the two most important parts of Puerto Rican society are the lumpens and the workers. The lumpens are the prostitutes, drug addicts, welfare mothers, hustlers, the street people, unemployable because the system has no jobs for them. They don't want jobs because they know already how much the sys tem makes off of them. They are the prisoners in the jails, all political prisoners, colonized and messed over by the system. They come out of school into no jobs, no future, nothing but drugs, wine, gambling. They try to find something worthwhile in their lives and only find racism and greed, or a pimp ready to make money off of them. 35 �The workers, the majority of the population, work five and six days a week for a lousy $100 more or less, they work in hosp itals, post offices, trains, and buses, in restaurants and hotels, in construction, in factories big and small. They are the housewives and working women oppressed at home or on the job, who have nothing to do but come home to bills, credit, T V , and beer, who will never get anyplace though they have lots of dreams. The lumpen understand the oppression best, that is why the y and the students (who come mostly from petty-bourgeois or middle class) are the first to get involved. The lumpen also form the hard core fighting force, once they are disciplined, because the individualism of the streets is still very strong with them. The workers are usually a little more conservative, because they have at least an apartment, even if there is no heat, and a car, even if it's mortgaged, and a job, even if it pays nothing, and they are afraid to lose their little bit. But they also have the most power. With their labor they built the society, and with a strike they can paralyze the whole island or a city. It is from the labor of the workers that the capitalist gets all the goods he sells. The workers know how to run the factories, the hospitals, the schools, the restaurants. They will run, along with the lumpen and students, and a small group of professionals, the new society, but first they must be educated to join with the lumpens and students to wage the War. Lumpens on drugs and having nothing, are divided from workers who fear getting robbed by them. Workers who have a few crumbs, are afraid the lumpen will steal it, so the two classes fight each other. The duty of the Party and the People's Organizations is to unite the two classes into a fighting force, the main force of the revolution. "Let me say at the risk off seeming ridiculous that a true revolutionary is guided by great feelings O f l O V e * " CHBOUIVARA 36 �THE PARTY AND THE INDIVIDUAL The ideology of the Party is the framework from which we move. Everything we do relates to the principles on this paper. Ideology doesn't only talk about what the Party believes but also where the Party sees itself going. On the basis of those principles and ideas we do our work among .the people. We call this practice. As the Party grows and develops, we are going to be developing a bigger more defined ideology and we will be faced with a continuous problem; how do we keep building that Party of our people that will put the ideas into practice. It is no good to have an ideology if all you can do is talk and not practice. fn order to be involved in good practice, two things must de dealt with; first on the level of organization, and then on the level of the individual. On the level of the Party, we ask ourselves, how do we develop the type of organization that can lead our people in a liberation movement? How do we structure it? How do we run the Party? We must remember that the structure is not for any one part of our people, it must suit the needs of all our people-lumpen, worker, student. Also, it must help develop people into good revolutionaries. The Party ministries. is divided The levels of into levels of leadership and leadership are the branch, the leadership of the branch, and the leaders and coordinators of the Party in general. The ministries. Defense, Staff, Field, Information, Economics, and Education are specific fields o* responsibility assigned to party members. The level of leadership is the army that does the organizing of the people, and the ministry is the function that aides the Party. 37 �We have learned the hard way, through trial and error some of the problems involved. It is very important for parts of the Party to communicate with the whole. If this is not done, there will be no unified Party. Communication is done in many ways, regular reports, telephone, mail, personal visits. One of communicating the is most important education. things Without -a besides structured educational system in the Party it is very hard for the Party to organize all sectors of the people. It is also hard for any individual to develop without political education. Two of the cores of the Party are the general membership meeting, where democratic discussion and decision-making are done, and criticism - self-criticism, the key to Party democracy. The structure is still changing, but we should never be afraid of changing to progress. On the level of the individual the question comes up, how do we train cadre? What is cadre: How do we develop individuals from different sectors of the society at the same time? In this field the Party went through many changes. We were organizing high school students, lumpens, college students, workers, and other sectors at the same time and we had to fight the bad traits that each group brings with it, like the impatience of high school students, the individualism of lumpen, the conservatism of workers, and the intellectualism of college students. What is a cadre? A cadre is a person in the Party who has gone through a change in himself or herself from just another Puerto Rican to leader of the people, a revolutionary. This change does not take place right away. First, a person becomes political, then they join the Party, then, after a period of time, they become a leader of the people. But it isn't as simple as that. There is a big change in the whole life of the individual. This change can be broken into two parts. First, losing the bad traits from the class they originated from, like individualism, machismo, sexism, racism intellectualism, superiorities and inferiorities. This is called "de-classizing". Once you become a cadre of the Young Lords Party, you are no longer a student, or a lumpen 38 �street-person, or a worker. You have that background, but what you are is able to organize best that class that you came from because you understand it best, have dealt with a lot of the negative parts of it, and have recognized the good parts. Second, is the big change that the individual has in getting rid of the scars that capitalism has left in the person's mind , like liberalism (not doing something you know is right), pessimism, and the biggest of all, colonized mentality. Colonized mentality is the effects of oppression. Because we are taught that a spie is a lower form of human, we end up believing it and acting as if it were true. We shy away from responsibility, we think negative, we don't think we can learn and then we takeut on ourselves, persecuting ourselves and fighting with others. We call this change, "de-colonizing". This doesn't mean that before you become a Lord, you have completely succeeded in getting rid of bad traits-that takes years--but that you have made an effort and are succeeding. The change in the individual of de-classizing and de-colonizing goes on at the same time and both complement each other. The developing of the Party should be seen as preparing internally for the prolonged war demands constant development and change. 39 �ANALYSIS OF PUERTO RICAN SOCIETY In May, 1970, the Young Lords Party studied the divisions in our people, divisions that make us weak. We call this the "analysis of Puerto Rican Society." This is how we are divided in classes. Every Puerto Rican fits into one of these classes. Your class is determined by how you make your living, how you survive everyday in this crazy amerikkkan-controlled world. Industrial Workers: The majority of the population are workers. We employment, work in factories and in government in sweat shops and petroleum refineries, in construction and restaurants. We make $40, $60, $100 a week and hardly stay alive while our bosses make hundreds of thousands off our hard work. We don't like to get into trouble, because we might lose our job, or our project or casserio apartment, or our children might suffer. We are the housewives and working wome, who are oppressed not just on the job but at home by our own husbands, who beat us or mistreat us because they don't know any better. We are afraid of the lumpen, because they rob us; but we know that this is the result of the system that forces them into drugs and prostitution. They are our brothers and sisters, compatriots, oppressed by the same enemy. We will join with them to free Puerto Rico, and after the yankees are kicked out, we will take over and run the factories for the good of all the people. Lumpen: Are men and women who are unemployable, on drugs, prostitutes, welfare mothers, people in jail. Most of us never had a chance for a decent life. We are young, poor, there were never any jobs waiting for us, there was no future, so we turned to drugs and crime. The society calls us 40 �¡ • ¡ t sili' % f¡¡ f*- it ' sfflB. ; ¡H p a w a " Vi h. jì 1 i Si T• •1- worthless, good for nothing. But all we are is oppressed h u m a n beings. W e r o b from our own people because w e ' r e prisoners, of drugs, of our conditions. We don't ©'ring the drugs into the community, the businessmen and government irrasssfeisii d o to keep u s pacified. We are waking up and uniting as a nonnia tn fioetrAi/ tKo raot class with titefl I J d J u l U H ! y - 'If 15?'-'- f "Of E3¥XSMM9B8£IM9MEflS^H H H s -^.••^r—--T |gi J ^ l l ^ i - H t « ! « « « « ™ « ^ enemy--the yan' ' • A g r i c u l t u r a l Workers: We are the last of the campesinos, who h a d our l a n d s bought up or stolen by the amerikkams, w h o were tricked i n t o slave-like migrant labor and shuttled back and f o r t h from the u.s. to Puerto Rico, to pick tomatoes or other crjps. t h e Petty-bourgeois are people who don't work for anyone else or who work with their minds not their hands, b u t who also don't employ anyone or any other people. In other words, they live off their own labor. There are three main types o f petty-bourgeois: Bodegeros: We own our own store or businesses. We have anywhere from 1 to 5 people who work for us. We make enough to live on if we work hard ourselves. But now the amerikkkan chain stores or the Cuban gusanos aré running us out of business. If we don't joint the other oppressed classes, we will soon be destroyed by the amerikkkans and Cuban gusanos (exiles). Capitalists and Traitors: These are the few Puerto Rican capitalists, like Ferre, and the big traitors, like Sanchez Vile Ita; Badiilo, Hernandez Colon, all the politicians and others whose lives are tied up with the amerikkkan occupation. There are also the thousands of Cuban pigs, who were kicked out of Cuba by Fidel. We will kick all of them out of Puerto Rico to establish a free, independent, and socialist nation : The lumpen and workers, allied together, will lead the revolution. The students, bodegeros, and professionals will join with them. Some professionals, vendepatrias and capitalists will bé against u$ , but in the long run, we wi and Puerto Rico will be frée. i n w i ^ f 41 IS ijjjPB �� 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 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. 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 BTS00057-01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Young Lords (Organization) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1972 Title A name given to the resource Ideology of the Young Lords Party, 1972 Description An account of the resource Document detailing the ideology of the Young Lords Organization, including the history of Puerto Rican war, economic, and military struggles, colonization, and contemporary society. Subject The topic of the resource Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Civil Rights -- United States -- History Community activists Puerto Ricans -- United States Social justice Relation A related resource Young Lords in Lincoln Park interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/563fbbb7c14efb3a6d4f3d1069aae589.mp4 123b03f1b87aa02330988f0959c7fbe0 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1d1900e4538ae99e1dd421719a864a19.pdf a9ef340de5c801a198c5a27ca580ef61 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Vietnam War Ron Oakes Length of interview: 01:52:08:00 Pre-Enlistment (0:00:20:00)  Born in Grand Rapids, MI on March 21, 1949; grew up in Grand Rapids and graduated from Grandville High School in 1966 (0:00:20:00)  Father worked for Sears and Roebuck for over 30 years (0:00:33:00)  5 kids in the family, 3 girls and 2 boys (0:00:45:00)  After high school, he went to Grand Rapids Junior College for a year and at that time, Vietnam was going on and all his friends going off to war, either through the draft or enlisting, he was the last one left (0:00:57:00)  In June, 1967, he went to Detroit for what he thought was a physical and as it turned out, he raised his right hand and was on a plane going to San Diego for boot camp; thought he was going home that night and instead he was going West (0:01:12:00)  He enlisted and was not drafted because he felt it was the right thing to do (0:01:35:00) o He is a volunteer person and when Vietnam was there, he would not wait (0:01:42:00) o He had a high draft number because of college but college was not working out and he could not keep his mind on his studies and he enlisted in June (0:01:48:00) o Rough on his parents because at the time, his father was only 38 or 39 at the time and when Oakes turned 38 or 39 and his son turned 18, he knew how his father felt at the time when Oakes took off (0:02:00:00)  When he enlisted, he knew Vietnam was in Indochina and we where fighting the communists who were trying to take over the country and we where helping a smaller country, much like South Korea (0:02:23:00)  In the back of his mind he knew it would be dangerous, but being 18, he did not view it as such (0:02:53:00) Enlistment / Training (0:03:15:00)  Basic training was in San Diego, California at the Marine Corps recruit depot, where he went through boot camp and then he went up to Camp Pendleton for the rest of his training (0:03:15:00)  Went out to California on a commercial airline from Detroit to Chicago and the aircraft was late getting into Chicago, so they held the next flight waiting for the 12 men going to San Diego, although the other people on the plane were understanding because they did not get upset (0:03:38:00) o In Detroit they gave them airline tickets and picked someone to be in charge and make sure everyone got on the plane (0:04:03:00) o Recruit depot had a bus at the airport to pick everyone up and the Marines knew who was coming and they checked everyone’s name off a list; from that point on, they belonged to Uncle Sam and they did not go anywhere without a check list (0:04:15:00) �       At that point in time, the arrival was different from today; there was a lot of screaming and hollering, such as “you're in the Marine Corps, you're not at home anymore, and you belong to me” (0:04:29:00) In boot camp, they went through a lot of training, such as how to use a rifle and how to maneuver, and a lot of physical training, as well as classes on how to put on battle dressings and sanitation and hygiene (0:04:50:00) The drill instructors were Vietnam veterans that already had a tour or two in Vietnam and returned and went to DI school and at that time, the drill instructors could be abusive and harsh depending on what their attitude was (0:05:23:00) o Oakes grew up saying “yes sir” or “no sir” to anyone older than him, and this made it so he had no problem with authority while going through boot camp but some of the people he was training with could not get the grasp of “yes sir” / “no sir” and they paid the price for it (0:05:50:00) If someone was overweight, the DIs placed them in a separate platoon to lose weight and they had one instance when they were training, the fat platoon came by and one straggler collapsed (0:06:23:00) o They put him against a tree and being the middle of summer in southern California, it was hot and he was suffering from heat stroke but they did not call medical attention for the man and instead went on their 4 mile march and when they returned, he was dead (0:06:40:00) o Oakes's unit left and when they came back, all they saw was some people carrying a body away (0:07:06:00) In boot camp, they learned hand-to-hand combat using pogo sticks (0:07:16:00) o Two guys would start and when one was knocked down, another would step in and the man at the end had the best chance to be number one (0:07:25:00) o Pogo sticks were long sticks with padded ends used for fighting and training for using a rifle with a bayonet (0:07:44:00) The original training was basic because they received more input from the instructors in the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton (0:08:24:00) o Received their heavier training there, such as rifle qualification (0:08:38:00) o Had staging battalion where they put the soldiers through a mock-up Vietnam village which showed them how the bobby-traps were developed and what to look for and what not to do (0:08:47:00) o What they normally did, the American way of doing things, they changed, because they enemy learned to use them against the American soldiers (0:09:12:00)  If there was an opening in the forest, that was where they would go because it was easiest and the Americans did not want to take a machete and hack