History of the César Chávez Cultural Center
As a result of much perseverance on the part of students, staff and faculty, the César Chávez Cultural Center, first opened its doors on September 3, 1985. According to Dr. Silvana Gorton, author of the Hispanic Cultural Center: An Oral History, many people had been planning the creation of a Chicano Student Center for years. Actual creation of the Center was formally proposed by the Hispanic Concerns Task Force in September of 1984 appointed by President Dickeson. According to Gorton, some of the key players were Mr. Ray Romero, director of the Center for Human Enrichment, Mr. Carlos Leal, chair of the Hispanic Studies Department, Dr. Roberto Cordova and Dr. Maria Lopez a professors in the Hispanic Studies Department, and Tony Carvajal from the College of Education.
After the committee found the perfect location, they decided on the name of “The Hispanic Cultural Center” which would later be changed to its current name honoring the Civil Rights Activist, Mr. César E. Chávez.
Hispanic Cultural Center: An Oral History
Available as a downloadable PDF
Hispanic Cultural Center: An Oral History PDF
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