On September 21st-23rd the history and lasting legacy of the Young Lords Organization will be celebrated in Chicago where it began 50 years ago.
The Young Lords Organization arose to defend, organize, and serve the people of the Puerto Rican diaspora living in the city. The Y.L.O. provided political education essential to understanding the colonial status of the island nation of Puerto Rico and the resulting oppression of the Puerto Rican Americans living there and on the mainland USA.
For all their efforts the Y.L.O. and their allies were viciously and relentlessly attacked by the police, reactionaries and by the FBI CointelPro. The stabbing murder of Pastor Bruce Johnson and his wife Eugenia who supported the Y.P.O. through the Methodist Church (People’s Church) remains mysteriously unsolved after 50 years. The Johnsons will be memorialized on Saturday, September 22nd at 11:00 am. Elaine Brown of the National Black Panthers will be speaking along with representative of the Chicago Methodist Church as well as Y.P.O. veterans.
This history is preserved in archives at DePaul University and needs to be understood by today’s activists.
For more information on this exciting program or to register for events go to:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/young-lords-50th-anniversary-conference-tickets-47116930006
