El Congreso de Pueblos de Hablan Española

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El Congreso de Pueblos de Hablan Española (the Spanish-Speaking People's Congress) was a California-based coalition of Latino labor and civil rights activists that operated in the 1930s and 1940s. Formed in 1939, El Congreso's inaugural meeting was spearheaded by Luisa Moreno in Los Angeles.[1] It was attended by delegates from over 100 organizations, representing a combined membership of over 70,000 people. Where other civil rights organizations focusing on Latinos in the United States emphasized Americanization, such as LULAC and the American GI Forum, El Congreso promoted a broad agenda of Latino unity that included immigrants living in the United States. The organization declined in the mid-1940s under the pressure of FBI surveillance and suspicion of subversive activities.[2]

Platform

El Congreso aimed to improve labor conditions and civil rights for Latinos living in the United States, including citizens and immigrants alike. It supported a wide range of campaigns against racial oppression, including support for improving medical care, building federal housing, ensuring fair wages, and better education. Its emphasis, however, was on working-class people. Resolutions called on workers to join unions, to unite regardless of differences in citizenship status, and to object forced deportations. Members were encouraged to register to vote and to take active roles in electing candidates who fought for racial equality. And, delegates were asked to keep an internationalist perspective that considered relations across Latin America. Questions still remain regarding the organizations relationship to the Communist Party.[3]

Leadership

El Congreso's driving force was Luisa Moreno. A seasoned union organizer, Moreno drew upon her extensive networks to form a national assembly. Josefina Fierro managed the day-to-day operations of the southern California chapters. Although the organization did not survive past the Cold War era, its leaders would remain active in Latino campaigns throughout the 1960s.[4]

References

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