What happened at Chicano Park?
On April 22, 1970, residents learned that the promise had been rescinded and the land would be used for a California Highway Patrol station. The local community rallied quickly to halt construction. Hundreds of men, women and children converged on the site, forming a human chain around bulldozers.
What does Chicano Park represent?
Chicano Park, like Berkeley’s People’s Park, was the result of a militant (but nonviolent) people’s land takeover. Every year on April 22 (or the nearest Saturday), the community celebrates the anniversary of the park’s takeover with a celebration called Chicano Park Day. Chicano Park logo, originally by Rico Bueno.
Who built the Chicano Park?
Salvador Torres, an artist and resident of Barrio Logan, had been a member of the two previous groups, and had organized the third. He is generally referred to as the architect of the dream of Chicano Park.
How old is Chicano Park?
On April 22, 1970 — 50 years ago this week — some 250 Chicano high school and college students began occupying a 1.8-acre parcel of state property under the recently built Coronado Bridge interchange under Interstate 5 in Barrio Logan.
What is the legacy of Chicano Park in San Diego?
The park sits as an alternative narrative to the common identity of San Diego’s Spanish mission and western settler heritage. This community space was born out of a collective act of defiance to reclaim and occupy land that had been ravished by industrial ambition and freeway expansion.
Why was Chicano Park made?
In 1970, the construction of a highway patrol station in the area galvanized Chicano activists and Barrio Logan residents: They protested, demanding a space of their own, free from development. The resulting land, located under the bridge, became known as Chicano Park.
When were Chicano Park Murals painted?
The first group of murals were painted for Chicano Park Day in 1974, and the second group was painted by members of the Royal Chicano Air Force in the spring of 1975.
What do the murals in Chicano Park mean?
They were created to commemorate the struggle to create the park and to reclaim the space for the neighborhood. They depict different aspects of Chicano culture, including historical events, Mesoamerican influences, and mythology. There are plant and animal imagery and scenes of revolutionary struggles.
What happened during the takeover What did the people of Barrio Logan do to stop the city from building a parking lot?
Resident Mario Solis ran from door to door telling residents what was happening. By seven o’clock in the morning, demonstrators had gathered at the site to challenge the construction crew. Demonstrators formed a human chain around the bulldozers and halted construction.
What do the murals in Chicano Park celebrate?
Situated beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, the park is home to a forest of murals that cover the bridge pillars. They depict Chicano, or Mexican American, leaders and political messages. The park is used as a place to celebrate Mexican American culture with music, food, and dance.
What was the first mural painted in Chicano Park?
The Quetzalcóatl mural was the first attempt at collective mural painting in Chicano Park. In the early stages of the mural, hundreds of Barrio Logan residents participated in replacing the grey of the wall with vibrant color.
Who painted the murals in Chicano Park?
The Chicano Park Mural Restoration Project began the week of June 20, 2011. The first 5 murals to be completely restored included “Undocumented Worker” by lead artist, Michael Schnorr and his team. This mural was completed in the beginning of August.
What event happened in the Barrio Logan neighborhood first?
The Barrio Logan area of Logan Heights first gained its name around 1910, with the arrival of refugees who were displaced by the Mexican Revolution.
What happened April 22 1970 Chicano Park?
On April 22, 1970, bulldozers finally appeared on the site and began to level out a huge three-acre piece of land, but they weren’t there to extend the people’s park, they were there to begin construction of a California Highway patrol station.
Why was the Chicano Park built?
What do the murals in Chicano Park represent?
When was the Chicano Park Takeover?
April 22, 1970
Chicano Park Takeover documents the history of the physical takeover of park land on April 22, 1970. Most of the imagery was based on actual newspaper photographs and slides of the twelve-day occupation of the land.