a new path (0:09:24:00)  However, most of the time the opening was bobby-trapped and if you wanted to get through a tree-line safe, you cut a new path and made sure it was away from the opening (0:09:30:00) Boot camp was 8 weeks and about 8 weeks in infantry training and after about 16 weeks, they were allowed to go home on leave (0:09:54:00) o Went home on leave in October and at that time, they went home in their Class-A uniforms because the anti-Vietnam sentiment was not strong yet in 1967 (0:10:03:00) o Being the first time he had ever been away from home, he was glad to get back and he went around and visited family, slept in and ate a lot of good food (0:10:44:00) �    The food in the mess hall was not bad and they could eat all they wanted and while in boot camp, Oakes had to serve the officers and the DIs their meals which caused him to miss out on the really dirty jobs in the mess hall (0:10:59:00) o Already knew where he was going because his orders already told him that he was returning to Camp Pendleton to a staging battalion (0:11:38:00)  In boot camp he trained on the M1 and qualified on the M14 and in the staging battalion, they trained on the M16 (0:11:46:00) o On his last Saturday at home before returning, a buddy from junior college asked Oakes if he would go on a blind date; Oakes agreed and went on the date, a canoe trip in the Pine River with a woman named Cathy and they got along well, he took her home that night and the next morning, at 7 o’clock, he was on a plane for Chicago then on the Camp Pendleton (0:12:02:00) Normally the staging battalion lasted 2 or 3 weeks but they had only been there for a week before a list of people came out (0:13:02:00) o Every morning they would fall out for formation and roll call and one morning, they said that the following Marines step out and stand aside (0:13:13:00) o Oakes was one of the six or eight chosen; they dismissed everyone else and told them to get on the trucks for training and they then told the small group to get their gear because they were returning to the main part of Camp Pendleton (0:13:24:00) o Told that their named had been pulled and they were going to language school to train to be interpreters, which got them out of training (0:13:39:00) Went back and spent two, almost three weeks waiting for the Marines to get enough people in because they need 150 men with the right test scores and when they had enough, they bused the men up to Monterey, California (0:13:54:00) o On the way to Monterey, some motorcyclists saw that it was military people and they began gesturing and messing with the bus drivers but they eventually made a mistake and getting in front of the lead bus, they slowed down too much and the bus driver floored it and the last thing Oakes remembers was seeing the 3 motorcycles going into the sand and the riders going flying, to which all the men on the buses cheered (0:14:37:00) Was not really great on language (0:15:39:00) o At that point in time, they had cassette records with 8 inch tapes that they would listen to and their instructors were 18 year old Vietnamese girls who trained in the traditional clothing and who could speak enough English and naturally, very fluent in Vietnamese (0:15:41:00) o They went through the 12 weeks, had a good time in school, and everyone graduated because at that point in the war, everyone passed (0:16:06:00) o They were told by the Marines that the more they used the language in country with the dialect, the better they would get and the Marines were right (0:16:18:00) o While they were at the school, they were adopted by a Chinese family in Salinas, California, who had four of the soldiers over for Thanksgiving (0:16:31:00)  A lot of families in the area were adopting military people for the holidays and one weekend, the family took the 4 soldiers to San Francisco, where they went to a very fancy restaurant and the soldiers played the roles of “guards”, with two in the front in their Class-A uniforms and two in the back, also in their Class-As (0:16:56:00) o Language school lasted until early 1968 (0:17:45:00) �Deployment (0:17:51:00)  Flew from Travis Air Force Base, north of San Francisco, to Okinawa, where they were for four of 5 days getting shots (0:17:51:00) o The only gear they were carrying was their clothes and the gear they would normally be issued; they were not issued any combat gear or rifles (0:18:08:00) o The time in Okinawa was getting their paperwork and shots done and because they had to work on typewriters, the process took a long time and whereas nowadays, a person will normally receive their orders with only their name on it, then, they might put 200 names on an order because they would only type it once and then make copies for everyone else and they always carried multiple copies of their orders because they did not know when they would need to show someone their orders (0:18:17:00)  One day, the Marines took the men out to a Continental airlines jet, which was contracted at the time, and flew them on a short flight to Da Nang and when they landed in Da Nang, as soon as they opened the door there was a stairway down and they hurried the men off the plane because Da Nang airfield was always getting hit with mortars or rockets (0:18:55:00)  When they were off the plane, they were taken to transit barracks, two story, wooden barracks which were not air conditioned and only had screen windows, where they spent a day or so there while the commanders decided where they would go as replacements; Okinawa was just processing and the Marines did not know where they would send him until he was actually on the ground (0:20:47:00)  Every morning, they had a formation in the rear-area to make a head count and keep track of people (0:21:17:00) o One morning in formation, they began calling names off, Oakes was one, and they told them to get their gear and be in formation at another spot in 30 minutes (0:21:26:00)  They got on a truck and started heading south on Highway 1 (0:21:41:00) o Around 20 minutes passed and they arrived at their new position at Camp Dong Song Two, a Vietnamese village that was replaced by the Marine camp along Highway 1, just south of a bridge south of Da Nang (0:21:45:00) o The compound was the rear-area for the 27th Marine Regiment, as well as the 1st Battalion of the regiment, with Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta companies (0:22:02:00)  Once the soldiers were off the truck, the commanders divided them up amongst the companies and some of the guys were the same guys Oakes had gone to language school with (0:22:15:00)  The base was rudimentary (0:22:40:00) o Some of the buildings were a 2x4 frame with canvas sides and others were a frame with screen windows and wooden flaps that would come down at night and all had corrugated roofs (0:22:48:00)  These were the offices, mess hall, barber shop, and med center (0:22:58:00) o Living quarters were GP medium tents and they had bunkers, wire, and claymores on the perimeter and 50 meters behind that was the living area (0:23:05:00) o There was also a berm which made it harder for the enemy to shoot at the tents (0:23:24:00) o If they incoming fire, they had bunkers that they could jump in, most of which were made out of sandbags and some had corrugated metal or railroad ties (0:23:34:00)  Assigned to 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines (0:23:54:00) �       Was there as a regular rifleman that knew Vietnamese, but at that point, they were short of radio operators (0:24:03:00) The 27th Marines had just gotten to Vietnam themselves just a couple of weeks before and they were short handed, which was why a lot of replacements were going to them (0:24:16:00) o They were on a float out of Hawaii and the President diverted them to Da Nang and they were understrength, so they were building back up because they did not have the critical MOS jobs: the radio operators, squad leaders, or machine gunners and as replacements are coming in, they were filling in the positions to get up to full strength (0:24:23:00) o They never got to full strength; they were always around half (0:24:44:00) The morning after he arrived, the platoon Lieutenant came out with the platoon sergeant and asked who did not know how to operate a radio and four guys, including Oakes, raised their hands, which was a mistake that Oakes learned, because they were now radio operators, even through Oakes had never even seen a military radio before (0:24:54:00) o They put them through on the job training; telling him to report to a corporal and he would show them how to use a radio and they had a little class that showed them the radio, how it worked, how to operate it, what to do and what a radio report was, all for about an hour (0:25:20:00) The next day, they were out on patrol and Oakes had eight or nine other guys out there and he was the only one with communication and the others were in trouble because he did not how to operate the radio (0:25:37:00) o However, it only took him a couple of days to learn how to use the radio because his and the other guys' lives depended on it and every chance he got, any question he had, he asked somebody about how to use the radio properly (0:25:55:00) Was a squad radio operator for two or three weeks and they would have two patrols a day, one in the morning and one at night (0:26:03:00) They were in what was termed “the rocket belt”, the area where the Viet Cong and the NVA would shoot 120 mm rockets at Da Nang (0:26:23:00) o All they needed was a mound of dirt to lay the rockets on a shoot it; they did not aim it, they just pointed it at the airfield and hoped that it hit something and it was mostly HI (Harassment and Interdiction) fire to keep the people awake (0:26:32:00) The Marines’ job was the patrol and at night, they would go out just before dark and set-up a position with a perimeter and would rotate as guys ate their C-rations (0:26:46:00) o After dark, they would move from the position because the enemy saw they dig in and the Marines had to keep it in the back of their mind that they were always being watched, especially around Da Nang because of its civilian population (0:27:02:00) o They would move around 100 meters and set up an ambush site because if the enemy knew where the Marines were in the day, then they would be coming at night and the Marines would set up on a likely trail down which they would come so instead of the enemy ambushing the Marines, the Marines would ambush the enemy (0:27:24:00) o Some nights they did not set up ambushes and they would just have a two to three hour patrol in the dark (0:27:39:00)  They always had check points to report back to the company commanders and the radio operator had a map, knew right where everyone was going and in his log, he would report where everyone was and then everyone knew where the patrol was (0:27:47:00) �     o Did it day and night mainly to keep their presence in the area and to keep the enemy off guard (0:28:02:00) o At night, they would go down set paths but they never went down the same route two nights in a row (0:28:10:00) o On a map, it was divided into 1000 meter quadrants and they tried to have a patrol in every quadrant, every day, so they could be on one side of the base patrolling at night and be on the opposite side the next day (0:28:23:00) o Occasionally, they would have movement and the point man would alert everyone else, who promptly “hit the ground” (0:28:41:00) o During the first couple of weeks, he does not recall much in the way of contact; other units had contact but Oakes’ patrols did not and it was not unusually to have something going on every night (0:28:52:00) Was with the squad for a couple of weeks and was then promoted to platoon operator because their original platoon radio operator had tipped a bobby-trap and was medevaced out and Oakes was the next in line (0:29:20:00) o When they had a platoon operation, then he would go wherever the platoon leader went, whether it was to inspect a patrol base or the lines and he stayed with his original platoon leader until the Lieutenant tripped a booby trap (0:29:37:00) o Oakes became the platoon radio operator at the end of March (0:30:11:00) In the first part of April, they moved up to Hue to take over some territory formerly held by the 3rd Marines and they were still doing a lot of clean up from the battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive (0:30:21:00) o There were still a lot of North Vietnamese in the area and they did not care about getting into firefights with Marines (0:30:34:00) o Over the years, they had built a lot of heavy bunkers and a lot of fortifications in the villages and the fortifications could not be seen from the air because the vegetation quickly overgrew it (0:30:46:00) They were in Da Nang for a couple of weeks and the first week of April, they were moved by truck convoy to the Huế area, to a position south of Huế by about 6000 meters (0:30:58:00) o They were still along Highway 1 and Oakes’ platoon was assigned the job of guarding a bridge and part of the oil line that went from Phu Bai to Hue and their main patrol base was across Highway 1 about 500 meters (0:31:16:00)  The base was built on one big mound of dirt, almost 100 meters tall, from which they could see a long way and everyone knew that they were there (0:31:36:00) While they were at Huế, they did a lot of “no-name” operations when a couple of companies in line would push the enemy towards another company, essentially catching them in a net (0:32:04:00) During one of the operations in the 2nd week of April, around the 13th, Oakes’ platoon was detached to stay behind and protect the company area and the other two platoons went with Bravo and Charlie companies to sweep through a Vietnamese village (0:32:30:00) o The units swept through the village and got ambushed and Oakes was on radio watch at the bridge and he could hear the ambush over the circuit (0:32:52:00) o They had 26 killed and 46 wounded on that operation alone (0:33:24:00) o Was in more combat in his seven months with the 27th Marine Regiment than in the rest of his tour with the 4th Marines (0:33:29:00) �o They could hear the fighting on the radio, as wells as screaming and hollering and they could vaguely hear gunfire because, although the ambush was a ways away, it was flat, so the sound echoed (0:33:41:00) o Reinforcements eventually arrived and they managed to pull the Marines back during the night but Oakes’ company was totally decimated (0:34:20:00)  They left 3 or 4 bodies on the battlefield because they could not get to them at night and the next morning, they went to retrieve the bodies, which had been stripped, mutilated, and had their equipment taken by the Viet Cong (0:34:30:00) o In the days following the battle, they took a third of Oakes’ platoon and put it into the other companies and pulled the rest of Oakes’ company out of the area and into a safer area to regroup (0:34:49:00)  They transferred people in from other companies to beef up Oakes’ company because they were half the strength that they should have been before the battle and after, they were even worse (0:35:02:00) o That was the worst time because being in the hooch and hearing the battle and not being able to help their friends was hard (0:35:17:00) Close Calls (0:35:36:00)  There were few times when he got into dangerous situations while with the 27th Marines, such as having his radio antenna shot off twice (0:35:36:00) o One instance, they were on a patrol, it was raining and they started taking sniper fire and there were only eight men in the patrol (0:35:50:00)  They hit the ground behind some logs and when Oakes went to use the radio, he could not; the Viet Cong had a captured radio on the same frequency and they kept flicking the microphone and when Oakes heard that, he knew that they had been compromised (0:35:59:00)  He went to go to the secondary frequency and he heard the same thing; the NVA were effectively jamming the radio signals (0:36:15:00)  The 8 men were in a circle, in the rain, taking sniper fire and they sat there for two hours and because the NVA did not know the Marines’ true strength was, they did not rush them (0:36:21:00)  After about 2 hours, the sniper fire stopped and they retraced their steps and got out of the position (0:36:34:00) o That was the first time that Oakes was a little leery of how long he was going to be in Vietnam (0:36:42:00) o Another time, he stepped on a booby-trap 105 round that did not go off and Oakes was very fortunate because it would have taken out four of the Marines (0:36:50:00)  They were on a patrol in the 327 area because the Marines had moved them back to a desert / sandy area near the coast and they were keeping fifteen to twenty feet apart (0:36:58:00)  Oakes was always behind the Lieutenant, either to his right or his left, so that he could get the radio to the Lieutenant as quickly as possible of they got attacked (0:37:18:00)  They were walking and the Lieutenant must have just missed stepping on the bobby-trap (0:37:35:00)  They never walked on the paths because that was where the Viet Cong placed the punji sticks and trip wires (0:37:43:00) � Oakes was on one side and the Lieutenant was on the other and Oakes’ side was where the hole was and Oakes stepped on the trap, a C-Ration sleeve, a 105 round, and a board with a nail in it, and if he pushed down in the cone, the round would have exploded (0:37:54:00)  He stepped on the edge and pushed the round away and as he felt himself going into the hole, he instinctively fell to his left because he had the radio on his back and as soon as he fell, he crawled away as fast as he could in case the trap had a delayed fuse (0:38:25:00)  Oakes made a noise and Lieutenant, seeing what was happening, dived as well and soon everyone else on the patrol was diving for the ground (0:38:52:00)  