Young Lords History
Timeline Highlights (1967 - 1970)

In the 1960s, Young Lords emerged as a political organization in Chicago. While in prison, Jose "Cha Cha" Jimenez met Fred Hampton and other Black Panther Party members. They discussed the exploitation and oppression of Latino/as, African Americans and poor people in the United States. Cha Cha took what he learned to the Young Lords, at the time a well-known Chicago street gang, and transformed it into an organization committed to human rights and the liberation of Puerto Rico.

JAN 1967 - Chicago Young Lords reconstituted as the Young Lords Organization.

FALL 1968 - Chicago YLO takes over Armitage Street Methodist Church, renames it the People's Church, sets up headquarters and begins a day care center.

1969 YLO
JUN. 7, 1969 -- The Black Panther newspaper announces formation of the Rainbow Coalition including the Panthers, Young Lords, Brown Berets and the Young Patriots.

JUL. 22, 1969 -- YLO group and Sociedad de Albizu Campos merge bringing together many student and community activists. Chicago YLO approves New York chapter.

SUMMER 1969 -- East Harlem Garbage Offensive.

OCT. 1969 - Original Program and Platform of the New York YLO written.

NY Chapter begins door-to-door lead poisoning detection tests. Health Revolutionaray Unity Movement (HRUM) affiliates with YLO and helps draft 10-Point Health Program.

DEC. 7, 1969 -- Thirteen Young Lords beaten and arrested at 1st Spanish Methodist Church in East Harlem after making request to use space for children's breakfast program.

DEC. 28, 1969 - Young Lords take over the Church, name it the People's Church, and begin an 11-day occupation. At the church, they establish free breakfast and clothing programs, health services, a day-care center, a liberation school, community dinners, poetry and films. Thousands of people pass through the church during those days.

1970 YLO/YLP
JAN. 8, 1970 -- Police arrest 106 Young Lords and supporters at the People's Church.

MAR - MAY 1970 -- Young Lords conduct door-to-door TB testing in the Bronx and El Barrio of more than 800 people, a third test postive.

APR 1970 -- Bronx Branch and Information Center opened on Longwood Avenue.

MAY 1970 -- Chicago and New York Young Lords split. New York YLO becomes the Young Lords Party and begins to publish PALANTE, a bilingual newspaper.

JUN. 1970 -- Denise Oliver is first woman promoted to Central Committee.

JUN 17, 1970 --YLP liberates a TB x-ray truck and brings it into the community. More than 770 people are tested in three days.

JUL 28, 1970 -- YLP takes over Lincoln Hospital for about 12 hours and demands door-to-door preventive health services, maternal and child care, drug addition care, senior citizens' services, 24-hour a day grievance table, and increased minimum wage for hospital workers.

SEPTEMBER 1970 -- Felipe Luciano, Chairman of YLP, is demoted from Central Committee after 14 months in leadership. He resigns from and leaves the organization.

SEPT 4-7, 1970. YLP members join more than 6,000 activists at the People's Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia organized by the Black Panther Party.

SEPT 23, 1970 -- YLP and Puerto Rican Student Union organize student conference to promote "Free Puerto Rico Now" committees at the school level. More than 1,000 students from the Northeast attend.

OCT 1970 -- Gloria Fontanez, 2nd woman promoted to Central Committee.

OCT 1970 -- Julio Roldan, YLP member, was found hung in the Manhattan Detention Center. More that 2,000 people attend his funeral. Young Lords seize People's Chuch with guns to protest prisoner deaths. They occupy the church for several weeks and demand a Legal Aid Center for inmates and a city investigation of the prison system.

OCT 1970 -- Prison protests break out in Tombs and Long Island City House of Detention. Prisoners create Inmates Liberation Front, a section of the YLP, and presents a list of grievances to the city.

NOV 1970 -- YLP Thirteen Point program is revised;"We want equality for women. Down with machismo and male chauvanism" replaces the prior "Machismo must be Revolutionary" line in the program.

DEC 1970 -- Ideology of Young Lords is written, and Central Committee makes decision to expand the organization to Puerto Rico by March 21, 1971.

Continue to 1971 - 1976