ETHN 3120: CHICANO/A/XS IN THE UNITES STATES – FALL 2023
TITLE:
Press Release: Mujeres de la Raza
MEET THE DOCUMENT:
This archive document shows what caused the Mujeres de la Raza (Mexican American Women’s Association) to march in a small group. It is a two-page article detailing the women’s organization and what happened that day. The article states some of the important statements the organization had planned on speaking about; however, the group was not allowed to speak at the annual Ohio Council for Exceptional Children. These two pages address their concerns, such as bilingual and bicultural programs.
OBSERVE ITS PARTS:
This archival document was a press release that could have been heard and seen in person by many, as well as newspaper or other resources documenting the Mujeres de la Raza march. No specific author was named for who wrote it; all the article said was Toledo, Ohio. The march occurred at the Commodore Perry Hotel in Toledo, Ohio, on November 16th, 1972. Many people living in and near Toledo could have read or seen it in person if it had been published as a press release. The article mentions Bowling Green State University, so we can assume that news spread at least as far as Bowling Green, Ohio. However, information could have also been extended through the word of the Mujeres de la Raza. Women in the group came from 13 different cities, even Cleveland.
TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF IT:
This press release was published not to state biased opinions but to inform people of what happened and what caused this event. The Mujeres de la Raza originally planned to meet with the Ohio Council for Exceptional Children before they were denied entrance. They were denied entry because they were told they had not been placed on the agenda formulated in 1971. Their original plan was to speak at the convention about different statistics and to bring a message of other educational problems facing the children of diverse cultures that were being unfairly looked at differently. The article says that a Mujeres de la Raza spokeswoman wanted to inform those at the convention that people are never told about their meetings. Therefore, the information at those meetings is not spread to many people. They planned to “present a list of basic educational reforms.” Due to their denial of entrance, the group marched outside the Commodore Perry Hotel, where the convention was being held, to bring attention to what they originally wanted to speak on inside the hotel. Their denial of entrance led them to have their voices heard in the streets outside of the convention.
USE IT AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE:
It is very unique. Because it is not an official newspaper article or journal entry, this is a piece of historical documentation that almost everyone can overlook. I had tried to find out more about this specific march on November 16th, 1972, but could not see any other documentation that provided more information about this event. The lack of an author listed also made finding more information about this press release much more difficult. Although we cannot find much more information, we can still look at other demonstrations or protests that the Mujeres de la Raza had partaken in around that time. I was able to find another protest that they were in a year after this one in 1973. Even if we can’t find out too much about this specific protest, we can still learn a lot about this group by looking at what else they could accomplish.