Thirteen Chicano scholars draw upon their personal experiences and expertise to paint a vivid, colorful portrait of what it means to be a Chicano.

“We have come a long way,” says Arnulfo D. Trejo, editor of this volume, “from the time when the Mexicano silently accepted the stereotype drawn of him by the outsider.” He identifies himself as a Chicano, and his “promised land” is Aztlán, home of the ancient Aztecs, which now provides spiritual unity and a vision of the future for Chicanos.

In these twelve original compositions, says Trejo, “our purpose is not to talk to ourselves, but to open a dialogue among all concerned people.” The personal reactions to Chicano women’s struggles, political experiences, bicultural education and history provide a wealth of information for laymen as well as scholars. In addition, the book provides the most complete recorded definition of the Chicano Movement, what it has accomplished, and its goals for the future.

Contributors:
 
Fausto Avendaño
Roberto R. Bacalski-Martínez
David Ballesteros
José Antonio Burciaga
Rudolph O. de la Garza
Ester Gallegos y Chávez
Sylvia Alicia Gonzales
Manuel H. Guerra
Guillermo Lux
Martha A. Ramos
Reyes Ramos
Carlos G. Vélez-Ibáñez
Maurilio E. Vigil

Arnulfo D. Trejo, professor of library science at the University of Arizona, is the author of Diccionario etimológico latinoamericano del léxico de la delincuencia and Bibliografía Chicana: A Guide to Information Sources. He also edited the first Quién es Quién: A Who’s Who of Spanish Heritage Librarians in the United States. He received an M.A. in Spanish language and literature from the Universidad de las Américas, Mexico; an M.A. in Library Science from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico. He was born in Durango, Mexico, in 1922, and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He has published articles in both English and Spanish in various professional journals.

"Crucial to an understanding of the cultural revolution now taking place around us."—Los Angeles Times"Their essays are uniformly well-written and informative. Most of them give an historical perspective and a state of the art appraisal of their subject. . . . The book sets out to provide an inside view of Chicanos, and it does it well."—Books of the Southwest"A good introduction to the major themes in chicano history, literature, education, politics, and the arts. . . . A valuable book for students and general readers who want an authentic and personal perspective on issues which are of increasing concern in the United States."—Arizona and the West