Her mother emphasized the importance of education and urged Josefina to "Rely on yourself, be independent." In 1938 when Fierro was 18 years old, she entered the University of California, Los Angeles. She planned to study medicine, but activism on behalf of the Mexican American community took up most of her time and effort. Fierro de Bright gave up her studies at UCLA to become an organizer, and her style was described by veteran longshoremen's leader Bert Corona as "gutsy, flamboyant, and tough".[2]
Aided by her husband John Bright, a Hollywood screenwriter and an activist himself, she began to lead boycotts of companies that did business in Mexican American communities but did not hire Mexican American workers. These activities brought her attention from a Mexican American group El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Española (Spanish-speaking congress), which was formed in 1938. El Congreso was organizing Hispanic migrants to stand up for their rights. In 1939 El Congreso leaders asked Fierro de Bright to help them to establish a branch in Los Angeles which represented a major effort by the Mexican American generation of the time, to form a working class movement that was aimed at securing basic rights for all Mexican and Spanish speaking people in the United States.
Josefina Fierro had been involved in revolutionary activism from a young age. Her father Plumo Fierro, had been an officer in “Pancho” Villa's revolutionary army, but it was her mother's passion for activism and commitment to helping others that most strongly influenced her life. Fierro had been raised by her mother, who had immigrated to the United States when Josefina was a baby. Because Josefina's mother's family were followers of the radical Mexican anarchist Ricardo Flores Magón, she had been taught to speak against injustice, to fight for what was right and to treat everyone with “dignity and respect”.[3] According to Carlos Larralde Josefina's mother would smuggle ammunition inside of Josefina's stroller back and forth from California to Mexico to support the Anarchist Ricardo Flores Magon.[4] Her father Plumo Fierro later gained an inheritance, in turn allowing Josefina to be able to go to the University of California, Josefina realized that she could make money without a form of higher education; leading her to drop out of UCLA.[4] This is a reason that Josefina did not wish to meet with her parents, as well as a very short marriage that lead to an illegal abortion that left Josefina sterile.[4]
Personal life and activismEdit
After high school graduation, Josefina Fierro decided to move to Los Angeles to live with an aunt; there she met and fell in love with Hollywood actor John Bright. Bright, who was blacklisted with several other actors in Hollywood due to allegations of having ties with the Communist Party, inspired Fierro's activism further. After marrying Bright, Josefina found herself in the midst of a campaign that defended Mexican immigrants and Mexican American rights against discrimination during the 1930s.
In 1938, at the age of eighteen, Fierro de Bright, who would become executive secretary, collaborated with Luisa Moreno and founded El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Española, a Mexican civil rights organization that worked to fight for civil rights of Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans and worker rights as well[5] Fierro de Bright took her and her husband's platform to Hollywood and used it to fund-raise revenue for El Congreso. The networking that she made in Hollywood, brought in actors and other celebrities to help raise the revenue for the organization.[6] Fierro de Bright, with Luisa Moreno, actively worked on issues that targeted the needs of lower-income and non-bilingual Mexicans to help them receive basic civil rights in the United States. Although El Congreso did not last very long, Fierro de Bright's activism did not end with its dissolution. In 1942, during the “Sleepy Lagoon” trial, after receiving complaints of cruel punishment from parents of the boys held in custody, Fierro de Bright organized a committee for the defendants. The committee became known as the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee, and raised money so that those on trial could hire a lawyer to represent and defend them.[7]
Fierro de Bright was in Los Angeles in 1943 at the start of the Zoot Suit Riots. She said of the violence, "I never believed that I could see a thing like that... I went downtown and my husband and I were standing there and we saw all these policemen hanging around... and hundreds of taxis with sailors hanging on with clubs in their hands, bullies just beating Mexicans on Main Street. And we went up and asked a cop to stop it: he says, 'You better shut up or I'll do the same to you.' You can't do a thing when you see people and the ambulances coming to pick them up and nobody is stopping the slaughter. It's a nightmare. It's a terrible thing to see."[8]
NotesEdit
^Mario T. García (2004) "FIERRO, Josefina" in Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century (pg. 205-206) Susan Ware, Stacy Lorraine Braukman, editors. ISBN0-674-01488-X
^- Chicanas.com article 2006-07-14 at the Wayback Machine - URL last accessed 2006-07-25
^Ruiz, Vicki L.; Sanchez Korrol, Virginia (2006). Latinas in the United States, set: A Historical Encyclopedia. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 259–260.
