Hispanics Seem Forgotten In Civil Rights History
By Dr. Marciene Mattleman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An interesting and provocative piece appeared as a Commentary in Education Week by Nicholas Dauphine, a senior in high school in San Antonio, Texas.
Young student authors rarely appear in professional journals; but Nicholas has something important to ask, where are Hispanics mentioned in civil rights discussions?
Growing up, Nicholas heard about the treatment of Mexicans-Americans in Texas in the 1800s and sees the similarity with the experiences of black-Americans in Mississippi. From his parents he learned of separate water fountains and seats in the "black" balconies in movie houses.
In 1946, the Mendez v. Westminster School District challenged racial discrimination in Orange County, California and this landmark litigation was instrumental in repealing many segregationist provisions in California law.
Other incidents and cases are highlighted in this informative piece where the author argues that with Latinos making up 16% of the US population, efforts should be made "to shine a light" on the effectiveness of Hispanic activists.
