Maceo Montoya. Foreword by Ilan Stavans.

As the heyday of the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s to early 70s fades further into history, and as more and more of its important figures pass on, so too does knowledge of its significance. Thus, Chicano Movement For Beginners is a small attempt to stave off historical amnesia. Beyond commemorating the past, Chicano Movement For Beginners seeks to reaffirm the goals and spirit of the Chicano Movement for the simple reason that many of the critical issues Mexican American activists first brought to the nation’s attention then—educational disadvantage, endemic poverty, political exclusion, and social bias—remain as pervasive as ever almost a half-century later.