The Lieutenant and Oakes crawl back to the hole and seeing what was in the hole, move away because they feared a Viet Cong would be waiting nearby with a detonator but as it turned out, nobody was around (0:39:07:00)  Oakes took a couple of pictures of the trap with a camera that he carried and an engineer with the patrol had some C4 with him and he put C4 around the cone (0:39:32:00)  Nearby was a trench that a bulldozer had dug because whenever they had finished a firefight, a small bulldozer was helicoptered in to dig a trench for the Viet Cong bodies (0:39:56:00)  There was nothing in the trench and after setting up a perimeter with soldiers look in every direction, they yelled fire in the hole to alert everyone to what would be happening (0:40:15:00)  While they were in the trench, someone suggested that it would be funny if the Viet Cong had rigged the trench to explode when the booby-trap did (0:40:34:00)  Everyone got out of the trench and after lying flat on the ground, the Lieutenant had the engineer explode the booby trap and luckily, the trench did not explode as well (0:40:56:00) o Booby-trapping the hole would have been something that the Viet Cong did because they knew the patterns of the American soldiers (0:41:06:00)  Americans always took the easiest way and this got a lot of people killed in Vietnam because either they were not think or they were thinking Stateside, i.e. the easy way (0:41:27:00) o Had a B-40 rocket impact a wall near him (0:41:50:00)  During Operation Allenbrook, they had a unit in the middle of the rice paddies with a perimeter and some amtraks and the unit got hit during the night and Oakes unit was about 500 meters away in a hamlet (0:41:57:00)  A Viet Cong fired a B-40 at an amtrak and the rocket went over the top of the Am-Trac (0:42:19:00)  Oakes’ unit was watching fighting because the commanders feared that the Americans in the rice paddy would mistake them for the enemy and shoot at them and they watched as the rocket came towards them and impacted on a wall behind them (0:42:23:00) o Within twenty-four hours after the rocket incident, after the battle in the rice paddy, Oakes’ unit received intelligence from a village that about fifty NVA were moving south and since they had not been in a battle, it was their job to sweep the battlefield and move south and attempt to capture the fifty NVA (0:42:42:00) �  About Ninety minutes after they started, they were two klicks south and they had contact with an aerial observer who tells that he sees the NVA moving in the open and he says that he is calling in some fixed wing aircraft (0:43:05:00)  They were watching at the edge of rice paddy dike and Oakes is listening to the observer, who gives him the coordinates of the NVA, which Oakes showed to his Lieutenant, who told him that those are the unit’s coordinates (0:43:26:00)  The unit turned and watched as a pair of A-4 Skyhawks came around and towards them and the Lieutenant yelled for everyone to get down and the first A-4’s bombs impact in the woodlands beyond the dike and the men can hear the shrapnel sailing over their heads (0:43:51:00)  As the second A-4 came around, Oakes was yelling into the radio and everyone else was popping their smoke grenades (0:44:25:00)  The pilot must have got the word because he did not drop the bombs and he began wiggling his wings (0:44:46:00)  The flyboys would protect the infantry and the infantry would do anything to protect them (0:45:25:00) On Go Noi Island, his platoon was in a company perimeter for the night during another “noname operation” an at about 1 o’clock in the morning, he got a radio call from one of the squads saying that they saw campfires to the north (0:46:02:00) o The Lieutenant and Oakes went out the perimeter and got into a foxhole with one of the soldiers and sure enough, about 1000 meters out, they could see the campfires and it was obviously not Americans (0:46:31:00) o Right off the bat, the Marines know it is a ruse because the NVA knew where the Marines were and they would not build campfires; the NVA were just trying to get someone’s attention to see what was going on (0:46:43:00) o First, the Marines alerted the other units at the south end of the perimeter to keep their eyes open because there was something going on and it might have been heading their way (0:46:56:00) o Meanwhile, the Marines called in “Puff the Magic Dragon”, who saturated the campfires and if anyone was building the campfires, they did not survive (0:47:05:00)  “Puff” could put down one round every square foot and could cover the area of a football field in four seconds (0:47:12:00)  At that point, “Puff the Magic Dragon” was a C-47 converted with Miniguns in it that would fly at a bank and in such a way that all the firepower was concentrated in one position (0:47:21:00)  They could see a red line from “Puff” to the ground, this was from tracers, but in between every tracer were four other bullets and from a distance, all they heard was a “whirring” noise (0:47:41:00) o “Puff” fired for about 10 minutes and there was no chance that anyone was alive down by the campfires, if there was anyone to begin with (0:48:01:00) o Believes that the NVA knew what the Marines would do, so they lit the fires and got the “heck out of Dodge” and they knew that the Marines would retaliate with artillery, aircraft, or something (0:48:10:00) o The whole perimeter was then on alert and nobody was sleeping and around three o’clock, they received a call from the squad on the south end; they had movement in from of them (0:48:25:00)  They figured that something would happen somewhere and here came the movement (0:48:39:00) � o The squad on the perimeter kept watching as the movement got closer and they started seeing crawling bodies in the moonlight and at three o’clock, someone blew a whistle or a horn and the enemy all stood up and charged (0:48:48:00) o The Marine M60 gunners were ready for them and all the Vietnamese had homemade grenades wrapped around their waists, so as soon as the first Vietnamese stood up, the machine gunner hit him in the belly and exploded the grenade and started a chain reaction and they later learned that the first Vietnamese was blown in half (0:49:02:00) o As Vietnamese were attacking, Oakes was sitting in a bomb crater holding two radios because the other radio operator went with the Lieutenant to the line and leaves were falling around him from the bullets flying over him (0:49:45:00)  Had one radio in each hand talking to both the company and the battalion to let them know what was going on and he was trying to be as calm as he can while ducking into his flak jacket (0:50:03:00)  Looking back, it was slightly comical how he was able to be so calm in the middle of the fight (0:50:24:00) o While the fighting was happening, the battalion was preparing a reaction force to come at first light, 5:00-5:30 in the morning and the firefight continued for the rest of the night (0:50:50:00) o The NVA never got into the perimeter and apart from a few scratches on some guys, Oakes’ platoon came out of the fight okay and the next day, they counted 24 dead NVA (0:51:05:00) o The tragic part about the fight was near the tail-end of the fight, they called in their own 81 mm mortars and the first round dropped inside the Marine’s perimeter (0:51:25:00)  The unit’s corpsmen had been moving around the whole night and when they returned to their position, the mortar round struck the tree above them and blew both their heads off (0:51:37:00)  Oakes knew them and he collected their bodies (0:52:04:00) Does not think that they ever got use to what they saw; they buried it, which is why there are a lot of soldiers are with problems, and they did not have time to think about it, only time to react (0:52:28:00) Go Noi Island / Operation Allenbrook (0:52:52:00)  During Go Noi Island, they were at another base / patrol area with a perimeter, it was raining heavily and 81 mm mortars were shooting illumination rounds out because there was movement outside the perimeter (0:52:52:00) o Oakes was on radio watch with the platoon sergeant and they had dug a small hole for 2 people that had begun filling up with water and all of the sudden, a mortar misfired and the round went straight through the poncho covering the hole and landed between Oakes and the sergeant and although it threw mud into the ears of the sergeant, causing him to be medivaced out, it did not detonate (0:53:07:00) o When the round landed, both men said a few quick words and they got out of the hole, leaving everything behind, even the radios (0:54:01:00)  Go Noi Island was south of Da Nang during Operation Allenbrook (0:54:24:00) o All companies from all battalions in the 27th Marine Regiment eventually rotated in and out of the island (0:54:34:00) �    o Was an NVA staging area for attacks on Da Nang, with the 36th and 38th NVA Regiments there, hardcore regulars not apt to run away like the Viet Cong; they would stand and fight, which cost the Marines a lot of battles (0:54:38:00) o The NVA would wait until the Marines were right on top of them and then ambush them (0:54:57:00)  They knew that the Marines could not call in air strikes and were reluctant to call in supporting fire and they would envelop the Marines and come around the sides (0:55:03:00) During Operation Allenbrook, the company radio operator was wounded and Oakes was chosen to replace him (0:55:19:00) o The next day, the man that Oakes chose to be his replacement in the platoon went out on a platoon patrol and they were not gone more that 30 minutes before they heard an explosion; the replacement had tripped a booby-trap (0:55:32:00)  The trap exploded behind him and the radio absorbed most of the shrapnel, but the back of soldier’s legs and arms were torn up and the trap also took out the platoon Lieutenant and the corpsman (0:56:04:00) Operation Allenbrook was an effort to eradicate the NVA from Go Noi Island, what intelligence called a “second Tet” (0:56:53:00) o The Marines rotated units in and out if the area, with the 3rd Marines going first, followed by the 27th Marine Regiment, who at one point, had all the battalions in the regiment in the area because the fighting was so heavy (0:57:26:00) o There was fighting almost every day (0:57:47:00) o The “island” name was kind of bogus; it was in the rice paddies south of Da Nang and a river went around one side and canals went around the other (0:58:01:00) o There was easy access to the island and NVA troops had been on the island for a while because during the Marines’ search and destroy mission, they found hospitals, R&R centers, barracks, mess halls, caches of rice and weapons (0:58:32:00) o Eventually, the Marines finally sent in engineers with bulldozers to flatten the island because all the villages on the island were fortified with a fort underneath and the huts on top (0:58:54:00) “No name” operations were hammer and sickle operations when two companies would sweep in different parts of the island that intelligence said had a large force of movement of NVA or Viet Cong in an area (1:00:36:00) o They would move a company in behind the NVA, either with helicopter or marching at night and the other two companies would march and sweep (1:00:55:00) o On Go Noi Island, just about every sweep was successful; they had contact on all of them and everyday on Go Noi Island they heard gunfire; somebody on the island was fighting somebody (1:01:11:00) o Has pictures of his unit in a tree line watching as F-4 Phantoms dropped napalm in assistance of another unit (1:01:22:00)  They did not know who the other unit was because they were on their own radio frequencies (1:01:33:00) o The only frequency he had was with battalion and he could hear the other companies calling in and asking for assistance (1:01:35:00)  He could also hear the platoons talking to the company and the squads talking to the platoon (1:01:47:00) They had good coordination although occasionally, in the heat of battle, there would be misidentification of units (1:02:21:00) � o More than once, friendly fire would take someone out, whether it be an aircraft, as what almost happened to Oakes at the rice paddy, or 81 mm mortars (1:02:34:00) o More than once, they heard “cease-fire, friendly fire; your firing on friendly troops”; it did not happen all the time but it was not unusually to hear about it (1:02:44:00) o When they put in a call for support, the response from the air depended on who was on station; most of the time it was not hard to get because it seemed like the air was full of aircraft (1:03:21:00)  The only problem was that artillery could not fire if aircraft were in the area (1:03:32:00) o Any operation they had, they were covered by artillery (1:03:44:00)  They could be within 20 miles and still cover the Marines (1:03:48:00)  They were attacking a tree line one time in Huế and they were taking fire from a pagoda and they called in artillery, which was the first time Oakes had seen their artillery firing (1:03:54:00)  The artillery was firing air burst rounds and some of the rounds were detonating behind the Marines, instead of in front of them (1:04:08:00)  Any time they had artillery firing over them, the Marines got flat on the ground (1:04:16:00)  Artillery had several different rounds (1:04:23:00)  Air burst rounds looked like fireworks with a puff and the shrapnel was away (1:04:25:00)  Rounds that detonated 3 feet off the ground and acted like daisy cutters (1:04:31:00)  Hard rounds that just dug a hole in the ground and exploded (1:04:38:00)  They were never denied fire, although sometimes, it was really quick and sometimes it took a bit because the artillery might have been supporting another mission and they were never told that the artillery was out of ammo (1:04:51:00) At Da Nang and Go Noi Island, the camaraderie was always there (1:05:17:00) o Did not matter if it was Marines or Navy flying the aircraft, there was always something up there, whether it be jets or helicopters (1:05:19:00) o If helicopters were making supply runs and the Marines called in for medivacs, the supply helicopters came in (1:05:37:00) o One time during Allenbrook, they called in for a medevac and the helicopter that came in had the highest ranking Marine Corps general in the theater on it (1:05:58:00) o If there was a medevac, everything stops and they got the wounded soldiers out (1:06:21:00)  Believes this was why the casualty rate was a lot lower than World War II, because they did have good medevac capabilities (1:06:24:00)  When he was on a hospital ship, he would see medevacs come in every hour with Every kind of helicopter, from the old Korean era to Hueys to Chinooks to C-46s (1:06:31:00) o Depended on whether the medevac call was routine, priority or emergency (1:07:03:00)  Routine was when they got a chance, stop; such as the platoon sergeant with the mud in his ears who was not critical and in danger of death (1:07:08:00) � Priority was when the soldier was not in danger of dying then but their was a possibility i.e. getting shot in the leg (1:07:22:00)  Emergency was when the soldier was in dire straits i.e. sucking chest wound and if they did not get the soldier out immediately, he was gone (1:07:37:00) o The fact that the helicopters were always there gave the Marines a sense of safety and it took the edge off of being alone cause they knew that they always had someone to help them (1:07:58:00) o When he first got to the squad, he was in a foxhole one night and the platoon sergeant came up and Oakes asked when they would be getting more people in the foxholes (1:08:10:00)  The sergeant said to just remember that for every 1 Marine, there were 16 others in the supply chain to supply them with everything that they needed and Oakes said that all he needed was about 3 of them in the foxhole with him (1:08:27:00) 4th Marine Regiment / Khe Sanh (1:09:01:00)  On September 12, 1968 the 1st Battalion of the 27th Marine Regiment folded their flag and went home as part of President Johnson’s de-escalation (1:09:01:00) o Everybody that still had a long time to go on their tour in Vietnam transferred to the 1st Marine Division at Quảng Trị (1:09:13:00) o Everyone on their second tour and the short timers went home with the 1st Battalion but only twenty men from the battalion went home with the flag (1:09:25:00)  However, as they stopped in Hawaii and Okinawa, the Marines added more people to the battalion so that when the battalion was on parade in San Diego, hardly anyone was originally from 27th Marine Regiment (1:09:42:00) o On the 12th, they flew to Quảng Trị, specifically Dong Ha Air Force base and they were trucked into Quảng Trị (1:10:01:00)  Quảng Trị was the rear-area for the 4th Marine Regiment and Oakes was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, where he stayed for the remainder of his tour (1:10:14:00)  In Da Nang, it was a lot of rice paddies, villages, and interactions with villagers; in Quảng Trị, it was the North and any villages in the jungle had been evacuated and the area was a free-fire zone (1:10:34:00) o If they saw somebody, no matter who they were, the soldiers shot them and all the villagers knew that the areas were free-fire (1:10:49:00)  After they landed, they spent the first couple of days getting acclimated and being assigned to units and Oakes had to take a convoy up to his unit at LZ Stud, Vandergrift Combat Base, on Highway 9 and he happened to get into a truck carrying artillery rounds (1:11:18:00) o LZ Stud was the jump-off point for the relief mission to Khe Sanh to break the siege (1:11:54:00) o The trip to LZ Stud was through the mountains and on dirt roads and every so often, they would see a squad protecting a bulldozer that was repairing a hole in the road (1:12:08:00)  When they got to LZ Stud at twilight, the unit Oakes was assigned to was a mile further down Highway 