As the heyday of the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s to early 70s
fades further into history and as more and more of its important figures
pass on, so too does knowledge of its significance. Thus, Chicano
Movement For Beginners is an important attempt to stave off historical
amnesia. It seeks to shed light on the multifaceted civil rights
struggle known as El Movimiento that galvanized the Mexican American
community, from laborers to student activists, giving them not only a
political voice to combat prejudice and inequality, but also a new sense
of cultural awareness and ethnic pride.
Beyond commemorating the past, Chicano Movement For Beginners seeks to
reaffirm the goals and spirit of the Chicano Movement for the simple
reason that many of the critical issues Mexican American activists first
brought to the nation's attention then--educational disadvantage,
endemic poverty, political exclusion, and social bias--remain as
pervasive as ever almost half a century later.