El Plan de Santa Bárbara (1969)
A Chicano Plan for Higher Education is a seminal 155-page manifesto and master plan published in October 1969. It was formulated by the Chicano Coordinating Council on Higher Education following a conference at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
The document serves as a foundational text for the establishment of Chicano Studies programs and the institutionalization of Chicano power within the university system.
Core Components of the Document
The Manifesto: It opens with a call for renacimiento (rebirth) and self-determination, arguing that higher education must be a strategic tool for the liberation of the Chicano community (the barrio and colonia).
Institutionalization Guidelines: It provides a political and structural framework for creating Chicano programs, emphasizing the principles of control, autonomy, and flexibility.
Strategic Action Areas: The plan identifies six critical areas for university reform:
Admission and recruitment of Chicano students and staff.
Curriculum relevant to the Chicano experience.
Support and tutorial programs.
Research programs focused on community needs.
Publication programs for Chicano authors.
Community cultural and social action centers.
Organizational Framework
The Junta Directiva: The document proposes that all programs be governed by a Junta Directiva composed of Chicano students, faculty, and community members to ensure the programs remain accountable to the people they serve.
Unified Student Movement: It recommends that various student groups (such as UMAS, MAYA, and MASC) adopt a single name to symbolize unity; it suggests MECHA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) or CASA.
Academic Models and Curriculum
The document includes detailed proposals and course outlines to serve as templates for colleges:
The Santa Barbara Model: A proposal for a Chicano Studies Center and academic major.
The San Fernando Model: A specific Bachelor of Arts program in Mexican-American Studies.
Course Outlines: Detailed syllabi for subjects such as Chicano History, the Sociology of the Mexican-American, and Contemporary Politics of the Southwest.
Bibliography: An extensive list of recommended books, articles, and films for Chicano Studies.
Philosophy
The plan is summarized by the quote from José Vasconcelos: "At this moment we do not come to work for the university, but to demand that the university work for our people". It asserts that the university is a critical agency for social change and must be "our university".
Works Cited: https://mechadeucdavis.weebly.com/uploads/9/7/0/4/9704129/el_plan_de_santa_barbara.pdf
The Plan of Aztlán (1969)
The Preamble: A Call to the Bronze People
We are a new people, deeply conscious of our ancient heritage and the historical "gringo" invasion of our lands. As the Chicano inhabitants and original civilizers of the northern territory of Aztlán, we reclaim the land of our ancestors. Consecrating the determination of the "People of the Sun," we declare that the power of our heritage is our responsibility and our inevitable destiny.
We are a sovereign people. We alone will determine the tasks required by our homes, our land, and the sweat of our brows. Aztlán belongs to those who work the soil—those who plant the seeds and gather the crops—not to foreign interests. We do not recognize artificial borders on this "Bronze Continent."
Our brotherhood (Carnalismo) unites us. Our struggle is against the "gabacho" foreigners who exploit our resources and suppress our culture. With our hearts in our hands and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our Mestizo Nation. We are a bronze people with a bronze culture. Before the world and all of North America, we declare: We are a union of free pueblos. We are Aztlán.
Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada. > (For the People, everything. Outside of the People, nothing.)
The Program of Liberation
The central theme of this plan is Nationalism. Chicanos must use their shared identity as the "common denominator" for mass mobilization. True liberation from racism and exploitation can only be achieved through total social, economic, cultural, and political independence. We commit every level of our society—from the worker and the teacher to the writer and the professional—to La Causa.
1. Unity
We must unify the thinking of our people across all boundaries—barrios, campos, and classes—to focus entirely on the liberation of La Raza.
2. Economy
Economic sovereignty means driving exploiters out of our communities and developing our own resources. We prioritize humanism over materialism, focusing on cooperative buying and the fair distribution of resources. We will fight for and defend the lands that are rightfully ours, ensuring property is managed for the welfare of the people.
3. Education
Education must be community-controlled and culturally relevant. This includes bilingual programs and a curriculum that reflects Chicano history and contributions. We demand Chicano teachers, administrators, and counselors.
4. Institutions
Public institutions must serve the people on the basis of restitution, not "charity." We demand repayment for past economic slavery and cultural destruction. Any institution that does not serve the community has no place within it.
5. Self-Defense
The strength of the community relies on the people. Protection of the barrio and the campo is a matter of love and respect. We no longer accept the label of "juvenile delinquency"; instead, we recognize revolutionary acts dedicated to the liberation of our brothers.
6. Cultural Values
Our culture is our moral backbone. We call upon our writers, artists, and musicians to produce work that appeals to our people and strengthens our revolutionary identity. Our values of family and brotherhood are weapons against the "dollar value system."
7. Political Liberty
The current two-party system is "the same animal with two heads feeding from the same trough." We must take independent action. Where we are the majority, we will lead; where we are the minority, we will act as a powerful pressure group. Nationally, we represent one party: La Familia de La Raza.
The Call to Action
To achieve an autonomous and free nation, we commit to the following:
Mass Awareness: Distribute this Plan everywhere—from schools and churches to the streets.
National Walk-outs: On September 16th (Mexican Independence Day), Chicano students will strike until the educational system is completely revised to meet our needs.
Community Organization: Nationalize our efforts to drive out exploiters and reclaim our production through cooperative work.
Independent Politics: Create local, regional, and national political parties independent of the Gringo establishment.
Aztlán is a nation free to make its own decisions regarding our land, our taxes, our justice, and the profit of our sweat. El Plan de Aztlán is our plan for liberation.
Works Cited: https://websites.umich.edu/~mechaum/Aztlan.html
Elijah E. Hernandez
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Copyright 2020.