9, right where Highway 9 made a direct turn to the west and at the turn was a platoon base camp with wire surrounding it and a heavy communications bunker (1:12:46:00) �  o Right away, Oakes was assigned to the radio section because radio operators were high priority targets and they were short and he ended up working with the platoon radio operator (1:13:45:00) o They never got hit in the camp because there were no NVA units in the area (1:14:06:00) o The second night Oakes was in the camp, he was on radio watch and a Marine came into the bunker with a loaded weapon, intending to kill everyone in the bunker (1:14:16:00)  Oakes was in his bunk while the Marine raved about how he was not going to do it any more, that he was not going back out and that they could not make him (1:14:35:00)  Oakes fell off his bunk and crawled out the door with the man next to him and they went around and got the platoon sergeant who was checking the perimeter and brought the sergeant to the door behind the crazy Marine to jump him (1:14:49:00)  They eventually disarmed the man and sent him to the rear and when Oakes went to the rear in February, the man was still there (1:15:06:00)  How the man survived Oakes does not know because there was more than one fragging incident with men who put other men in jeopardy in the field (1:15:38:00) The platoon eventually got pulled back to LZ Stud with the rest of the company and a few days later, they were out on a combat mission south of Khe Sanh, doing a search operation looking for ammo dumps, mass graves, or current troop locations (1:15:52:00) o Did tours like this for the rest of his time in Vietnam (1:16:31:00) o The first time the Marines hit they did not have any contact (1:16:42:00) o They were helicoptered into a cleared hilltop and after setting a perimeter and receiving more troops, they would single file through the jungle on a certain path (1:16:53:00) o One day, the 60 mm mortars were lobbing rounds down the hill in case someone was forming and they hit at an enemy ammo dump; they sent a patrol after the explosions ended and they found a hut with 60 mm mortar rounds lined up on shelves and they had hit it (1:17:0:00) Eventually, they were pulled off those operations and back to LZ Stud for a couple of days (1:18:14:00) o There were three fire bases in the area: (1:18:24:00) o LZ Russell, which they closed (1:18:26:00) o LZ Gurkha, which was as far north and west as they could go in South Vietnam (1:18:28:00)  From LZ Gurkha, they could look to the west at night and see the NVA troops moving down the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos, however, they could not attack them, even though they were supplies and troops going south to the enemy (1:18:39:00)  This did not sit well with the Marines and one time, they decided to run an ambush to the west, so in the early morning, they went out past the claymores and as it was, to a knoll that they though was hay but turned out to be elephant grass (1:19:01:00)  When the Marines were walking through the grass, they could not be more than 10 feet apart or they would lose contact (1:19:32:00) �    Going along a trail in the grass, one of the other Marines alerted, “beware of hole”, a three foot diameter hole that they could not see the bottom of and that they surmised was an undetonated bomb dropped from a B-52 (1:19:45:00)  Someone suggested that they drop a grenade down the hole in case it was an enemy hole but when Oakes suggested that he could not out run the explosion if it was a 2000 lb bomb, the man changed his mind (1:20:11:00) They always tried to make levity of the dangerous times just to break the ice (1:20:30:00) While he was with the 4th Marines doing the searching, resupply was hard and they were going days without getting resupplied and they eventually ran out of water and halizone tablets (1:20:44:00) o If they came across a fast running mountain stream, they could drink it because it was pure; Oakes came across a stream that he thought was moving fast enough to be pure and he filled his canteen and a few weeks later, he had dysentery (1:20:59:00) o After doing their searches, they put the Marines into a firebase rotation; they would be at one base for a while then move to another (1:21:37:00) o They were in the later part of October / beginning of November and Oakes remembers having “bloody shits”; he could not eat or drink anything because it would go straight through him and he lost a lot of weight (1:21:57:00) o Oakes knew something was wrong and the only thing that the corpsman could suggest was taking his malaria pills along with his salt pills (1:22:21:00) o Went for a month to 6 weeks and it ended before Thanksgiving (1:22:32:00) Mid-November, Oakes received orders to report to the rear because he has been chosen to be the mail orderly and Oakes was glad because the job got him out of the bush and the rain (1:22:49:00) o He went to the rear and while waiting for the supply helicopter, he told the men that he will get them their mail (1:23:02:00) o After spending the night in a tent, Oakes reported to sick call because he was still not feeling well and when he walked in, there were twelve people already there, so he got in line (1:23:15:00)  After being examined, the corpsman handed Oakes a form, told him to sit on a bench and told Oakes that he had dysentery and that he was going to a hospital ship (1:23:28:00) o Oakes did not know the Americans even had hospital ships (1:23:48:00)  The ships would rotate with one up near Hue taking casualties for three days and then returning to Da Nang for fuel while the other took its place (1:23:58:00) o The next helicopter that came in, they put Oakes and a couple of other men on it and it took them out to the U.S.S. Repose, where they checked Oakes in, took his clothes, made him take a bath, gave him a hospital gown to wear and made him go to sleep (1:24:13:00) o For the first 3 days, he was fed in bed and he did not get out of bed, but eventually, he became ambulatory so that he could help feed the other guys in the ward (1:24:51:00) o Spent 4 weeks on the hospital ship, including Thanksgiving, and he saw an Australian USO show (1:25:11:00) o While he was on the hospital ship, his platoon was pulled out of the bush and was put on the U.S.S. New Jersey with 3 days liberty and they were on the New Jersey waving �  at Oakes on the Repose and he was waving back, although he did not know it was them at the time (1:25:24:00) Was on the hospital ship for thirty days, was left out in Da Nang and eventually returned to Quảng Trị where the regimental rear-area was, but before going back to his unit, the regiment was in the middle of an operation and they were grabbing everyone that could fire a weapon and putting them into an ad hoc group (1:26:09:00) o They were going to circle a village that they had reports of deserters in a village with Viet Cong and NVA and in the middle of a rainstorm during the night, they got off their trucks some led the soldiers around the village, which had a perimeter at least a mile long (1:26:44:00) o When daylight came, they had tanks plus the soldiers, who had dug holes when they first arrived and improved them during the daylight and they stayed for three days (1:27:21:00) o It was neat watching the tanks fire, which had Starlight scopes on the tank, meaning that they could fire at night and one night, Oakes, who had gotten to know the tankers, was called over to a tank and they showed him the Starlight screen (1:27:41:00)  On the screen, Oakes could see a log about a mile out from which behind enemy heads would pop up and telling Oakes to continue watching the screen, the tankers maneuvered the turret and fired, destroying the log (1:28:04:00) When the operation was over, the Marines were sent back to the rear and Oakes rejoined his unit, where he served as platoon operator again (1:28:45:00) o Rejoined his unit on Firebase Gurkha, where they went on the patrol in Laos and from Firebase Gurkha, they returned to LZ Stud for rest, recuperation, and resupply then went to LZ Neville, which, while at the north end of the Khe Sanh valley, was further east and just south of the DMZ by maybe three or four klicks (1:28:59:00) o Spent the rest of his time at LZ Neville, his last 3 weeks in the field in March (1:29:26:00) o Whereas LZ Gurkha was on a grass knoll and on the slope to the east was a trail that went down to water, LZ Neville was on a mountain that was all rock that came up like a shoe where one side was really steep and the other was sloped (1:29:44:00)  They built a command bunker when they got there, although it was only empty ammo boxes, steel rails, ponchos and rope and whenever a resupply helicopter came in, the bunker blew over because the firebase itself was so small (1:30:21:00)  If they did not come in right, the pallet of C-Rations would go down the cliffside (1:30:55:00) o At night, they would drop grenades to deter anyone from crawling up the side of the cliff (1:31:16:00) o They thought that they had activity one night, but they never got hit and only after Oakes left did the LZ end up getting hit (1:31:42:00) o On the sloped part, they put out listening posts out at night, much like every night he was in Vietnam and one night, they heard noises and threw some hand grenades (1:31:47:00)  The next night, about a dozen rock apes came up and started throwing rocks at the men in the post, who could not fire back, lest they give up their position (1:32:15:00) o They did a run a patrol into a ravine and up a hill, and halfway up, the point man signaled; they had run into an NVA bunker complex (1:32:45:00) �     The complex was older and no one was there but they had walked passed and did not notice it, thus indicating how well they were concealed; they reported the complex, turned around, and returned to base (1:33:11:00) Around March 1st, he got pulled off of LZ Neville because he was a short-timer with thirty days left and the Marines took him out of combat and placed him in the rear and he spent his last thirty days as the NCO in charge of transit (1:33:31:00) o Every other night he had perimeter guard duty and during the day, if someone new came in, a replacement, Oakes took them to supply to get their weapon, flak jacket and everything to get them ready to go and when they time came, he took them down to operations so that the replacement could get on the next resupply helicopter (1:33:44:00) o One night when Oakes was not on guard they got hit by 82 mm mortars (1:34:35:00)  Oakes heard the first round thump and explode and he then stuck his head out the bunker flap and the next round landed in front of an Army bunker in front of Oakes’ bunker (1:34:51:00)  Oakes went looking for some new soldiers at the other end of his bunker and he could not find them and he eventually finds them huddled in another bunker shaking (1:36:04:00) o Another time, when Oakes was on guard duty, they kept hearing movement in front of them, so one night they reported it and the next night, they had an Army “Duster”, a tracked vehicle with four 40 mm cannons, clear all the trees off of the bank (1:36:38:00) o Another night, they heard more noise and Oakes told the M79 soldier to fire a couple of rounds onto the bank, as well as their machine gunner and when they do, someone on the radio demanded to know what the firing was (1:37:29:00)  Oakes told him that they heard noise, fired and he asked what the man was going to do about it (1:37:49:00)  Oakes was short, so he did not care (1:37:54:00) o As a parting joke, on his last night on perimeter, he took out an eight man patrol with him on point and they just went around the perimeter and returned in thirty minutes (1:38:02:00) The Marines flew him and a couple of others down by C-130 to Da Nang and in Da Nang, Oakes met up with some of the men he had come in with (1:38:22:00) o They figured out what happened to the other guys they came over with and they spent 2 days in Da Nang waiting for transport out (1:38:42:00) o Went back through Okinawa for more shots and from there, some of the men went to El Toro Naval Air Station in Los Angeles (1:38:57:00) o Because Oakes was a short-timer, if he had gone home on thirty days leave and come back, he would have only had two weeks left; instead, if someone had less than two months less, they just discharged him (1:39:09:00) Once Oakes got on the radio, he used his language training once; the rest of the time was used learning how to use the radio and how to call in reports, air strikes, and artillery strikes and they did have an interpreter with them and they used him most of the time (1:39:36:00) He had a lot of contact with the civilian population in Da Nang but when they were in the Khe Sanh area, they did not see any civilians (1:40:05:00) o In Da Nang, the relations depended in the area; on Go Noi Island, they could sense the hostility (1:40:17:00) �   o In Hue, it was totally different; when they were guarding the bridge, Oakes went to check on the guards and when one took a break, Oakes took his place (1:40:25:00)  Oakes heard screaming and hollering coming from the village and a lady walked up on the roadway and came running towards the bridge carrying a baby, that was blue and ice cold (1:40:46:00)  The baby was dead, it had fallen into a bomb crater filled with water and drowned, and this was Oakes’ first encounter with death and although he felt bad, there was nothing he could do except explain in his broken Vietnamese that there was nothing he could do (1:41:12:00) o There were times when they would sweep through a village and everyone would be waving and when they turned around, the Marines would trip all the bobby-traps (1:42:00:00) o They never went through a village where they did not find booby traps (1:42:23:00) o When they surrounded the village looking for the deserters, the children would come out the perimeter looking for candy, although looking back, Oakes realizes that they were just scoping out the location of the soldiers (1:42:35:00) Whenever they had an operation with the Vietnamese Army, they never found anything, and if the ARVNs suddenly disappeared, the Marines knew that they were going to be in combat (1:43:12:00) o Oakes met some good officers in the ARVN but for the most part, their commanders were bad (1:43:41:00) o Worked with ARVN mostly around Da Nang and Hue (1:44:03:00) At the time that Oakes was in Vietnam, the morale of the units was high, partly because they were isolated from news about back in the United States, with no newspaper and radio and they had to rely on people coming in, although they did occasionally receive Stars and Stripes and there they read about the riots (1:44:31:00) o For the most part, the morale of the troops in the field was good, apart from complaining about the lack of food or water, the muddy conditions (1:45:03:00) o As far as fighting in the war, there was very little, if any, anti-war sentiments (1:45:14:00) He got more worn down with the 4th Marines because it was always wet and subdued and they were always walking and climbing (1:45:32:00) o In Da Nang, it was not as intense, although they were under fire all the time and in the DMZ, they were fighting mother nature more and picking up the remnants of the battle of Khe Sanh (1:45:53:00) Going Home (1:46:35:00)  Landed at El Toro Naval Air Station and got discharged out of there and he went with 5 other guys that he went with through Chicago, where they split (1:46:35:00) o The bus driver recommended that they take off their uniforms and travel in civilian clothes because of the strong anti-military sentiment (1:46:52:00)  Got home and his whole family was waiting with a big sign on the house (1:47:16:00) o He was in Vietnam and in combat one day and a couple of days later, he was at home, so there was not a lot of transition time; the family could be sitting talking about less important things and he could still be think about Vietnam and the patrol and the firefight from the night before (1:47:24:00) o Was lucky because he came home to a stable family (1:47:53:00) �   o His father was a deacon with the Baptist church and being in the Marines had changed Oakes’ vocabulary, so he had to watch himself and he was very cautious about what he said (1:47:58:00) Getting back to normal took a while (1:48:26:00) o During a church softball game, a friend who had only been back from Vietnam a few weeks was on first base and Oakes was on third and a car backfired in the parking lot; instinctively, both men hit the ground while everyone else laughed (1:48:30:00) Got back to dating girls (1:49:03:00) o One time, he asked one girl out whom he had dated before leaving, but her father, meeting him at the door, said that he did not trust Oakes anymore because they had heard the stories about returning soldiers and how they treated girls (1:49:05:00) While he was in Vietnam, he would have to write to someone about everything that was happening and he would write to the girl he went on the blind date with before leaving for deployment (1:49:37:00) o Never wrote anything to his parents because they would worry (1:49:43:00) o Eventually met up with her when he got home and they dated off and on and eventually, they were at his parent’s house with another couple and they were going for pizza when Oakes asked if she wanted to get married (1:50:05:00) o She thought he meant go for pizza and he said “no”, and she said, “yeah okay” and they got married eighteen months after he returned from Vietnam and they have three children and five grandchildren (1:50:41:00) � 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 Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. 