CHICAGO METRO HISTORY FAIR 2014 SUMMARY STATEMENT FORM

Please TYPE on sheet or use word processing ALL PROJECTS: Attach an annotated bibliography. Please divide primary and secondary sources from each other. Two copies of SSF & Annotated Bibliography are required for competitions. .

Title Pilsen Activism Student name(s) Julia Ochoa, Rocio Martinez, & Jaqueline Zambrano Project Category: Group Individual

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Exhibit

Performance

Documentary

Website

Check if applicable (and respond to the 3rdquestion): This project uses the 2014 National History Day theme, Rights and Responsibilities

1. THESIS STATEMENT Present the projects argument or interpretation in two sentences. If you are using the NHD theme, you might want to make it evident in your thesis statement. In the 1970s the people of Pilsen joined Pilsen Neighbors Community Council (PNCC) and protested in their neighborhoods to the lack of educational and health resources. This lead to the buildings of schools and health care services.

2. SUMMARY OF PROJECT Briefly explain your project and its conclusion. Include: How and why did change happen and what was the impact? Why is it historically significant? What historical meaning or importance can we learn from your findings? Pilsen activism helped build a strong community. They struggled to get to where they are now. They lacked health services and educational opportunities, which are now available because of the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council. Pilsen Neighbors Community Council helped build Benito Juarez High School and Alivio Medical Center. Students had to travel long distances to be able to receive an education, which lead to parents worrying about their childrens safety. Parents all joined together to protest the building of a nearby high school for students. Students then had nearby school to go to. Also, many people in the community were not able to receive health care services because they were undocumented and/or could not afford it. That lead to the building of Alivio Medical Center.

3. Required for projects using the National History Day theme only.
Explain how this project integrates the NHD theme Rights and Responsibilities into its argument.

The activists in Pilsen felt that their students, who are mainly Mexican or the children of Mexican immigrants, and as a result, did not have a lot of assistance with the English language as they were

growing up, needed a high school that provided the students with an education that was supportive. Because students had to go to school, they had the right to a school that gave them the help they needed.

4. PROCESS A. What historical question did you start off withand how did it change once you began doing your research? We wondered about what opportunities were available to Latino communities and we came across Pilsen activism and how there were movements made to give Latinos educational as well as medical services. It did not change as we began doing our research, we just found two important movements that caught our attention and decided to dig deeper into them.

B. What kinds of sources did you use as evidence to develop your argument (for example, letters, photographs, government documents, interviews, etc.)? We used newspaper articles, documents from the time period, photographs, and online articles.

C. Select one piece of evidence that you used and explain how it influenced your argument. Newspapers helped us figure out what was going on during the time period. They were a helpful resource because they gave us a better understanding as to what was happening at the time.

D. List libraries (other than school), museums, and other institutions that you visited to do your research. Harold Washington Library