Elizabeth "Betita" Martínez (December 12, 1925 – June 29, 2021) was an American Chicana feminist and a long-time community organizer, activist, author, and educator. She wrote numerous books and articles on different topics relating to social movements in the Americas. Her best-known work is the bilingual500 years of Chicano History in Pictures,[1] which later formed the basis for the educational video ¡Viva la Causa! 500 Years of Chicano History.[2] Her work was hailed by Angela Y. Davis as comprising "one of the most important living histories of progressive activism in the contemporary era ... [Martínez is] inimitable ... irrepressible ... indefatigable."
Martínez was the daughter of Manuel Guillermo Martinez and Ruth Philips Martínez.[3] Her parents nicknamed her "Betita" for short.[4] She grew up in a middle class predominately white neighborhood in Washington, D.C. because her father worked as a secretary in the Mexican Embassy.[5] Her mother, Ruth Philips Martínez, received a master's degree from George Washington and taught advanced high school Spanish.[4] Some of Martínez's first jobs included a clerk-typist at an insurance company, a waitress at an ice-cream store, and a copy girl at the Washington Post.[4] Martínez was the first Latina student to graduate from Swarthmore College in 1946 where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in History and Literature.[3] When Martínez was twenty-three she married her first husband Leonard Berman and then divorced in 1952.[4] She married her second husband Hans Koning in 1952 and they had their daughter Tessa Koning-Martínez together in 1954.[4] In May 2000, Swarthmore awarded Martínez an honorary doctorate. Martínez worked for Simon & Schuster as an editor and for The Nation Magazine as Books and Arts Editor. Her daughter, Tessa, is an actress and co-founder of San Francisco's Latina Theater Lab.[1] She died at the age of 95 in San Francisco due to vascular dementia.[6]
ActivismEdit
Martínez began her political work in the early 1950s.[7] She worked in New York for the United Nations Secretariat as a researcher on colonialism and decolonization in Africa.[1][8] Martinez was an activist who advocated for all different areas of life whether it be racism, poverty, or issues in military.[9] During the 1960s, Martínez served full-time in the Civil Rights Movement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the South and as a coordinator of its New York office. Martínez edited the photo history book, The Movement, that raised funds for the SNCC.[5] She was one of only two Latina women who worked for the SNCC.[10] In 1968, she moved to New Mexico to start a newspaper to support the Alianza Federal de Mercedes.[7] Along with lawyer Beverly Axelrod, Martínez thus founded the bilingual movement newspaper El Grito del Norte, which she worked on for five years.[7] In 1973, she co-founded and directed the Chicano Communications Center, a barrio-based organizing and education project.[1][11] Martínez edited the bilingual pictorial volume 500 Years of Chicano History that influenced her video Viva La Causa! that has been shown at film festivals and in classrooms across the country.[5]
After moving to the Bay Area in 1976, Martínez organized around Latino community issues, taught Women's studies part-time, conducted anti-racist training workshops, and worked with youth groups.[1] Martínez taught Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies at Hayward State University.[5] Throughout her career Martínez wrote many articles. She wrote pieces for Z Magazine,[5] Ms.Magazine,[4] and many other publications. Martinez is credited for the creation of the term Oppression Olympics.[12] Martínez ran for Governor of California on the Peace & Freedom Party ticket in 1982 and received many awards from student, community, and academic organizations,[1] including Scholar of the Year 2000 by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies.[11] In 1997, she and Phil Hutchings co-founded the Institute for MultiRacial Justice,[7] which "aims to strengthen the struggle against white supremacy by serving as a resource center to help build alliances among peoples of color and combat divisions."[13] In 2004, she served on the advisory board for the group 2004 Racism Watch.[14] She was also an adviser to the Catalyst Project, an anti-racist political education organization that focuses on white communities.[15] Martínez died on June 29, 2021, at the age of 95.[16]
Selected publicationsEdit
500 years of Chicana women's history = 500 años de historia de la mujer Chicanas (2008) ISBN9780813542249
De Colores Means All of Us: Latina Views for a Multi-Colored Century (1998) ISBN0-89608-583-X
^ abcdef. southendpress.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
^Viva la Causa, 500 Years of Chicano History (version in English). ISBN1891871005.
^ ab"World People's Blog » Blog Archive » Elizabeth Betita Martinez – USA". word.world-citizenship.org. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
^ abcdefPlatt, Tony (2012). "The Heart Just Insists: In the Struggle with Elizabeth 'Betita' Sutherland Martínez". Social Justice.
^ abcdeResistance, Colours of. "Home - Colours of Resistance Archive". Colours of Resistance Archive. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
^Seelye, Katharine Q. (2021-06-29). "Elizabeth Martínez, Voice of the Chicana Movement, Dies at 95". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
^ abcdR.M. Arrieta (2006-05-21). . El Tecolote. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
^Crass, Chris. . infoshop.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
^Ruiz, Vicki; Korrol, Virginia (2006). Latinas in the United States, set: A Historical Encyclopedia. Indiana University Press. pp. 429–340.
^ ab"Swarthmore to Hold 128th Commencement on May 29". Swarthmore College. 2000-05-09. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
^Hancock, Ange-Marie (2011). Solidarity politics for millennials : a guide to ending the oppression Olympics. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 8. ISBN978-0-230-12013-6. OCLC 748540693.
^"Institute for MultiRacial Justice". multiracialjustice.net/. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
^. Common Dreams. Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
^. The Catalyst Project. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
^Vega, Priscella. "Elizabeth 'Betita' Martínez, prolific author and pioneering Chicana, dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
Further readingEdit
from El Grito del Norte (1966–1972)
Martinez, Elizabeth. (1972). La Chicana. In Carole R. McCann & Seung-kyung Kim (Eds), Feminist theory reader: Local and global perspectives, (pp. 113–115, 3rd edition). New York: Routledge.
Martinez, Elizabeth "Betita" (1998)
Martinez, Elizabeth "Betita" A view from New Mexico: recollections of the movimiento left Monthly Review (2002)
Martinez, Elizabeth "Betita" Raza Protest A Day of Lies and Hate, (1998)
Vidal, Mirta
External linksEdit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Elizabeth Martínez.
SNCC Digital Gateway: Elizabeth (Betita Martinez) Sutherland, Documentary website created by the SNCC Legacy Project and Duke University, telling the story of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee & grassroots organizing from the inside-out
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University: Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee collection 1964-1989
elizabeth, martínez, dominican, footballer, footballer, librarian, elizabeth, martinez, librarian, elizabeth, betita, martínez, december, 1925, june, 2021, american, chicana, feminist, long, time, community, organizer, activist, author, educator, wrote, numero. For the Dominican footballer see Elizabeth Martinez footballer For the librarian see Elizabeth Martinez librarian Elizabeth Betita Martinez December 12 1925 June 29 2021 was an American Chicana feminist and a long time community organizer activist author and educator She wrote numerous books and articles on different topics relating to social movements in the Americas Her best known work is the bilingual 500 years of Chicano History in Pictures 1 which later formed the basis for the educational video Viva la Causa 500 Years of Chicano History 2 Her work was hailed by Angela Y Davis as comprising one of the most important living histories of progressive activism in the contemporary era Martinez is inimitable irrepressible indefatigable Elizabeth MartinezBorn 1925 12 12 December 12 1925Washington D C U S DiedJune 29 2021 2021 06 29 aged 95 San Francisco California U S OccupationAuthorAlma materSwarthmore CollegeLiterary movementChicanaNotable works500 years of Chicano History in Pictures Contents 1 Life 2 Activism 3 Selected publications 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksLife EditMartinez was the daughter of Manuel Guillermo Martinez and Ruth Philips Martinez 3 Her parents nicknamed her Betita for short 4 She grew up in a middle class predominately white neighborhood in Washington D C because her father worked as a secretary in the Mexican Embassy 5 Her mother Ruth Philips Martinez received a master s degree from George Washington and taught advanced high school Spanish 4 Some of Martinez s first jobs included a clerk typist at an insurance company a waitress at an ice cream store and a copy girl at the Washington Post 4 Martinez was the first Latina student to graduate from Swarthmore College in 1946 where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in History and Literature 3 When Martinez was twenty three she married her first husband Leonard Berman and then divorced in 1952 4 She married her second husband Hans Koning in 1952 and they had their daughter Tessa Koning Martinez together in 1954 4 In May 2000 Swarthmore awarded Martinez an honorary doctorate Martinez worked for Simon amp Schuster as an editor and for The Nation Magazine as Books and Arts Editor Her daughter Tessa is an actress and co founder of San Francisco s Latina Theater Lab 1 She died at the age of 95 in San Francisco due to vascular dementia 6 Activism EditMartinez began her political work in the early 1950s 7 She worked in New York for the United Nations Secretariat as a researcher on colonialism and decolonization in Africa 1 8 Martinez was an activist who advocated for all different areas of life whether it be racism poverty or issues in military 9 During the 1960s Martinez served full time in the Civil Rights Movement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC in the South and as a coordinator of its New York office Martinez edited the photo history book The Movement that raised funds for the SNCC 5 She was one of only two Latina women who worked for the SNCC 10 In 1968 she moved to New Mexico to start a newspaper to support the Alianza Federal de Mercedes 7 Along with lawyer Beverly Axelrod Martinez thus founded the bilingual movement newspaper El Grito del Norte which she worked on for five years 7 In 1973 she co founded and directed the Chicano Communications Center a barrio based organizing and education project 1 11 Martinez edited the bilingual pictorial volume 500 Years of Chicano History that influenced her video Viva La Causa that has been shown at film festivals and in classrooms across the country 5 After moving to the Bay Area in 1976 Martinez organized around Latino community issues taught Women s studies part time conducted anti racist training workshops and worked with youth groups 1 Martinez taught Ethnic Studies and Women s Studies at Hayward State University 5 Throughout her career Martinez wrote many articles She wrote pieces for Z Magazine 5 Ms Magazine 4 and many other publications Martinez is credited for the creation of the term Oppression Olympics 12 Martinez ran for Governor of California on the Peace amp Freedom Party ticket in 1982 and received many awards from student community and academic organizations 1 including Scholar of the Year 2000 by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies 11 In 1997 she and Phil Hutchings co founded the Institute for MultiRacial Justice 7 which aims to strengthen the struggle against white supremacy by serving as a resource center to help build alliances among peoples of color and combat divisions 13 In 2004 she served on the advisory board for the group 2004 Racism Watch 14 She was also an adviser to the Catalyst Project an anti racist political education organization that focuses on white communities 15 Martinez died on June 29 2021 at the age of 95 16 Selected publications Edit500 years of Chicana women s history 500 anos de historia de la mujer Chicanas 2008 ISBN 9780813542249 De Colores Means All of Us Latina Views for a Multi Colored Century 1998 ISBN 0 89608 583 X 500 years of Chicano History in Pictures 1976 ISBN 978 0 9631123 0 9 The Youngest Revolution A Personal Report on Cuba 1969 ISBN 978 0 273 31434 9 Letters from Mississippi 1964 ISBN 978 0 939010 71 4References Edit a b c d e f Elizabeth Martinez southendpress org Archived from the original on 2007 09 27 Retrieved 2007 10 26 Viva la Causa 500 Years of Chicano History version in English ISBN 1891871005 a b World People s Blog Blog Archive Elizabeth Betita Martinez USA word world citizenship org Retrieved 2016 03 04 a b c d e f Platt Tony 2012 The Heart Just Insists In the Struggle with Elizabeth Betita Sutherland Martinez Social Justice a b c d e Resistance Colours of Home Colours of Resistance Archive Colours of Resistance Archive Retrieved 2016 03 04 Seelye Katharine Q 2021 06 29 Elizabeth Martinez Voice of the Chicana Movement Dies at 95 The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2023 02 10 a b c d R M Arrieta 2006 05 21 Los Veteranos An Oral History of San Francisco s Mission District Activistas El Tecolote Archived from the original on 2008 03 16 Retrieved 2007 10 28 Crass Chris Towards Social Justice Elizabeth Betita Martinez and the Institute for MultiRacial Justice infoshop org Archived from the original on 2007 09 26 Retrieved 2007 10 26 Elizabeth Martinez Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2023 02 10 Ruiz Vicki Korrol Virginia 2006 Latinas in the United States set A Historical Encyclopedia Indiana University Press pp 429 340 a b Swarthmore to Hold 128th Commencement on May 29 Swarthmore College 2000 05 09 Retrieved 2007 10 28 Hancock Ange Marie 2011 Solidarity politics for millennials a guide to ending the oppression Olympics New York Palgrave Macmillan p 8 ISBN 978 0 230 12013 6 OCLC 748540693 Institute for MultiRacial Justice multiracialjustice net Retrieved 2007 10 26 2004 Racism Watch Calls On Bush Cheney Campaign to Change or Pull Offensive Ad Common Dreams Archived from the original on 2012 09 27 Retrieved 2008 10 04 About The Catalyst Project Archived from the original on 2008 03 15 Retrieved 2007 10 28 Vega Priscella Elizabeth Betita Martinez prolific author and pioneering Chicana dies Los Angeles Times Retrieved 29 June 2021 Further reading EditTable of Contents from El Grito del Norte 1966 1972 Martinez Elizabeth 1972 La Chicana In Carole R McCann amp Seung kyung Kim Eds Feminist theory reader Local and global perspectives pp 113 115 3rd edition New York Routledge Martinez Elizabeth Betita What is White Supremacy 1998 Martinez Elizabeth Betita A view from New Mexico recollections of the movimiento left Monthly Review 2002 Martinez Elizabeth Betita Raza Protest A Day of Lies and Hate 1998 Vidal Mirta Women New Voice of La RazaExternal links Edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Elizabeth Martinez SNCC Digital Gateway Elizabeth Betita Martinez Sutherland Documentary website created by the SNCC Legacy Project and Duke University telling the story of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee amp grassroots organizing from the inside out Stuart A Rose Manuscript Archives and Rare Book Library Emory University Student Non violent Coordinating Committee collection 1964 1989Party political officesPreceded byMarilyn Seals Peace and Freedom Party Californian Gubernatorial candidate1982 lost Succeeded byMaria Elizabeth Munoz Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elizabeth Martinez amp oldid 1150182547, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
