Monday, September 13, 2010

Milwaukee Latino Community To Celebrate 40th Anniversary, Making Higher Education Accessible

In the Summer of 1970, the Latino community peaceful protests, arrests and negiotiations with Chancellor Klotsche at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee opened the doors to higher education for Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Afro-Americans, Arabic and low income Whites to enroll.

By H. Nelson Goodson
September 13, 2010

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Monday, a cross section of members from the Hispanic community, who formed the 40th ACT Anniversary Committee finalized plans for the celebration. The committee is hosting a reception on Friday, September 17, at the University of Wisconsin-Wisconsin (UWM) Hefter House (corner of Hartfort and Lake Drive) at 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Members of the committee will be accessible to speak about the grand event, to recognize and appreciate the historic significance of their success to gain access to higher education in the State of Wisconsin.
A banquet will take place on Saturday, September 18, in the Union Ballroom at UWM starting at 5:00 p.m. Among the speakers scheduled to attend is Keynote Speaker: Dr. Federico Zaragoza, Vice-Chancellor, Alamo Community College, San Antonio, Texas; and other speakers such as: Dr. Ricardo Fernandez, President, Lehman College; and Jose Vasquez, Member UW-System's Board of Regents. Half of proceeds from the banquet raised will be used for student scholarships, according to committee members.
An oral history 15 minute video production by Roy Alvarez and the Oral History Committee members, Carmen C. Cabrera, Graciela De La Cruz and Luis De La Cruz will be shown after dinner. The video is a true testament from actual leaders who took part in the events leading too and afterwards of the 1970 protest.
The event will open free to the public and students after 8:00 p.m., to join in the celebration and dance with Victoria y Su Onda Tejana.
Through both events, the committee is commemorating the actions taken on August 27, 1970 by the Hispanic community that led to the enrollment of hundreds and later increased to thousands of Latino students graduating from UWM and the UW System as a whole.
In 1970, UWM enforced a discriminatory policy that kept Hispanics from enrolling at the university. Only 14 Latino students attended UWM compared to more than 25,000 White students. There were no Hispanic faculty or Spanish language books at the Golda Mier Library at UWM.
"In Milwaukee many barriers existed blocking their paths to higher education. Their language and cultural distinctness were frowned upon, and they had limited access to information about educational opportunities and few professional models. Discriminatory treatment was the norm," cited from Myriad Magazine UWM 1990.
Five people among 500 higher education protesters at the UWM Chapman Hall Chancellor's Office were arrested on August 27, 1970, while engaged in a peaceful sit-in, protest and persistence to change UWM policy to allows Latinos to enroll. They were identified as Jesus Salas, Marla O. Anderson, Dante Navarro, Gregorio "Goyo" Rivera and Jose Luis Huerta-Sanchez.
Dante Navarro shared a cell with Jesus Salas. Navarro told Salas, "I feel a shame of being arrested. Jesus responded, you were not arrested for a crime. It's not a shame to be arrested for protesting against discrimination and for our children to have access to higher education in our community," Navarro recalled during an interview.
On September 1, then UWM Chancellor J. Martin Klotsche decided to admit Latino students into the universary. On October 28, Salas, Roberto Hernandez and Armando Orellana announced the creation of the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI). SSOI was instrumental in recruiting and retention of students at UWM.
In 1996, SSOI was renamed the Roberto Hernandez Center.
Today, there are 30 Hispanic faculty and more than 1,400 Latino students attend UWM per semester.
Special recognition to 40th Act Anniversary Committee members: Co-chairs: Ernesto Chacon, Jesus Salas; RHC Director: Dr. Enrique E. Figueroa; Marketing Committee Co-chairs, Jose Ruano, Lupe Martinez & members Rita Renteria, Leticia Keltz and H. Nelson Goodson; Oral History Committee Members and Producers of video, Chair Carmen C. Cabrera, Graciela De La Cruz, Luis De La Cruz and Roy Alvarez, Director of Oral History video production; Program and Development Committee Members, Co-chairs Rose Farrar, Marla J. Possell, and members Felas Salinas, Gloria Gonzalez, Sara Martinez; Scholarship Committee Members, Chair Oscar Tovar and member Salvador Sanchez.

In Fond Memory:

Marla O. Anderson, Manuel Ayala, Camila Casarez, Alfonso Flores, Raul Flores, Enriqueta Gonzalez, Gloria Gonzalez, Irma Guerra, Roberto Hernandez, Pantaleon Hill, David De Leon, Marilu Massignani, Mary Ann McNulty, Genevieve Medina, Maria Ortega, Juanita Renteria, Francisco (Panchillo) Rodriguez, T. Carlos (Charlie) Salas, Dorothy Torres and Luis Torres.   

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