Raza Unida Essay

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The Raza Unida Party or otherwise known as RUP was first established as a third political party in Crystal City, Texas, in January, of 1970. It started off at a meeting that contained about 300 Mexican Americans. As an alternative to the two-party system in Texas, Raza Unida pursued social, economic, and political self-determination for Chicanos, other minorities, and the disenfranchised through local and, later, state politics. When they first started out they came about around the county, local, and school district elections in south Texas. They also ended up winning city council elections in Cotulla, Carrizo Springs, and Crystal City in April 1970. They started in crystal city and won crystal city. There founder José Angel Gutiérrez was …show more content…

The party also challenged an election law requiring a party to obtain 20 percent of the overall vote, instead of 2 percent of the vote needed to remain on the ballot. The law was overruled by the U.S. Department of Justice in 1976, and in the same ruling, RUP was allowed to hold primary elections without having to pay filing fees. Despite losses in the gubernatorial elections, Raza Unida established itself as a minority third party with a liberal party platform in statewide and local politics, and became a dominant political force in some Texas communities. La Raza Unida is no longer a registered political party in the United States, but its legacy is still very much alive in today’s society. The party was part of a broader set of social and political movements in the post-World War II era that also focused on issues such as labor rights, education reform and sexism. While the party itself is no longer active, many of its members are still involved with politics and in community activism and organizing. The RUP spoke out to break the racial profiling that was going on back in the day and still to this day many continue what all started in 1970 with a simple 300 people. The Raza Unida Party is a party that will more than likely continue on for many many more years to