Browse Exhibits (4 total)
Melon Strike of 1966
In 1966 for about 90 days hundreds of men, women and children from Starr County began a strike that change workers’ rights in Texas. This march began from our side of the world (RGV) to the state capitol (Austin, TX) where over 15,000 people, including Cesar Chavez, voiced their opinions.
The strike for fair wages began the summer of 1966, when The National Farm Workers Association in Texas called attention to harsh working conditions and low pay. The strike began against the Starr County melon growers who were paying workers between 40 - 85 cents an hour. The strikers demanded a minimum wage of $1.25, workers shut down every packing shed in the county in the middle of the melon harvest season. The melon strike sparked the Chicano movement in Texas which led to Texas civil rights movement.
NOTE: The students have provided a description of the United Farm Worker's Melon Strike of 1966. However, the primary sources provided relate to the Texas Farm Worker's Melon Strike of 1976.
The Onion Strike of 1979
The Raymondville Onion Strike took place in 1979 on account of their wages being cut because of onion prices. Being known as the “Onion Capital of the World” the strike started off as a wage problem then other problems arose with working conditions and class confrontation. Tony Andrea, who organized the strike, caught the attention of the Civil Rights movement. The strikewas did catch attention but not national. The strike lasted seven days and it was successful enough to where the onion harvest was shut down. The strike was crushed by anglo business men who purchased the field from the original owner and then recruited other workers and fired those who participated in the strike.
Pharr Riots of 1971
By teacher implemented strategies such as, direct instruction, inquiry and small groups, students will acquire knowledge on the riots that occured in Pharr, Texas in 1971. Teacher will engage students with essential questions, an article, and open discussion. Students will then conduct structured research that describes and defines the Pharr Riot. They will compare their discoveries to research of discrimination all over the United States. Students will then demonstrate their understanding through formative assessment, summative assessment and a comprehensive project. Teacher is prompted to teach this lesson during the week celebrating Martin Luther King Jr., as discrimination and racism play a big role. Students can then make a connection between their community and the history being taught (place-based education).
Edcouch-Elsa Walkouts of 1968
On November 14, 1968 in Edcouch-Elsa, about 150 to 200 Mexican and Mexican-American Edcouch-Elsa high-school students walked out of their high-school at 10 a.m. to boycott the high school, teachers, administration, and the Edcouch-Elsa school board officials. The reason for the walkout was due to the principal and school board staff not hearing and implementing the list of demands and recommendations the Mexican and Mexican-American students had the day before. Another reason the students walked out and boycotted their school was due to the segregation, racism, discrimination, and the unfair treatment they endured every day from their teachers, counselors, and school administration.
For three days, following the walkout, these students protested for better education, end segregation, racism and discrimination against them, and to receive better treatment from the teachers, counselors, and school administration. After the walkout and protest ended, there were many students who were expelled or suspended that had participated in the walkout and protest. This walkout was the first walkout/protest to ever happen in South Texas. (Deiner, 2008) & (Martinez, 2017)