THE BROWN BERETS
MOVEMENT HISTORY
Click on any era to reveal historical photographs, key milestones, and the story of how Dr. David Sanchez built one of America's most enduring Chicano civil rights organizations.
Dr. David Sanchez, at just 19 years old, founded the Brown Berets in East Los Angeles. Originally emerging from the Young Citizens for Community Action (YCCA), the organization quickly evolved into a militant Chicano civil rights group inspired by the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, UMAS-Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MeCha) in San Jose — which wore Blue Berets — the American Indian Movement, and the military faction Green Berets. Members adopted the brown beret as a symbol of Chicano pride and resistance.
KEY MILESTONES
Dr. David Sanchez establishes the Brown Berets
Organization adopts the brown beret as official symbol
La Causa newspaper founded as the official publication
Headquarters established in East Los Angeles
LA CAUSA CONTINUES
¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!
BE PART OF THE NEXT CHAPTER
History is not just something we study — it's something we make every day. Join the Brown Berets and continue the legacy of Dr. David Sanchez.