How Did the Brown Berets/YCCA start?
In the 1950's and 60's young Chicano's started to speak out about their racial discrimination and police brutality and we already showed you the ways they protested against it. Sporadic protests went only so far, they had to take that next step. In 1966 the YCCA formed(Young Chicano's for Community Action) and by the next year it took on the name the Brown Berets because of how they dressed and what the Brown Beret symbol met to them. The group started with a group of high school students, like David Sanchez and Carlos Montes, that's why it was called young Chicano's because the issue had to do with the young Chicano's lifestyle. These young Chicano's were unionizing against discrimination and police brutality and later for worker rights and military equality. Cesar Chavez was representing a group of grape picker farmers and he wanted them to have equal worker rights as white workers. Overall, the reason the YCCA formed was because they wanted to spread out to other cities across the country speaking for equality and to accomplish their full potential as Chicano's. Their message was that young Chicano's shouldn't be given different rights and treatment despite their heritage, color of skin and lack of American values.
The Brown Berets were a militant Chicano nationalist organization that believed in Chicano self-determination and self defense of the community against racism and police brutality. They formed in 1966 as the "Young Chicano's for Community Action" in East LA by Chicano students, for example David Sanchez and Carlos Montes. The next year they took on the name the Brown Berets.
The Brown Berets dressed in brown khaki uniforms and wore Brown Berets and took on a similar look to the Black Panthers.
The Brown Beret was a symbol of pride, in their culture, race and history. This also symbolized anger, militancy and the fight against a long history of injustice against Chicano people mainly in the south west US.
Cesar Chavez helped start the Chicano revolution. He wanted to get union recognition for Mexican & Chicano farm workers.
The Green Berets were mainly special Chicano forces. These soldiers endured the struggles of day-to-day battle and tough discrimination from their white leaders.