¡Presente!

The Young Lords Party (YLP) emerged in 1969 in New York at the height of radical change in the United States. They came out of the Anti-War movement, the women’s movement, and crucially Black- and Third World-liberation struggles. Inspired by the Black Panther Party, the YLP was led by a group of young Puerto Rican, Latinx and Black New Yorkers, many of them students (including BCC). And they were committed to a radical vision of democracy and justice in issues such as housing, education, food, and health. Their groundbreaking work and community activism would go on to shape public health policy.

This site outlines just three chapters of YLP activism: the “Garbage Offensive,” Protest at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, and the fight for Women’s Health.

 

Young Lords Party 13 Point Program and Platform. The declaration called for the “liberation of all third world people,” “equality for women,” “community control,” and “self-determination for all Latinos.”

 

Young Lords Party poster, ca. 1971, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture purchased with funds provided by the Latino Initiatives Pool

 

Want to know more about the history of the Young Lords? Join former Young Lords member Professor Gloria Rodriguez (Social Sciences) on Wed, Sep 23 from 2pm-3:15pm (ZOOM)  for Pa’lante, Siempre Pa’lante!  Documentary Screening: Palante, Siempre Palante documents the history with on-camera interviews, archival footage, photographs and music. The documentary surveys Puerto Rican history, the Young Lords’ activities and philosophy, the torturous end of the organization and its inspiring legacy. Conversation led by Professor Gloria Rodriguez.