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 OakesR Title A name given to the resource Oakes, Ronald (Interview outline and video, 1 of 2), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oakes, Ronald Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Description An account of the resource Ron Oakes was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in March 1949. After briefly attending junior college, he enlisted in June 1967 and received training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and Camp Pendleton, California. He then received instruction in the Vietnamese language before being sent to Vietnam. Once he arrived, he was trained as a radio operator and assigned to a squad in the 27th Marine Regiment in the Da Nang area, soon becoming his platoon's radio operator, and saw extensive combat experience. When the 27th was rotated home, he was reassigned to 4th Marines at Quang Tri, and operated between Quang Tri and Hue before being sent inland toward Khe Sanh. While in this area, he contracted dysentery and was sent to a hospital ship where he spent a month aboard a hospital ship before being returned to his unit. When his tour was over, re was sent home and discharged in 1969. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-06-15 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c8b4ee45089ee0fd932ce8039f7c4eda.pdf d3622a115befe57327166e75abb82d90 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Oral History Interview Veteran: Gregg Larabel Interview Length: (1:23:32) Interviewed by James Smither Transcribed by Chloe Dingens Interviewer: We're talking today with Greg Larabel of Grand Rapids, Michigan and the interviewer is James Smither of the Grand Valley State University Veteran’s History Project. Okay Gregg begin with some background on yourself and to begin with where and when were you born? I was born in Grand Rapids, St. Mary’s November 2nd, 1944. Interviewer: Okay now did you grow up in Grand Rapids or did you move around? Yes, I grew up, went to St. Francis Grade School, Catholic Central High School and- and then into the Air Force. (1:04) Interviewer: Okay and what was your family doing for a living when you were a kid? My- my dad was the yardmaster of C&O Railroad and my mom worked various part-time jobs, but she was mostly a stay-at-home, raising six kids. Interviewer: Okay and had your dad been in the service or was he a little older or? Yeah, he was in World War II, Army Air Corps. Never went overseas but was stationed in Pennsylvania, Indiantown Gap and it was a war- prisoner of war camp. Interviewer: Okay and did he ever talk about any of the experiences there? No but he did write a journal and he's got, I have a journal of his that he wrote for one year when he went in and while he was at Indiantown Gap so it was pretty interesting. Interviewer: Okay alright so basically when you, after you graduated high school you joined the Air Force? �Yes sir. (2:06) Interviewer: Okay and what led to that decision? Well my dad was a- a amateur radio operator and fixed radios and TVs for everybody in the neighborhood and everybody in his circle of friends and I always was interested in- in electronics so I thought I would go into the Air Force and- and learn electronics, and fortunately… you never know what you're gonna do when you go in the Air Force but I scored high in- in electronic aptitude and I was put into autopilot systems. Interviewer: Okay so when do you actually join the Air Force? October of, October 10th, 1962. Interviewer: Okay and once you sign up now what happens to you? Then I go to Detroit and take my physical and from there we go to Lackland Air Force Base. (3:06) Interviewer: Okay now was the physical a fairly serious one or a fairly cursory one? No, seemed cursory there was a lot of guys that rejected for flat feet, asthma, and so on, but it was kind of a routine. I was in pretty good shape from running cross-country. Interviewer: Okay because it- it was probably a different atmosphere in 1962 than it would have been in ‘66 or ‘68 with Vietnam going on. Right. Interviewer: At this point people who were there probably most of them wanted to be there. Right, that's correct it was pretty much volunteer. �Interviewer: Yeah alright so where is Lackland? Lackland is in San Antonio, Texas. Interviewer: Okay and how did they get you down there? We went by train, let's see what did we go by? Train and went, yeah, all the way. (4:02) Interviewer: And what do you remember about that train? My- my first train ride. Interviewer: Okay. My dad worked for the C&O Railroad for years and years and I had never been on a train other than on an engine looking at it, but I’d never been on a train ride and… Interviewer: Okay. So, it was my first experience. Interviewer: Okay how long did it take to get down there? A couple days at least, I don't remember a whole lot about it, but it took a couple days. Interviewer: Okay so you get down to Lackland and then what happens once you arrive? Then they start yelling at you and you go through the routines and you go through getting your uniforms and getting yelled at again and then going doing a lot of paperwork and a lot of yelling and finally you get to your- your dormitories and meet your technical drill sergeants and start going through the procedures. Interviewer: Okay so what did Air Force basic training consist of when you were there? (5:06) It was, I- I look back at it, it was pretty easy. It was eight weeks we had our obstacle course which I can remember going through the obstacle course and going ahead of my flight and into �the next flight and when I got through I kind of got my butt chewed for going too fast. I had ran cross-country in high school and so it was pretty easy jumping over obstacles and going into the water and I just enjoyed doing it but yeah I was doing it too enthusiastically. Interviewer: Alright and how much emphasis do they put on discipline and following orders? (6:00) Well that's where they- they break you down, they, you want to become a team member as opposed to an individual and so it's a daily routine of shining your shoes, shining the floor, making sure your bed is, can bounce a dime off of it. All of these insignificant things are all part of a discipline team building and putting you into a- a group of men that are all doing the same thing for now and that's I think that's what one of the most important things about basic training. Interviewer: Okay now did you understand that at the time or figure that out later? Not really you- you wonder, you know I looked back now and I- I understand why and just like going to college it's a discipline and that's the- that's the key the discipline. (7:06) Interviewer: So, for us it's just do the reading, well in your case it’s make the bed, right. Okay how long did basic training last? It was eight-week course and it was a lot of in-class study, learning about the flag, learning about the history of the Air Force, learning how to salute, how to march, it's… going through the gas chamber, and shooting the M16 and that time we shot the M1 rifle. Interviewer: Okay. The M16 hadn't come out yet. �Interviewer: Yeah, I mean the standard rifle for the army actually in ‘62 was gonna be still the M14 which is improve… but you had the original World War II vintage M1s? Right to start with, yeah. Interviewer: Okay now what was the gas chamber for? (8:02) I- I really don't know it again that's probably the discipline cause you would go in there, they would turn the- the gas on and you would just stand there, it was tear gas and they would wait for you to beg to get out of there and everybody would be crying and yelling and screaming, and finally when they- they know when you've had enough and you'd run out of there and you'd be eyes would be dry, crying, and… Interviewer: Okay because sometimes when people talk about this in other branches of service, I mean there's a gas mask they get to put on at some point. Right. Interviewer: Did you have that or? We- we did at the very last minute they get the gas masks put on, but it was still traumatic you know. Interviewer: Yeah. But it was part of that discipline. Interviewer: Okay now had you already selected what your training was your- your specific training was going to be, or did they determine that once you were there? (9:08) They determined that's one of the classes that you go through and interviews and so on. I- I had to assume that I was going into electronics because I scored real high in that and so I, at the end �of basic training they tell you where you're gonna be going and mine was Amarillo, Texas for automatic pilot school. Interviewer: Okay and how long would you stay at Amarillo? I went through Amarillo it was basically a- a twenty-eight-week course. Interviewer: Okay. And I got halfway through it and there was a- a glitch in the paperwork somewhere so I ended up in another class and I finished that up, so I was there probably thirty-two weeks and finally got through it. (10:13) Interviewer: Okay what did the training there consist of? Again it was, the dormitories, the routine, keeping your dorm clean, spit-shining your shoes, inspection of your uniforms, but then during class time you would go to school in the morning and they would teach you elect- basic electronics and then they would go into your primary automatic pilots and, but it was sort of like basic training with the regimentation going to the KP in the- in the cafeteria and then we had more free time in base- in technical school on the weekends as opposed to basic training. (11:11) Interviewer: Okay so what were the living conditions like there? World War II dorms a lot of the- the wall board was unpainted but the- the dorms were spotless because we kept them that way and no air conditioning but it was you know down in Amarillo, Texas it- it gets kind of hot and it gets cold and hot and so we had our blankets and so on, but it was- it was fairly good compared to what I hear of the Army. �Interviewer: That would depend on where you were with- with the Army but that's you know did you at least have stoves or heaters of some kind in the barracks? (12:00) Yeah it- it had furnaces. Interviewer: Okay. Yeah. Interviewer: And were you beyond the level of using coal, or were you? Oh yes. Interviewer: Okay. Yeah it was- it was heated but it was cold. Interviewer: Yeah and probably not very well insulated or anything else. Right, right. Interviewer: Okay and so what were you actually learning to do? They're training you something with auto pilots? Yeah you're first learned electronics and then you learned all about airplanes, the wings and the fuselage, and so on, and then the- the autopilot system the pilot flips a switch and it'll fly by itself until it gets to a- an airport and then it'll, pilot lands it but it pretty much took care of the airplane in flight. Interviewer: So you're learning basically how it works and how to maintain it? (13:02) Yeah, changing servos that would put the ailerons and the elevators in certain positions and at that time we were still using tubes if I can remember it correctly and solid state had come at a- another time but we learned G limits- monitors that the aircraft would �fly in a particular attitude and if it went, took too many G's it would flip off the autopilot system and- and things like that that we would learn. Interviewer: Okay now did you have, did you work with actual aircraft or just with the parts? (13:56) In the, in Amarillo we just learned the parts and the mach- the equipment we didn't go into the actual aircraft until we went to our next base. Interviewer: Okay now at least un- until the last few weeks were you pretty much with the same group the whole way through? Yeah you were with a- a class and- and then you were assigned to a dormitory and a squadron, a flight and we stayed pretty much as a team. Interviewer: Okay now when you went off the base what did you do? Down in- down in Amarillo I had a- a chance to go out with my lieutenant, executive officer we went out to some of the ranches and we would explore Indian Ruins and it was pretty interesting and I'd never done that before out in the deserts and out in the pastures out there on the ranches, we'd look for a circle of rocks, an old circle and it would, you’d sift through there and you'd contain arrowheads, it was pretty interesting. (15:23) Interviewer: Okay now was it normal for officers and enlisted to hang out together off base? No, no that was forbidden. Interviewer: Okay. �I think this relationship there was pretty much professional and it's something that was done, I- I don't know how we ended up starting it but we both had the interest in arc- archaeology and so on and so that started that. (16:00) Interviewer: Alright now if you think back over the time in Amarillo are there any particular events or experiences or broader impressions that kind of stay with you? No, other than I remember the- the, our drill sergeants would say, “you're welcome to go AWOL in Amarillo if you want, because we could see walking in Amarillo for four days and you'd still be seen because it's so flat,” and that was a- a big joke that you could go AWOL in… Interviewer: Okay was there much to do in the town? Was there much of a town there? Well at the time there was some parks and we went out on, in some, there were some rivers that we'd go to and just have a little fun at, but it was mostly everything on base. (17:00) Interviewer: Did they have bars? I don't recall because I wasn't old enough. Interviewer: Okay. And they do on all- all of our bases we have Airman's Clubs… Interviewer: Right. NCO Clubs, and Officers’ Clubs. Interviewer: Okay so the drinking age there was 21 at that point or? Yeah, yeah and I wasn't much of a drinker to start with. Interviewer: Yeah, you’re a good boy from West Michigan. Yeah. �Interviewer: So of course not. Yeah. Interviewer: Yeah okay alright so you're there… okay so that's like close to eight months I guess, alright and then where do you go once you finish that course? Well I got my orders and all of us as a- a team members we don't necessarily travel to the next base, we all go out as individuals and I think there was probably four of us that went to Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona. Interviewer: Alright. And that's where we learned our auto pilot skills. (18:02) Interviewer: Okay, working with actual aircraft now? Actual aircraft, we started with the F-100, that was called the lead sled and they used that extensively in Vietnam. Interviewer: Alright now describe that aircraft a little bit. It was a one of the first what they call a Century Series aircraft, F-100 and had a big nose to for the intake on the- on the jets and as far as my job I, we would lift up the hood on the- on the aircraft and our equipment was right inside. And then some of them had two-seater aircraft and some were single. We would go in, have to lift the canopy up and go in and set in the- in the canopy or in the cockpit there and play with our instruments with the- the ones that we were in charge of and that was interesting setting on an ejection seat with the power on and that was another thing that we learned about in school, there's a separate class in that so you always want to be careful as to what levers you're pulling. �(19:30) Interviewer: Alright now did you ever get a chance to go up in an F-100? No I didn’t, no I the- the closest I got that we would run ‘em and the we wouldn't run ‘em but the crew chief would run it and then we would test our- our system by running the ailerons and the elevators and the rudders and making sure everything worked correctly, properly. Interviewer: Alright and how long did you stay at that base? I was there for about a year and one of the things I remember about Luke Air Force Base is you're at, near the Mojave Desert and you'd get these sandstorms coming through. You're out on the- out on the runway and there you can see from the distance sandstorms, so you jump in the cockpit and you close the cockpit canopy and- and there you set until the sandstorm runs over. Itit's quite a- it was quite an experience. (20:45) Interviewer: Okay now how was life on this base different from life while you were training? That, completely different, you still had dormitory inspections probably a couple times a month, and you had roommates, and you had a, we were in a two-man room. We were free to go around the dorm- around the base, we had first couple months, we had to get permission to go off base and that was kind of a liberty thing but on base you had the libraries, you had the cafeterias, the bowling alleys, the Airman's Club, and there's plenty to do on an Air Force Base. (21:42) Interviewer: Okay and what kind of aircraft were you working with? That was the F-100 only on- on the at Luke. �Interviewer: Okay and was there a particular squadron or a wing that was based there that you were with or were you…? Yeah, I wanted… the Air Force is kind of different from the Army and the Marines, we were in a, I was in an A&E squadron, armament and electronics they call it. I don't recall 314th seems to be the… but we were just members of that squadron and we worked on the aircraft but when we left the base, when we rotated to another base we rotated again as individuals. We- the squadron didn't move from one to another. (22:37) Interviewer: So, the squadron was essentially part of sort of the staff of the base. Part of a base, yeah. Interviewer: Yeah so you're just in- in that ball game there. Right, right. Interviewer: Alright now so what year is this then that you’re…? This would be in 1963. Interviewer: Okay so at this point it's still pre-Vietnam although actually air assets are already. Yes. Interviewer: Getting over there. I had volunteered for Vietnam that- that year and I was single so I put in a volunteer statement and nothing ever happened and- and then the only thing that happened to me was I got engaged and from Luke Air Force Base I was- I was reassigned to the 33rd Tech Fighter Wing