500 Anos Del Pueblo Chicano / 500 Years of Chicano History: In Pictures

by Elizabeth Martínez (Editor)

Containing hundreds of photos, paintings, drawings, political cartoons, and text in Spanish and English about truths long denied, 500 Años is a huge photo essay, both a rare and valuable collection and a family album, about the Mestizo people in whom Indian blood runs strong, in whose blood runs the cry for freedom.

There is much to celebrate, Martinez the survival of the people and the resistance to exploitation, colonization and assimilation; the particular strength of Raza women in the face of discrimination and oppression; the great love, determination and fighting spirit of the elders; and the children who are the future.

The struggle for tierra, paz y libertad is to be celebrated, as Martinez writes, “as all of humanity’s great stories of struggle.” It’s a story still being written. [Description from Oyate.]

This bilingual history was originally published in 1976 (and revised in 1991) to tell the true story of La Raza.

Genres: History, Banned Books, Nonfiction

238 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1990

About the author

Elizabeth "Betita" Martínez (born 1925) is a Chicana feminist and a long-time community organizer, activist, author, and educator. She has written numerous books and articles on different topics relating to social movements in the Americas. Her best-known work is the bilingual 500 years of Chicano History in Pictures, which later formed the basis for the educational video ¡Viva la Causa! 500 Years of Chicano History. Her work has been hailed by Angela Y. Davis as comprising "one of the most important living histories of progressive activism in the contemporary era ... [Martínez is] inimitable ... irrepressible ... indefatigable."

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Mayanik C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much. I was really drawn to it because it taught me more about my culture. This book taught me so much, I really enjoyed reading this. It taught me that back then the Native Americans and the slaves weren't treated any different. I read this book to learn more about my background and to learn more about my roots. I read this book a month ago, and little did I know I would be reading over and over again because it is just full of information. And each time I read it, the more I learn. I learn new things I didn't learn the previous time reading. Now I really understand what my ancestors had to go through so that I can the education that is available to me now. This book is so powerful to me. Not only does it explain what the Native Americans (Chicanos/Chicanas) had to go through but it shows images on what the protests were like. It taught me about all the treaties that were broken by the Caucasians created. And how the Natives were driven off their land and had to give up their cattle. It also explains how parents would usually have to hide their children because if the Caucasians wanted to own Indian land, they had to have an Indian baby. Which is honestly messed up cause they would literally take the children from their homes. They would also send the children to Catholic school and cut their beautiful long hair an put some white powder on their heads because " they had lice". The Native children were forced to change their original Indian names to catholic names. It was very sad because there was nothing that they could do. If they tried to do something, they would either be put in prison or killed. Which is even more tragic. I can't even imagine not be able to see my family again because they're in jail for trying to protect me. Depending on which version of the book you get, one of them only has about 300 pages, but the one I read had 900-1,000 pages. The movies I have watched that were supposed to portray what life was like for the Native Americans did not really teach me anything, unlike the book. This is the perfect book for you if you want to learn more about Native Americans. Also, it shows how some natives had to leave towards and from Texas because they didn't like Native Americans because they were considered "savages". I personally don't like to be discriminated, or called savages, or people not liking me because I don't believe in the same thing they do. Back then people would assume that Natives were not smart, if they weren't smart, why are the pyramids they built are still standing? I enjoy reading this book not only because of the teachings behind every picture, but because of the knowledge I can learn form it. This book and all the teachings in it are the reason why I love who I am. And why I'm not afraid to say "I'm Native American". I have learned to be grateful for everything because I could still be like it was 500 years ago, when we were not allowed to identify ourselves as Native Americans. Back to when we were forced to identify as Catholic or Cristian. Everything in this book is why I love who I am. I'm VERY proud to say that I'm native American, and that I follow the old way of a tribe that is called the Lakota tribe. I'm not Lakota but, it is a Lakota chief that presented my grandpa, so that is the way that I follow. 500 Years of Chicano History is a very good book.

[Ellena Ruiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much has changed

[Reuben · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Chicano Studies classic.