What is a Chicano?

With a renewed interest in Chicano culture, many Mexican-Americans are asking: What is the meaning of the word Chicano? 

What is a Chicano?

Chicano or Chicana is an ethnic identity for Mexican-Americans who, according to late Chicano journalist Ruben Salazar, have ‘a non-Anglo self-image’, and embrace their Mexican Native ancestry. Chicano was originally a classist and racist slur used toward low-income Mexicans that was reclaimed in the 1940s among youth who belonged to the Pachuco and Pachuca subculture. Like most historically disenfranchised groups in the United States, some Mexican Americans have empowered themselves by taking ownership of the previously pejorative word and today, the term Chicano is an essential component of the community’s revitalization and renewed sense of hope and pride.

What is a Latino?

I am really not sure, I don’t acknowledge or never requested to be named or categorized, I am a proud Mexican American = Chicano.

 I am also native to this beautiful Country.

“Chicano culture is a complex web of sub-cultures and movements. It is the Chicano Civil Rights Movement. It is the Chicano lowrider community. It is the Chicano art community. It is Chicano fashion. It is Chicano tattoos. It is pachuco sub-culture.”

Each of these subcultures can then be further broken down into additional subcultures.

How The Vietnam War Shaped The Chicano Movement

Few events played a bigger role in uniting the Mexican American community and strengthening the Chicano Civil Rights Movement than the Vietnam War, which “officially” began in 1955 (although an argument can probably be made it unofficially began long before that).

Mexican Americans not only served in the Vietnam War like white Americans, but like most Americans who were drafted and served, returned home to the United States after the war feeling defeated and disillusioned.

These feelings were only compounded over time following the war. On one hand, Mexican Americans felt forgotten about—their contributions left out of the classrooms and history books. On the other hand, their neighborhoods and families felt abandoned, left alone to pick up the pieces.

During the war, as young Chicanos waded through the waters of Vietnam, a loose coalition of anti-war Chicano groups emerged into what would become known as the Chicano Moratorium.

In one anti-war demonstration, activists drew upwards of 30,000 people to march through the streets of East L.A., further solidifying the power of the Chicano movement.

Chicano vs Latino

Chicanos are Mexican Americans who identity with one or more of the political or social aspects of Chicano culture, including the Chicano Civil Rights Movement (which includes numerous facets), Chicano art and tattoos, lowrider culture, Chicano fashion, or pachuco/cholo culture.

Get on the List

Sign up to receive the first word when we go live.