in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Eglin Air Force Base. During that time between Luke Air Force Base and going to Eglin Air Force Base I got married. �(23:41) Interviewer: Okay. So, I withdrew my Vietnam request. Interviewer: Alright okay now at that point for a while there- there was a rule that- that said that the married personnel didn't get sent overseas. Right. Interviewer: Or then- then later it was if you had children you didn't get sent overseas and eventually all of those went away but I think some of that depended on when you started, so you were early enough that… I was early. Interviewer: That those rules may just apply to you automatically. Right. Interviewer: And then be in place afterward. Yeah. Interviewer: Okay and so when- when did you go to Eglin then? In April of ’65. Interviewer: Okay. We had just started a new wing that, it was an old wing brought up from World War II but 33rd Tac Fighter Wing was the F-4c Phantom jet and that was the newest thing introduced to the Air Force, it was brought over from the Navy. The Navy had had the F-4s and we adapted them for the Air Force and that became, that replaced the F-100 in Vietnam and became the- the go-to aircraft. (25:02) �Interviewer: Okay and so for people who don't know a lot about that kind of thing what separates the F-4 from the F-100? All, the F-4 was all integrated systems, transistors, and diodes, and all you- you take a box out of the aircraft and you put in another box. Whereas in the F-100 we would take the box out of the aircraft, go back to the shop, fix it, put it back in the aircraft. These were all, the F-4 was all modular everything was state-of-the-art. Interviewer: Okay and then in terms just what the aircraft could do what's the difference? The aircraft was much faster, more maneuverable, the F-100 like they called it the Lead Sled it had- it had some good bombing capabilities but the F-100 was able to carry more of a payload and was much faster than new F-4. (26:15) Interviewer: The F-4 was- was much faster. F-4 yeah. Interviewer: Okay alright and as far as you were concerned as a mechanic did working on the F-4 make the job easier? Harder? Or was there new challenges? It was- it was much easier again it was a brand new- brand new wing and so ever, we were, we even had to build our- our shops and everything was right from scratch. We were issued tools, new tools and the maintenance, it was we probably worked for three or four days a week because it was a brand new, we didn't even have all of our airplanes in. So, we were that new building up the- the wing but working on the aircraft itself was, we learned, had to learn all about it. We went to school because it was a brand new- brand new thing to us. (27:29) Interviewer: Alright and then so you had gotten engaged. So, when did you get married? �Got married just before getting to Eglin Air Force Base. Interviewer: Okay now at that point could you and your wife live off-base or out of what…? What we did is we lived, had our honeymoon right there at Eglin Air Force Base and then she went back home. Interviewer: Okay. And I stayed there and- and learned the job. We didn't plan on living together until I got out of the Air Force in a- a year from then. Interviewer: Okay. And at- in ‘66 when I got, before I got out, I had a choice of going with the- the wing to Oslo, Norway for a fire power demonstration or getting out and I decided to get out of the service. (28:31) Interviewer: Okay. And from that point, from Oslo then the wing went to, not the wing but the squad went to Vietnam. Interviewer: Okay. So, I would have gone to Vietnam had I not gotten out of the Air Force. Interviewer: Okay so at this point the Air Force for you that was just kind of one stage in your life and now you were moving on. Right. Interviewer: Okay and so you go back to Grand Rapids so what year is that now that ‘66? That was in ’66. �Interviewer: Okay and once you got back to Grand Rapids what did you do? I had the GI Bill so I was able to, I went down to Grand Rapids Junior College and then I went over to Kendall School of Design for a semester and during all that time I was raising our first child and going to work for Lear Siegler. Interviewer: Okay. (29:28) And we're working seven days a week, 10 hours a day doing almost the same job for Lear that I was doing in the Air Force but with Lear I was testing the equipment as opposed to actually using it. Interviewer: Okay and so how long does that last? About a year, let's see I got a little over a year and March of ‘68 I got itchy feet and I wanted to go back into the Air Force. Interviewer: Okay. And so, I had to get into the Air Force before my second child was born because they had the restriction you couldn't go in with more than two children or more than one child. So I went in in March of ‘68 I went back into the Air Force. Interviewer: Alright now that the climate in the country has changed quite a bit in- in that time but then you get into early ‘68 you know the Tet Offensive is- is started, and anti-war movement is ramping up, and you have a lot of stuff kind of going on. You also have a lot of people who are trying to avoid the draft or at least stay out of the Army or the Marines by trying to join the Air Force or- or the Navy. Now do you have a special status because you were, you had prior service and training? �(30:53) No other than I was prior service so I was able to- to keep my rank of I- I believe I was E-3 Airman First Class and so I went back in but I couldn't get into autopilot systems, and I could get into electronics and I went into what they call inertial navigation systems, Doppler radar. Interviewer: Okay. And so, I had to go back to school at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Interviewer: Now when you went down there did your wife stay in Grand Rapids or did she come down? She traveled with me there. Interviewer: Okay. And we gotta, had a trailer to start with and I can remember moving into the trailer, into this park and we were right on a bayou and we had talked about the storms coming through, the hurricanes, and so on. And I asked the landlord, “when was the last hurricane or the highest water?” And he pointed up on a tree the water level and it was above all the trailers there. He said, “that's been a while,” and so we were there like I said on the bayou and we, my daughter walked out to the dock I can remember and there was a water snake that went right in front of her and my wife saw that and by the next day she had packed up and went back to Michigan. (32:36) Interviewer: Okay. So, I was there for a while for two or three months on my own and till I finally got a house and we brought her back down. Interviewer: Alright now how long were you at Keesler? Keesler was from March of ‘68 till about to about ’70. It was, I got orders for Korea. �Interviewer: Okay and the mean time so but was all that schooling or were you now working on the base? I- I was going to school for about six months and because I had prior electronics experience I self-generated through the school and finished early and then I was selected as an instructor for electronics and so I became an instructor there for probably a year and during that year we had Hurricane Camille. And I can remember if you lived off base and they had a hurricane you had a choice of going onto base because of the security and- and storm shelters and so on, or you could stay off- off base. We elected to stay off base in our house and we were far enough off the beach that we weren't gonna get flooded but I can remember looking out the window while Hurricane Camille was coming through and the eye of the storm passed just to, in Gulfport just down from us. And I could look out the window and saw all the trees going one way and then an hour or so you could see the trees going the other way. And in the morning when we woke up, I had all- all of us in the middle of the house, in the morning when I woke up the nails in the woodwork were all out about a quarter of an inch from the house going back and forth and… (34:57) Interviewer: Now did you lose your windows or did they? Nothing was damaged. Interviewer: Okay. We had limbs and so on around but I got out and I drove down to the beach and on the highway was an ocean-going vessel sitting there and you could look down on the beach and there would be dead cows because far out on an island there was a dairy farm and all those cows got washed… Interviewer: Wow. �On to the beach. And there was, the water side of the highway was just leveled, the motels, the bars completely leveled. Interviewer: Okay now was this Biloxi, Mississippi? This is in Biloxi, yeah. Interviewer: Okay alright now when something like that happens the Military often gets involved in clean up and support and other things like that so… (35:53) Right we had gotten out, the Air Force Base all the guys from the Air Force Base were assigned to different groups and we would go out and police up the area and help in any way we could. And probably the Air Force Base anywhere in the world, Army, Air Force, Marines there'sthey're there to help the communities and they certainly helped Biloxi. Interviewer: Alright now are- are there other things that kind of stand out in your memory from that time aside from the hurricane? That, I would say pretty much no, we raised wire-haired terrier, but Biloxi was pretty much getting family- family organized. Interviewer: Right. The kids were young, we were learning all about Military life, family life, and- and so on meeting new friends. (37:10) Interviewer: Okay so did you just sort of socialize with other people who also had young kids and things like that? Was there some kind of network there? There was a camaraderie of that, we learned that when I was in Florida, we got together with young couples because we had one child and there's, we had neighbors across the street from us �that kind of took us in, they were older, and took us in and showed us the ropes. But meet a lot of new friends, I wish we had Facebook back then so I could keep track of them all but, yeah. Interviewer: Alright now you're also in- in the South in the 1960’s and you'd come down from Grand Rapids I mean and you had a civil rights movement going and there had been segregation and things like that, I mean to what extent were you aware of any of that kind of stuff? (38:11) Such naive kids, my wife and I who, we had no idea that there was things like that going on. We grew up at Grand Rapids in a- a pretty much all white school, we had two or three black students in our class and didn't think anything of it. And we went down there and we saw these old shacks along the road and we didn't see any of the white and black it was pretty much a community that we didn't see any of that racism and so we didn't understand that that was really going on so we were pretty much naïve kids. (39:04) Interviewer: Alright okay, alright now the orders for Korea, was that a surprise or were you expecting something? Pretty much like I said in- in, we all go into our individual place- areas and- and there was five of us out of the school, out of the instructor school that got orders. Three of us went to Korea and two of ‘em went to Vietnam, so I could have gone to Vietnam very easily, but my assignment was Osan Air Base, Korea. Interviewer: Okay alright and how did they get you out to Korea? (39:52) �Flew, we went from Washington, Fort Lewis Washington, Tacoma to Korea that was quite a long- long ride you'd fly it into Alaska and then from Alaska to Korea. Interviewer: Okay and where is Osan in Korea? It's below the 38th parallel it's in probably the middle of South Korea, it's kind of a, there's several air bases around there but Suwan and- and Osan were pretty close together. Interviewer: Okay alright and now your job is essentially what you had… My- my job is a little different this time like I said in- in Mississippi I was working on Doppler radar, inertial navigation systems. We had I believe it was three or four CT 29s and they were used strictly to monitor the DMZ zone, so when they flew we didn't work, we worked when they were- when they landed and if there was anything wrong we would go fix thethe Doppler radar. (41:26) Interviewer: Okay. But if there's nothing wrong we didn't work and so we spent a lot of downtime in Korea not working and… Interviewer: Alright now the aircraft itself was- was that propeller-driven or a jet? Yep, it was propeller- driven it was a C-47. Interviewer: Okay. I believe C… CT 29s, it was a above the C-1, C-23s. This was a four-engine turboprop and camouflage paint and strictly used for recon on the DMZ. Interviewer: Okay so it had radar systems, so basically it would fly over and try to monitor any kind of activity there? Had- had cameras, big cameras and it’d take pictures of the DMZ. �(42:24) Interviewer: Alright now at that point in- in time I mean was there much tension there along the border? Where their incidents are things that happened in that period? Daily, they would rake the beach every day and you would walk down the street and every intersection had a anti- aircraft in- encampment there. They took it very serious, you didn't, Koreans themselves wouldn't- wouldn't walk down the street without carrying an ID card. The ID card was their freedom and that they took the North and South very serious. Interviewer: So, they were always concerned about infiltrators or anything else like that. Yeah. Interviewer: Now you said, “rake the beach,” where you near… Yeah near the… I think it's a Yellow Sea, China's… Interviewer: Was it on the western side, south of Seoul? Or where you on the other side? No we were south of Seoul. (43:34) Interviewer: Yeah. But when, on the beach they would rake it so they could tell whether somebody landed or swam or however and they could tell whether somebody was on the beach infiltrated, so. Interviewer: Alright and now did you have Korean military personnel working with you at all? No, we had, this was all Air Force. Interviewer: Okay. Back at Luke Air Force Base we had civilians that would work with us, but this was all Air Force. �Interviewer: Okay but you still had contact with at least the civilian population that area… Oh yeah, oh yeah we have papasan for our dormitories and we would have, we'd go off base and fraternize with the locals. Our big thing was going to the orphanage, most every weekend we'd take a Air Force vehicle and go to the orphanage and they would treat us like kings. We would play with the kids and then they would put on a little skit for us and they would put a display of fruit and vegetables and we'd eat, just it was very touching the orphanage. (45:05) Interviewer: Okay now did you bring things to them or give them support of one kind or another? I don't think we brought anything to them, there was, it- it was more just going there and playing with them, watching them, them having somebody. Koreans love to have a conversation with an American, they- they like that English, learning English conversation that was one big thing that stood out with me. Interviewer: Okay and did some of the single guys have Korean girlfriends and things like that? (45:46) Yeah that was- that was part of a lot of- a lot of the Orientals that you see in the States nowadays were from the Korean and Vietnamese and so on. It would be a thing, young ladies were kicked out of their families at a young age 13, 14, 15. They had no use, these are stories that I've been told and that I've seen, the- the boys in the family could produce, they would farm and so on but the girls were not too much use. So they were sent off to the city, big city and Mamasan would take ‘em in because they had no place to go, so Mamasan would have them work in their club, tend bar, waitress, and buy ‘em clothes, feed ‘em, give ‘em a place to stay and before you know �it the young lady is there for a year or two and she owes Mamasan several thousand dollars because interest rate is so high and she could never pay it off. So, she's indebted, Mamasan takes her ID card and she can't go out onto the streets and so she's pretty much an indentured slave right there. So, a GI comes along and meets her in the bar and they start seeing each other and before you know it, he pays off Mamasan and buys her salvation and then they move into a- a little hooch themselves and end up getting married. (48:00) Interviewer: Or not probably. Transferred to the… what’s that? Interviewer: Probably some of them don't get married. Oh yeah, yeah but the ones that get married are transferred to the States. Interviewer: Right. And it's a whole- a whole new story. Interviewer: Sure, okay and I guess I mean of course some of them would, they would wind up, they’re working for Mamasan they wind up in prostitution in some cases. Oh yes. Interviewer: Now where there also drug problems at that time? I didn't see- I didn't, the only thing I can remember is a few of the guys would smoke marijuana, but as far as drugs no. Interviewer: So, heroin hasn't gotten there or anything like that? No, no it was- it was pretty clean there was the venereal disease and so on but then AIDS wasn't there yet. Interviewer: Right. �(48:54) And but it was pretty utopia, you'd go to the, you go down to the village and you'd go to the bars, you'd drink, have fun, go back to the dormitories, you have to be off the streets by 10 o'clock at night. And if you weren't off the streets then you would end up in a- a hooch with a girl and that would be your life saving until the morning when you could get back out onto the streets. Interviewer: Right, now did you learn to eat Korean food? Loved it, I was 185 pounds when I went to Korea and when I left, I was a hundred and forty-five. I ate everything, I'd go out to the farmers, out to the farmland and they would be welcome you in and you'd sit around