A HISTORY OF IMPACT NCLR traces its origins to the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century, particularly the early years of school and housing desegregation. Although Latinos participated in both movements, they did not gain widespread media coverage or national visibility, so iconic civil rights legislation of that era had relatively little effect on the Hispanic community. Recognizing the need for a critical institution around which the Hispanic community could rally, unify, and organize, a group of Mexican Americans in Washington, DC, formed a coordinating body that could provide technical assistance to existing Hispanic groups and bring them together into a single united front. This organization—NOMAS (National Organization for Mexican American Services)—met with the Ford Foundation to present a funding proposal. The meeting was one of several factors that contributed to Ford’s decision to finance a major study of Mexican Americans by scholars at the University of California, Los Angeles, the first grant of its kind in the United States. Research led to a series of organizational meetings among Chicano1 leaders and, as a result, activists Herman Gallegos, Dr. Julian Samora, and Dr. Ernesto Galarza found the Southwest Council of La Raza, NCLR’s predecessor. The credibility of these men contributed not only to building a strong foundation for the organization, but also to bringing together leadership in the community. Initial financial support came from the Council of Churches, the United Auto Workers, and a Ford Foundation planning grant.
Maclovio Barraza and Cesar Chavez