^ abcLarralde, Carlos (2010). "Josefina Fierro and the Sleepy Lagoon Crusade, 1942-1945". Southern California Quarterly. 92 (2): 124. JSTOR 41172517.
^Ramirez, Catherine S. (2009). The Woman in the Zoot Suit: Gender, Nationalism and the Cultural Politics. Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 83–84.
^Larralde, Carlos M. (2005). "El Congreso in San Diego: An Endeavor for Civil Rights". The Journal of San Diego History. 50 (1–2): 17–29.
^Garcia, Mario T. (1991). Mexican Americans: Leadership, Ideology and Identity, 1930-1960. New Haven: Yale University Press. pp. 145–162.
^Camarillo, Albert (1979). Chicanos in California: A History of Mexican Americans in California (1 ed.). Boyd & Fraser. ISBN978-0878351282. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
ReferencesEdit
Mexican Americans (pg 145-46,147) (1990) Mario T. García ISBN0-300-04246-9
From Out Of The Shadows (pg 96-98) (1998) Vicki L. Ruiz ISBN0-19-513099-5
Further readingEdit
Camarillo, Albert (1990). Chicanos in California: a history of Mexican Americans in California. Materials For Today's Learning. ISBN0929651081. OCLC 24394643.
Martin, Waldo E; Sullivan, Patricia (2000). Civil rights in the United States. Macmillan Reference USA. OCLC 607142635.
Ruíz, Vicki; Sánchez Korrol, Virginia (2006). Latinas in the United States: a historical encyclopedia. Indiana University Press. ISBN0253346800. OCLC 896992460.
External linksEdit
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill: California Vistas 2007
October 19, 2023
josefina, fierro, bright, josefina, fierro, 1914, mexicali, baja, california, march, 1998, later, mexican, american, leader, helped, organize, resistance, against, discrimination, american, southwest, during, great, depression, daughter, immigrants, fled, revo. Josefina Fierro 1914 in Mexicali Baja California March 1998 1 later Josefina Fierro de Bright was a Mexican American leader who helped organize resistance against discrimination in the American Southwest during the Great Depression She was the daughter of immigrants who had fled revolution in Mexico to settle in California She grew up in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley Josefina Fierro de BrightBorn1914Mexicali Baja CaliforniaDiedMarch 1998Los Angeles CaliforniaEducationUniversity of California Los AngelesOccupation s leader in the United States labor movement and a social activistHer mother emphasized the importance of education and urged Josefina to Rely on yourself be independent In 1938 when Fierro was 18 years old she entered the University of California Los Angeles She planned to study medicine but activism on behalf of the Mexican American community took up most of her time and effort Fierro de Bright gave up her studies at UCLA to become an organizer and her style was described by veteran longshoremen s leader Bert Corona as gutsy flamboyant and tough 2 Aided by her husband John Bright a Hollywood screenwriter and an activist himself she began to lead boycotts of companies that did business in Mexican American communities but did not hire Mexican American workers These activities brought her attention from a Mexican American group El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Espanola Spanish speaking congress which was formed in 1938 El Congreso was organizing Hispanic migrants to stand up for their rights In 1939 El Congreso leaders asked Fierro de Bright to help them to establish a branch in Los Angeles which represented a major effort by the Mexican American generation of the time to form a working class movement that was aimed at securing basic rights for all Mexican and Spanish speaking people in the United States Contents 1 Early life 2 Personal life and activism 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksEarly life EditJosefina Fierro had been involved in revolutionary activism from a young age Her father Plumo Fierro had been an officer in Pancho Villa s revolutionary army but it was her mother s passion for activism and commitment to helping others that most strongly influenced her life Fierro had been raised by her mother who had immigrated to the United States when Josefina was a baby Because Josefina s mother s family were followers of the radical Mexican anarchist Ricardo Flores Magon she had been taught to speak against injustice to fight for what was right and to treat everyone with dignity and respect 3 According to Carlos Larralde Josefina s mother would smuggle ammunition inside of Josefina s stroller back and forth from California to Mexico to support the Anarchist Ricardo Flores Magon 4 Her father Plumo Fierro later gained an inheritance in turn allowing Josefina to be able to go to the University of California Josefina realized that she could make money without a form of higher education leading her to drop out of UCLA 4 This is a reason that Josefina did not wish to meet with her parents as well as a very short marriage that lead to an illegal abortion that left Josefina sterile 4 Personal life and activism EditAfter high school graduation Josefina Fierro decided to move to Los Angeles to live with an aunt there she met and fell in love with Hollywood actor John Bright Bright who was blacklisted with several other actors in Hollywood due to allegations of having ties with the Communist Party inspired Fierro s activism further After marrying Bright Josefina found herself in the midst of a campaign that defended Mexican immigrants and Mexican American rights against discrimination during the 1930s In 1938 at the age of eighteen Fierro de Bright who would become executive secretary collaborated with Luisa Moreno and founded El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Espanola a Mexican civil rights organization that worked to fight for civil rights of Mexican immigrants and Mexican Americans and worker rights as well 5 Fierro de Bright took her and her husband s platform to Hollywood and used it to fund raise revenue for El Congreso The networking that she made in Hollywood brought in actors and other celebrities to help raise the revenue for the organization 6 Fierro de Bright with Luisa Moreno actively worked on issues that targeted the needs of lower income and non bilingual Mexicans to help them receive basic civil rights in the United States Although El Congreso did not last very long Fierro de Bright s activism did not end with its dissolution In 1942 during the Sleepy Lagoon trial after receiving complaints of cruel punishment from parents of the boys held in custody Fierro de Bright organized a committee for the defendants The committee became known as the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee and raised money so that those on trial could hire a lawyer to represent and defend them 7 Fierro de Bright was in Los Angeles in 1943 at the start of the Zoot Suit Riots She said of the violence I never believed that I could see a thing like that I went downtown and my husband and I were standing there and we saw all these policemen hanging around and hundreds of taxis with sailors hanging on with clubs in their hands bullies just beating Mexicans on Main Street And we went up and asked a cop to stop it he says You better shut up or I ll do the same to you You can t do a thing when you see people and the ambulances coming to pick them up and nobody is stopping the slaughter It s a nightmare It s a terrible thing to see 8 Notes Edit Mario T Garcia 2004 FIERRO Josefina in Notable American Women A Biographical Dictionary Completing the Twentieth Century pg 205 206 Susan Ware Stacy Lorraine Braukman editors ISBN 0 674 01488 X Chicanas com article Archived 2006 07 14 at the Wayback Machine URL last accessed 2006 07 25 Ruiz Vicki L Sanchez Korrol Virginia 2006 Latinas in the United States set A Historical Encyclopedia Bloomington Indiana University Press pp 259 260 a b c Larralde Carlos 2010 Josefina Fierro and the Sleepy Lagoon Crusade 1942 1945 Southern California Quarterly 92 2 124 JSTOR 41172517 Ramirez Catherine S 2009 The Woman in the Zoot Suit Gender Nationalism and the Cultural Politics Durham Duke University Press pp 83 84 Larralde Carlos M 2005 El Congreso in San Diego An Endeavor for Civil Rights The Journal of San Diego History 50 1 2 17 29 Garcia Mario T 1991 Mexican Americans Leadership Ideology and Identity 1930 1960 New Haven Yale University Press pp 145 162 Camarillo Albert 1979 Chicanos in California A History of Mexican Americans in California 1 ed Boyd amp Fraser ISBN 978 0878351282 Retrieved 29 July 2020 References EditMexican Americans pg 145 46 147 1990 Mario T Garcia ISBN 0 300 04246 9 From Out Of The Shadows pg 96 98 1998 Vicki L Ruiz ISBN 0 19 513099 5Further reading EditCamarillo Albert 1990 Chicanos in California a history of Mexican Americans in California Materials For Today s Learning ISBN 0929651081 OCLC 24394643 Martin Waldo E Sullivan Patricia 2000 Civil rights in the United States Macmillan Reference USA OCLC 607142635 Ruiz Vicki Sanchez Korrol Virginia 2006 Latinas in the United States a historical encyclopedia Indiana University Press ISBN 0253346800 OCLC 896992460 External links EditMacmillan McGraw Hill California Vistas 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Josefina Fierro de Bright amp oldid 1133382243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