the table and they have about ten different items, they just ate tremendously but it was dried fish, kimchi, which was very hot and everything was irrigated with human feces and so you have to clean it real well and I would have all kinds of diarrhea and parasites and you name it that but I- I went out and I enjoyed it. (50:29) Interviewer: Okay now did you develop any resistance to that stuff after a while or? Evidently I could go down to the village and you'd go through the market and there would be squid, dried squid hanging, you’d pull the tentacle off and you'd eat it like rawhide, you know like jerky. And you'd go in, I- I'd eat the octopus, I’d eat it all. I pay for it. Interviewer: And you’re still alive. And I'd still pay for it, yeah. Interviewer: Alright now I take it your, while you were in Korea your family was still back in the States. Right that was an unaccompanied tour. Interviewer: Alright so how long total did you spend in Korea? �13 months. Interviewer: Okay. I did come home for Christmas and saw my grand- my son for first time he was talking. Boy that really tore me up. Interviewer: Now- now when- when you got back, I mean did he know who you were? (51:31) Yeah, yeah. Interviewer: Good because he wasn't afraid of you? Yeah, we kept in touch you know through telephone and letters and so on. Interviewer: Okay now when you called home could you just use a regular phone line for that or? Yeah. Interviewer: Was there… Yeah. Interviewer: Okay so it wasn't like in Vietnam where you had to have a ham radio operator in the middle or whatever. Right, right. Interviewer: Okay now I'm looking at your sequence, I thought one of the things that you did before Korea was you spent some time as an Air Force recruiter? Yeah that was your right we went from, well we went from… Interviewer: Eglin? Mississ- from Eglin to… how did we go? �Interviewer: Or was it, or did you go from Mississippi to Grand Rapids? Went from Mississippi to Korea. Interviewer: Okay. And then from Korea to Grand Rapids as an Air Force recruiter. Interviewer: Okay and was that your first stint as a recruiter? Yes, it was. Interviewer: Okay so before we get there, other things that stand out in your memory from time in Korea? (52:36) Pretty much the orphanages, the, I did fly on the CT 29 and we were able to fly along the DMZ and the pilot and navigator and told us what he was doing and showed us everything. That was a very interesting, but the life in Korea was pretty much on base, working, we went we- we met some college students from Korea, and they were just interested in talking, they want- they want in the most way to learn conversational English. Interviewer: Right. And so, we did that and… Interviewer: Did you go into any of the larger cities like Seoul or any place? (53:31) Oh I was in Seoul with the friend of mine we- we walked, we were walking down the street in Seoul and just enjoying, looking at different sites and so on and all of a sudden we went into this teahouse and the lady told us, “you know you’re not supposed to be in this area,” and it was in a trucking area, and I guess it was off-limits to either United States, U.S. people or it was off-limits �to military and so we scurried out of there real quick, had no idea, we just walked, enjoined, and so that was our tour in Seoul and then we, you go back and forth on a bus, a military bus. (54:33) Interviewer: Okay now were there ever actual- any actual incidents involving you know North Koreans or people trying to get on your base or anything else like that? No, it was pretty much peacetime, nothing to write home about. Interviewer: Okay alright so you have, you finished Korea now you get to go back to Grand Rapids and now you're working as an Air Force recruiter and now this is like early 1970s here, okay so describe what- what was that like? Being an Air Force recruiter was one of the proudest moments, proudest times in my career. I was, went to Lackland Air Force Base for recruiting school and then I came home, and I was assigned to Allegan County, South Kent County, I had several about 20 schools that I would go to each, I would make my rounds of all the schools. And the- the big thing that stands out is some of the teachers and counselors that I had met complemented me on the fact that I would go to the school and present myself and ask to see so-and-so student to recruit and unlike the other Military services they would come in and they would demand this, and demand that, and I want to see this person and that person, but mine was a low-keyed approach and I made a lot of friends with the counselors, friends that I have today I even bowl with one that I talked- talked to about going into the service and he ended up joining the Navy as an officer. So, these are the types of friendships and- and things that I did as an Air Force recruiter. (56:46) Interviewer: Okay now did you encounter any kind of anti-war sentiment or would there be people in some of these places who were hostile to you because you were recruiting? �No, I- I always and this was in the- the height of Vietnam, I was always proud to walk around with my uniform and I had never been harassed except one time I went into South Christian High School and there was a very liberal female teacher that said something about it and her other teacher they said, “just ignore her, she- she doesn't know what she's talking about.” But that was the only thing that stood out because I had- I had never been harassed, never been spit on. Interviewer: Well this was not exactly a hotbed of radicalism. Right. Interviewer: Especially outside of the City of Grand Rapids itself probably. Right. Interviewer: You would not encounter a lot of that too much, alright now what kinds of things motivated people to join the Air Force at that point? (57:49) Jobs and schooling, the when I was there that my first tour, women were being accepted into the Military to do non- non female roles. I had put in the first jet engine aircraft mechanic that was a female. Beautiful little girl from Wyoming- Wyoming High School and she- she was a model, I mean she was just gorgeous and I says, “you want to go in a jet engine?” “Yeah I want to do something that is, that women don't do,” so she did go into the Air Force and she did go in to jet engine mechanics and after about three years she says, “I'm tired of being one of the guys and getting grease under my fingers,” and so the Air Force offered her any job, she was qualified for everything she- she scored high and she decided that no I'm gonna get out. And so, they offered you know one or the other, she decided to get out and to this day she had, I still see her from time to time and she says, “I wished I had stayed in.” And that's the- the type of person I think that I was putting in the Air Force I have a- a log scrapbook then when they come back on leave and I �encourage them to stop in and see me. I have ‘em sign-in and take a picture and see how they're doing. Several of my recruits have retired from the Air Force and the ones that stayed in for four they said, “it was great time, I enjoyed it, I learned a lot but I'm not gonna do it again,” you know. (1:00:06) Interviewer: Yeah at this point did you have some people who were doing this to stay away from the draft? Yes but most of them were I would say most of them I recruited myself. They- they didn't necessarily come into my office to get out of the draft. Interviewer: Okay. But yes, some of them were motivated to- to do that but most of them were coming in to look for a job. Interviewer: Alright now how many people would you get in a month or did you have quotas or? I had quotas, we would have maybe four or five men a month and then they started putting quotas on us for the females and I did very well, and I think I won an award for recruiter of the month for female. They also had prior service quotas and a lot of the prior servicemen that I put in I still see today and communicate with them today. The quotas were met without any problem, the Army, Navy, they would always, we were in the same offices all together and would always see if they had any- anybody that I could give ‘em and we did, a lot of the kids that didn't qualify for us we'd send ‘em over to the Navy, and the Army, and the Marines. (1:01:47) �Interviewer: Yeah, I guess how tough were the rules or the expectations? Our- our expect- expectations on qualifying mentally were strict. We would require on a Air Force qualifying test a score of at least I believe it was 31, I'm not exactly sure but the Army and the Marines could go down a- a couple points and so we’d send ‘em over. Physically if they didn't pass our physical, they pretty much couldn't pass the physical for the other services either. Interviewer: Yeah right did you have people who didn't pass the physical who’d go away, get in better shape, and come back? (1:02:36) Yeah had a young lady that had to lose her weight and she lost it and she's retired, stayed in. I just communicated with her a- a few weeks ago on Facebook and… Interviewer: Okay now how long did that first stint in Grand Rapids last? Four years. Interviewer: Okay. It was a four-year tour at the end of it I was the tester, I would travel around West Michigan up to Traverse City and give the ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Interviewer: Right. To schools, to the Air Force offices, to give the tests to the students. Interviewer: Okay now do you, did they, did the Air Force just rotate you out of that assignment or did you ask for something different? (1:03:28) No, it was a normal rotation and from there I was assigned to Arkansas. Interviewer: Okay. Little Rock, Arkansas. �Interviewer: Alright and what were you gonna do there? I was working on C-130s in my inertial navigation Doppler radar. Interviewer: Okay. And it was like a duck out of water going from recruiting back into the maintenance and that time they went from transistors to solid-state, they hadn't gotten into what they have today yet but. Interviewer: So, it wasn't computerized yet? It- it was, we were always computerized we had kind of like an analog computer as opposed to the digital age. Looking back at- looking back at Little Rock was, it- it still old-school electronics but the C-130 aircraft is- is still going today and it was a workhorse in Vietnam and that's whatthat's what we use. (1:05:00) Interviewer: Yeah so that's the big cargo plane. Yeah. Interviewer: Okay now where some of the C-130s fitted with extra equipment because a C130 can do different things. It can, we used it strictly for cargo. Interviewer: Okay alright and now did you have to learn new technology or upgrades from what you had worked with before? Pretty much I just learned it through this squad, through the shop. I was assigned to work with a few guys, and we learned C-130, we had a- a classroom set up for a couple weeks. Interviewer: Now what rank were you at this point? I was a staff sergeant, E-5. �Interviewer: Okay so when you come in and you join this particular group you have some seniority or… Yeah, I was in charge, I had two or three people under me that would work. (1:06:02) Interviewer: Okay now did your family move with you to Little Rock? The family was with me, took the dogs and kids and jumped in a, I think we took a U-Haul to Little Rock and got a house. We lived on base so that was kind of nice. Interviewer: Now was there a school on the base or did the kids go off base? Yeah, on- on base housing and they had the school right on the base and some of the high school kids would go off base but there was a- an elementary school on base. Interviewer: Alright and how long were you there? (1:06:50) A year, about a year and a half and one of the things that I- I forgot about was I was a bowler and I started, I've always been a bowler all my life but in 1972 when I was a recruiter I started getting active in bowling and I was a- a junior bowling coach, my daughter was one of my students, one of my bowlers and I became active in the Association, the Bowling Association and became a director of the Grand Rapids Bowling Association. So, when I went to Arkansas, I was a junior bowling coach there because all of our Air Force bases have bowling centers and entertainment like that. As a matter of fact, a bowling center on an Air Force Base is the community center that everybody goes to to have coffee, to eat, to socialize, and so on. And so, in Arkansas I was a junior bowling coach and then became a member of the, their association board and this is where I met a lot of people that I would be eventually stationed with in another base. (1:08:34) �Interviewer: Okay. And so, in Arkansas we went out to the Diamond Mines in- in Arkansas, one of our things to do, activities. And I did a- a lot of metal detecting out there besides our, we in the Air Force you work about eight hours a day and you have Saturdays and Sundays off unless there's activities. So that's how I sold the Air Force too as a recruiter, was it was like a job, full-time job that you're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but you only work just like at normal, normal job. Interviewer: Okay now what brought the Arkansas assignment to an end? (1:09:35) From there we went to, I went to Omaha, Nebraska for a school to learn- to learn the KC-135 and we were on our way to Okinawa and so I- I learned the KC-135 that's a big Air Force tanker and that's what I was gonna be working on in Okinawa. Interviewer: Okay so when do you get to Okinawa? That I went there in ‘77 and from ‘77 to ’80. Interviewer: Okay. And there I had my family and we were able to bring our dog and flew over with the family on a big 747. That took quite a while. (1:10:37) Interviewer: Yeah. I remember the kids laid out the 77…7… Interviewer: 747, yeah. …47 was empty in the back so we were able to put all the armrests out and we would sleep on the eight seats across and that was quite a - quite an experience. Interviewer: Okay so what base were you at in Okinawa? �We were at Kadena Air Base and overseas they call them Air Bases as opposed to Air Force Base. Interviewer: Right. In the United States and we went to- got to Kadena and we had a little house off base and met helicopter pilot as our neighbor and became real good friends with them. And did a lot of hanging out, again he was an officer and I was an enlisted man but that, the fraternization there was we were neighbors, you know. And so eventually we moved on base to a brand-new house on- on a hill and it was pretty neat, everything is made of concrete because of the sy- the typhoons. (1:11:59) Interviewer: Right. And spent three and a half years on Okinawa and kids went to American school there and we worked KC-135s. Interviewer: Okay so what were you doing in your regular job then? We'd go out and we'd work on the- on the airplanes. The pilots would fly ‘em and if there was any- anything wrong with ‘em they’d write it up and we'd go out and take care of the write-ups, go back to the shop. Interviewer: Were you still working mostly with radar systems or? Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. I'd be working with Doppler radar and… Interviewer: And was this basically the same that you'd had on the C-130s in Arkansas? Yes, pretty- pretty much the same. �(1:12:55) Interviewer: Alright and your, what was the relationship between the Americans and theand the locals in Okinawa? Very, very good the only trouble we ever had was a- a few of the people would be against the B52s coming into land because they were nuclear capable. Interviewer: Right. And we had the SR-71 and there was a- a few protesters but other than that Okinawa was a small island, about fifteen miles long and about two miles wide and we were there for three and a half years you know just enjoying it. It was like subtropical, not as tropical as Hawaii, but this is where all the mainland Japanese would come and honeymoon and- and visit, it was just a wonderful place. (1:13:59) Interviewer: Okay alright so and of course this is all, now this is all post-Vietnam, so you don't have anything… Cold War tensions are not really high at this point. No Iran was one of the… Interviewer: Yeah. One of the problems there. Matter of fact one of our- one of our squadrons was lost in- in the Iran when they went to rescue the hostages and all of a sudden I was involved in bowling again and I was the island secretary treasurer of the Okinawa Bowling Association so we had an intramural squad, a- a bowling league and one day one of the sq- one of the teams was gone and that was the team that went to Iran to rescue the hostages and it was all top secret, we didn't know a lot of it but you know the word gets around. (1:15:13) �Interviewer: Because I guess what there was that that was a sort of a failed attempt to get in there and rescue, I think it was a heli- collision of helicopters I think, so it was a helicopter unit or whatever that you lost. Yes. Interviewer: Yeah. And so that was the- the era of when we were there. Interviewer: Right and how old were you, were your kids by the time you left? Let's see in ’77, ‘80 my daughter was fourteen and my son was twelve. Interviewer: Okay. And from there we went to recruiting duty. Interviewer: Okay and was that back in Grand Rapids again? (1:15:58) Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Yeah, but back in Okinawa against, my it seems like my career had a dual career with the Air Force and bowling. On Okinawa I was the island secretary treasurer. Interviewer: Right. Like I had said, before but we had seven bowling centers in Okinawa, on the Marine base and Army base and once a year I had to have to go to all of those bases and inspect the pins, the lanes, the, that's what I did and so everything was geared around bowling. My commander and myself, and my wife, and- and his wife, we vacationed together, we bowled together on four different leagues, and my commander was a- a major and still are friends today. He got called on the carpet a few times for fraternizing but it's something that we did. �(1:17:04) Interviewer: Yeah. Our- our kids and their kids vacationed together on the- at the recreate- the recreation site on Okinawa and that’s what we did. Interviewer: Yeah, alright well I’ve always had the impression that- that the Air Force was at least a little more casual about that than the other branches. Yes. Interviewer: But they’re, they still frown on it though. Right, right it was kind of an unwritten rule, but you know as- as long as you don't get involved with the- the military operation and insubordination and so on. Interviewer: Right, okay now you had talked earlier about helping recruit women into some of these different occupations so when you were in Arkansas or Okinawa were there women in any of your teams at this point? (1:17:57) Oh yeah, yeah I was in charge of young lady that was in Doppler radar with me and severalseveral women were out there on the flight line pulling aircraft equipment around, and being a jet engine mechanic, and being an aircraft mechanic, being a cop that's one thing that women weren't allowed to do at one time, and I put several of them in as security policemen. Interviewer: Alright now were you aware of any issues of harassment or other kinds of problems because they were women? Or was that not on your radar? No, again it was kind of a unique thing, new thing and I would imagine I didn't hear anything, you always do know that some of the old-timer’s, “women aren't allowed in here” and so on but it was never out in the open. �Interviewer: Okay. (1:19:04) If somebody didn't like it, they kept it to themselves. Interviewer: Or if it was happening it wasn't getting reported to you. Correct. Interviewer: Yeah. Right. Interviewer: Okay alright so now you're going back, now would the Grand Rapids recruiting assignment would be the last- would that be the last thing you did or? That's the last thing I did and unfortunately, I couldn't get into Grand Rapids I was assigned to Kalamazoo. Interviewer: Okay. So for a year I was in Kalamazoo and kept fighting my way to get back to the Grand Rapids office but I would travel from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo every day and because I had a house that we bought when I was a recruiter the first time and we just rented that out while I was gone. Interviewer: Right, okay now so you do this for about four years? Four year. Interviewer: In Michigan again, okay and now what leads you to retire out of the Air Force? (1:20:01) Well my kids were in high school and I had an option of going somewhere else I didn't know where, but going somewhere else or retiring and I thought as long as the kids now were in high �school they had had friends before when we were there in- in ‘72 and so I wanted to keep stability there. Interview: Right. They were- they were good in every school that they went to in the Military, they adapted well but I thought it was time that we just settle down. Interviewer: Okay and then did you find a job, a civilian job then? I changed my uniform on Friday and put on my suit on Monday and sold real estate. Interviewer: Okay. And this is where I met Bill Schraeder and my… Interviewer: So what- what led you into- into real estate? Bill Schraeder, I was in the- in the office and recruiting office and Bill being the Military guy that he is he would come into the office and he would talk to me, “I'm in real estate now, you want to get into it.” So, him and I got into, I got into real estate with him in another office and we became friends from that point on. Interviewer: Alright so I guess when- when you look back now over your service career what do you think you took out of that or how did that help to shape you? (1:21:39) It definitely made a man out of me like they all say going into Military, make a man outta you. The- the probably the biggest influencer and so on is bowling. I bowled a lot in the Air Force as I had explained and after I sold real estate, I bought a bowling center, I went, I graduated from Davenport college the same year I retired from the Air Force. Interviewer: Okay. �And the Air Force paid three quarters of my tuition all the way through twenty years and I finally retired or finally… Interviewer: Graduated. Graduated from Davenport College and I did a- a business plan on a bowling center and not knowing I was gonna buy one six years later when I retired, I sold real estate and then I went in 1990 bought a bowling center. And one that I grew up in and… (1:22:48) Interviewer: So, which- which one is that? Paragon Bowling Center in Burton Heights. Interviewer: Okay is that still up and running? It's still up and running, I've remodeled it from the early retro 1945 era to present and I had it for sixteen years, sold it in 2006 and now I just drive Uber, work for the Christmas light show, and metal detect, I'm a ring finder. Interviewer: Very good. Alright well the whole thing makes for pretty good story and definitely a distinctive one so thank you very much for coming in and sharing. I appreciate it. � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e9920bdcd91f789c2e0bf7264933e8c7.mp4 a5fdbe7f2dd43ba56543a8220446cc78 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 Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. 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 LarabelG2325V Title A name given to the resource Larabel, Gregg (Interview transcript and video), 2019 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Larabel, Gregg Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Description An account of the resource Gregg Larabel was born on November 2, 1944 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After he graduated high school, Larabel joined the Air Force on October 10, 1962 due to his interest in electronics. He attended basic training in San Antonio, Texas, and was then transferred to Amarillo, Texas for a thirty-two-week Pilot School where he was taught basic electronics and flight technology. After graduating Pilot School, Larabel was transferred to Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was assigned to the 314th Armament and Electronics Squadron and worked on military aircraft, particularly the F-100 Super Sabre. After his training at Luke Air Force Base, Larabel was reassigned to the 33rd Tech. Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he attended more schooling to help work on the more technologically advanced and easier to maintain F-4 Phantom II. In 1966, Larabel left the Air Force and returned to Grand Rapids where he married, had a child, attended Grand Rapids Junior College and then Kendall College of Art and Design before going to work for the Lear Siegler Corporation testing automotive equipment. Two years later, he went back into the service, attending schooling and working at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. When Hurricane Camille struck Biloxi, he and his Squadron were tasked with providing relief to the devastated local population. Larabel was later transferred to Osan Air Force Base in South Korea where he worked as a mechanic on aircraft which monitored the DMZ. Back in the United States, Larabel worked as an Air Force Recruiter for schools across Kent County, Michigan, then was rotated to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he began work as a radar mechanic on AC-130 cargo planes at the rank of E5 Staff Sergeant. In Little Rock, Larabel also became the Junior Bowling Coach for the on-base Bowling Association. He was then sent to Omaha, Nebraska, for a course on the KC-135 Stratotanker before being deployed to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa from 1977 to 1980. Before retirement, Larabel transferred back to recruiting in Michigan and later went to work selling real estate and purchased a bowling center in 1990. Reflecting upon his service in the Air Force, Larabel believed it made a man out of him and joked how bowling continued to capture his attention and influence his side careers while in the service. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-08 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States—History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975—Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401. Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a67bf7b5d4ae83e9bd62cb4c314e3282.pdf fabd1e1e78ec54cc5378800eb20b79f4 PDF Text Text ������������������������������������� 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 Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. 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 Garland, Dudley Hoare (Interview transcript), 1945 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Garland, Dudley Hoare Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Garland, George (transcriber) Description An account of the resource Dudley Hoare Garland served as an artillery officer in the Ninth Infantry Division during World War II. Assigned to Battery A, 26th Field Artillery Regiment, which normally supported the 39th Infantry Regiment, Garland eventually became its commanding officer, and then moved to the staff of the divisional artillery when promoted to the rank of Major. Garland landed with his unit in North Africa and served in North Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium and Germany. He was assigned to return to the US in March, 1945, and while there, he visited the office of his brother George in New York City, and recorded some of his experiences on his brother’s office Dictaphone. The original recording was not preserved, but George’s daughter, Kent Garland McKay, had the transcript, which she has shared with us for posting to this archive. This file also includes information given to Garland by his former commanding officer, Lt. Col. Lewis Lockett, when Garland visited him in a hospital in 1943. The transcript covers a variety of topics, including having his ship sunk off the coast of Algeria, fighting in Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Belgium and Germany, relationships with other officers and civilians, meetings with high ranking generals and political figures, and different aspects of daily life in the countries where he was stationed. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-03-12 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GarlandD Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b680b966820c9cf296a829eba0d999f0.jpg f3bdb8545ebba01a62a3a205a0026989 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J288-0035 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-12-16 Title A name given to the resource Rail Yard in Chicago, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of an industrial city scene featuring a rail yard in Chicago, Illinois. In the photograph, a train conductor is seen moving a train through the rail yard, while other trains are parked in the background. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Railroad yards--Illinois--Chicago Railroad trains--Illinois--Chicago Chicago (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fe1be2a4cf762feed092bb832e0c5881.jpg a845efe1324809b1863985cf3dab1ebe 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J288-0004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-12-16 Title A name given to the resource Rail Yard in Chicago, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of an industrial city scene featuring a rail yard in Chicago, Illinois. In the photograph, a group of trains are parked in the foreground, including one labeled "Chicago South Shore & South Bend," while a large high-rise apartment building can be seen rising behind the rail yard in the background. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Railroad yards--Illinois--Chicago Railroad trains--Illinois--Chicago Chicago (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3938ed38445218f085c53f4f4c0fa635.jpg 4b52335cad43e9eba6f7403031b3ef53 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J288-0001 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-12-16 Title A name given to the resource Rail Yard in Chicago, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of an industrial city scene featuring a rail yard in Chicago, Illinois. In the photograph, a large high-rise apartment building can be seen rising behind the rail yard in the background. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Railroad yards--Illinois--Chicago Railroad trains--Illinois--Chicago High-rise buildings--Illinois--Chicago Chicago (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b57010d4a0fd75fb12eb84ce88838926.jpg b9095f2b39f8d38c02a9a39b94b2557f 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J278-0028 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-11-20 Title A name given to the resource Montessori School in Evanston, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of a Montessori School in Evanston, Illinois. In the photograph, a young student is seated at a children's activity table and drawing circular shapes out of craft paper in a classroom. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Montessori method of education--Illinois Children--Illinois Evanston (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b5c1fbee3340ab678dfe0a1ac517dc3d.jpg 8789c960d21dbdc7efa2afb9b63aafd5 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J276-0042 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-11-10 Title A name given to the resource Weathered Farm in St. Charles, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of an aging and weathered farm in the countryside of St. Charles, Illinois. In the photograph, an old gated fence is seen blocking off the dirt road drive to the farm buildings, including a large barn and silo, and a group of large bare trees are situated in the foreground of the property. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Farms--Illinois Saint Charles (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0a0f1cab05c3a0d5bdb24cb55cbe9de3.jpg 3a00492bcacf647a4cca422084804142 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 Douglas R. Gilbert Photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R., 1942-2023 Description An account of the resource Photographs scanned from negatives and transparencies from the Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183). Douglas R. Gilbert (b. 1942) is an American photographer from Michigan. He was born in Holland, Michigan and is the son of Russell W. and Carmen (Andree) Gilbert. Gilbert earned a B.A. in social sciences and art at Michigan State University in 1964, an M.S. in photography from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972, and a M.S.W. from Salem State College in 1993. He is married to Barbara (McDonald) Gilbert, and has three daughters, Robyn, Rachel, and Anne. Gilbert took a serious interest in photography at the age of fourteen. In 1963 he joined the staff of Look magazine in New York as the second youngest photojournalist in the magazine's history. As a Look photographer from 1964 to 1966, he photographed folk musician Bob Dylan, the Newport Folk Festival, Simon and Garfunkel, the New York City Financial District, the children and facilities at the Manhattan School for Seriously Disturbed Children. From 1967 to 1969, Gilbert did several shoots, including that of folk singer Janis Ian for Life magazine. After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, Gilbert conducted notable photo shoots of business and political figure Lenore Romney, and pursued more personal and artistic photography, focusing on urban and rural landscapes in Illinois and Michigan. He then joined the faculty of Wheaton College, where he taught from 1972 to 1982. In 1993, Gilbert graduated from Salem State College, Massachusetts, with a Masters in Social Work, and later pursued a second career as a psychotherapist. Douglas Gilbert died in June 2023. Throughout his photography career, he pursued both freelance commercial work as well as artistic work. His art photography is characterized by its classic black-and-white format, and features people, places and objects shot great attention and sensitivity. Gilbert's works are held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the Grand Valley State University Art Galleries, as well as in numerous private and institutional collections. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960-2011 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="%E2%80%9Dhttps%3A//gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783%E2%80%9D">Douglas R. Gilbert Papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Subject The topic of the resource Photographs Photography -- United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-183 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. 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-183_J276-0034 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gilbert, Douglas R. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1969-11-10 Title A name given to the resource Weathered Farm in St. Charles, Illinois Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of an aging and weathered farm in the countryside of St. Charles, Illinois. In the photograph, an old gated fence is seen blocking off the dirt road drive to the farm buildings, including a large barn and silo, and a large bare tree is situated in the foreground of the property. Scanned from the negative. Subject The topic of the resource Farms--Illinois Saint Charles (Ill.) Black-and-white photography Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/783">Douglas R. Gilbert papers (RHC-183)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960s Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives