Guide to the Ricardo Cruz/Catolicos por La Raza papers
CEMA 28
Finding aid prepared by Salvador Güereña, assisted by Alexander Hauschild in 2000
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9010
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu; URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/special-collections
Title: Ricardo Cruz/Catolicos por La Raza papers
Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 28
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
13.2 linear feet
(18 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1967-1993
Abstract: Ricardo Cruz (1943 - 1993) was a Chicano rights attorney during the Chicano Movement era. He is most well-known for his advocacy
on behalf of the Latino poor people of the Los Angeles area. Cruz was a law school student at the time he founded the controversial
organization known as Catolicos por la Raza. Through this organization, he led demonstrations against the Catholic Church
for its neglect of the Latino community. His collection takes up 13.2 linear feet and is housed in 18 boxes, containing correspondence
files, legal documents, transcripts, photographs, news clippings and ephemera. The preponderance of the Ricardo Cruz Papers,
11 boxes, the Legal Files series, represent his legal cases as a Los Angeles attorney. In this series is found copious information
that sheds light on the forced sterilization of Latinas in Los Angeles during that period, and other legal issues.
Physical Location: del Norte CEMA stacks
Language of Materials: The collection is in English.
creator:
Cruz, Ricardo
Acquisition Information
Donated by Camilo Cruz on November 12, 1998
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], Ricardo Cruz/Catolicos por La Raza papers, CEMA 28. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa
Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Biography
Ricardo Cruz was a Chicano rights attorney during the Chicano Movement era. He is most well-known for his advocacy on behalf
of the Latino poor people of the Los Angeles area. Cruz was a law school student at the time he founded the controversial
organization known as Catolicos por la Raza. Through this organization, he led demonstrations against the Catholic Church
for its neglect of the Latino community. He is also know for his successful legal battle against Los Angeles County’s forced
sterilization of undocumented workers, and for his successful defense of a young Latino wrongly convicted of murder.
Cruz was born in 1943 and raised in Los Angeles. After graduating from California State University-Los Angeles in 1967, Cruz
attended Loyola Marymount University School of Law. While a law intern with the California Rural Legal Assistance in Santa
Barbara, Cruz helped to organize farm workers in Salinas.
Cruz received the Juris-Doctor degree from Loyola Marymount School of Law in 1971. His attempts to practice law, however,
were short-circuited by the California State Bar’s refusal to certify him. The State Bar claimed that his "moral corruption,"
in disrupting a religious sermon, was inappropriate. With the support from The American Civil Liberties Union and others,
Cruz was eventually admitted to the Bar.
Later, in 1982, Cruz fought and won the dismissal of charges against a young Latino named Gordon Castillo Hall, an adolescent
who was falsely convicted for the murder of a Duarte postman who was shot in 1978. Cruz died in 1993, following an unsuccessful
battle with lung cancer.
Series Descriptions
Personal/Biographical Series. This series, limited to one box, consists of eleven folders that represent a time span from 1972 to1993. Included here are
Cruz' writings consisting largely of undated essays, poetry and ruminations. Among the selections are "Chicanos in Mexico",
and "An Ode to Chicanos/Chicanas." General correspondence covers 1967-1982, made up of personal and official correspondence,
including letters from then-Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. on the appointment of Cruz Reynoso to the California Supreme Court.
His 1976 interview on "Chicanos, Catholicism, and Political Ideology" gives insights into his personal history, his founding
of Católicos por la Raza, and his philosophy on the Chicano Movement. In this series is a file that evidences his brief affiliation
with the Los Angeles office of the Mexican Legal Defense and Education Fund. Also here, in the obituaries and memorial tributes,
are news clippings detailing his personal history, his achievements, and commitment to social justice. Tributes from municipalities
and government bodies are included here. There is an assortment of photographs of Cruz in social and family settings. Folder
12 contains his various resumes but also includes a court application to become a juvenile court attorney, and in this he
provides a summary of his court cases and qualifications.
Rosa Martínez Cruz Series. Martínez Cruz was Ricardo Cruz’ first wife and their overlapping interests led them to work together on some common Chicano
Movement issues and projects. This series is made up of two boxes. Martínez Cruz' Socialist ideological convictions are manifested
in her involvement with the Comisión Sin Fronteras and CASA/Hermandad General de Trabajadores, whose internal bulletins are
found here. She was on the staff of
El Foro del Pueblo and
Sin Fronteras and contributed her views to each through published articles.
Sin Fronteras was the political and theoretical organ of the Comisión
Sin Fronteras and had a key role in promulgating the ideology of this Leninist-based organization that was dedicated to liberation struggle
on behalf of the Mexican people in the U.S. Significant Leninist polemical treatises in this series include
Fan the Flames: A Revolutionary Position on the National Chicano Question.
Political Activity Series. There are two divisions represented here, one of which consists of Cruz' involvement with law student organizations and the
other made up of materials on his involvement with Católicos por la Raza. The latter includes news releases detailing activities
directed against the Catholic Church, Católicos por la Raza meeting agendas, correspondence and news clippings spanning a
relatively brief but significant period of winter 1969 through April 1970. The focus of this series is to document Católicos
por la Raza’s activities leading to and following the demonstration at St. Basil's Cathedral in Los Angeles.
Legal Files Series. This series contains the most extensive portion of the collection and is housed in ten boxes. It represents Cruz' work as
an attorney on legal cases, spanning the years 1972 to 1985. Included here is the very significant, successful legal challenge
against Los Angeles County for the forced sterilization of undocumented patients at the County-USC Medical Center. Also in
this series are several cases in which Cruz is the defendant, including his involvement in Católicos por la Raza's demonstration
at St. Basil's Cathedral in Los Angeles. His hearings before the State Bar's Committee of Bar Examiners, concerning his certification
to practice law, are found here.
Subject Files Series. This series is housed in one box and folders 5-6 are especially insightful in their coverage of the Chicano Moratorium and
the death of Ruben Salazar at the hands of Los Angeles County Sherriff's deputies. Folder 3 is a file related to the work
of the East Los Angeles-based Committee to Stop Home Destruction and consists of a study aiming to counteract the displacement
of Latinos in East Los Angeles communities as a result of urban renewal practices.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Lawyers--California
Los Angeles (Calif.)--Trials, litigation, etc
Mexican Americans--California--Los Angeles--Politics and government--20th century
Mexican Americans--Civil rights--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century
Mexican Americans--Economic conditions
Mexican Americans--Legal status, laws, etc.--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century
Mexican Americans--Politics and government
Mexican Americans--Social conditions
Photographs
Political activists--Legal status, laws, etc.--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century
Personal/Biographical Information
Box 1, Folder 1
"La Batalla de Miguel Garcia y Richard Cruz"
1972
Box 1, Folder 2
Essays, Narratives, and Poetry
1970-1975
Box 1, Folder 3
Friends of Richard Cruz Committee
1993
Box 1, Folder 4
General Correspondence, Incoming
1974-1982
Box 1, Folder 5
General Correspondence, Outgoing
1967-1981
Box 1, Folder 6
Interview-Chicanos, Catholicism, and Political Ideology
December 18, 1976
Box 1, Folder 8
News Clippings-State Bar Certificaion
1973
Box 1, Folder 9
Obituaries and Memorial Tributes
1993
Box 2, Folder 1
C.A.S.A.-Hermandad de Trabajadores
1976
Box 2, Folder 2
Chicano Studies Research Center, UCLA Annual Report
1977-1978
Box 2, Folder 3
Chicano Studies Institutes-Objective of Chicano Studies UCLA
1970
Box 2, Folder 5
Business Meetings
1975-1976
Box 2, Folder 6
Circulo de Estudio Antonio Castillo Program of Study for Comision Sin Fronteras
1975-1976
Box 2, Folder 7
Local Seminar Reports
1976
Box 2, Folder 8
Political Reports of Local Committee, internal bulletins and readings
1974-1987
Box 2, Folder 9
"La Propaganda Leninista" (Manuel De J. Gonzalez, undated)
1974
Box 2, Folder 10
Puerto Rican Independence
1974
Box 2, Folder 11
Essays and Articles on Marxist-Leninist Ideology
1973-1976
Box 2, Folder 12
Fan the Flames: A Revolutionary Position on the Chicano National Question
1976
Box 2, Folder 13
Marxist-Leninist Theory
1976
Box 2, Folder 14
Rectification Papers
1976
Box 2, Folder 15
Sin Fronteras (Newsletter)
1976
Box 3, Folder 1
East Los Angeles Health Task Force
Box 3, Folder 2
El Foro del Pueblo
1979-1980
Box 3, Folder 3
Machete (Los Angeles City College)
April 1969-October 1969
Box 3, Folder 4
Miscellaneous Publications
1977-1982
Box 3, Folder 5
Politics and Ideology
1968-1972
La Raza Law Students Association/Abogados de Aztlán
Box 4, Folder 4
News Clippings (Minority Students Admissions Process)
1972-1973
Box 4, Folder 5
People's Law Office (Cruz, Villalobos, Ramos, Duran)
Undated
Catolicos Por La Raza
Other Descriptive Information
See oversize Box 18 for Chicano newspapers on Católicos Por La Raza, on the Catholic church and Chicanos, and on the Chicano
Movement.
Box 5, Folder 1
Agendas, Minutes, and Reports
November 1969-December 1969
Box 5, Folder 2
General Correspondence
1969-1977
Box 5, Folder 3
News Releases
December 1969-February 1970
Box 5, Folder 6
Photographs (21 Photos: Protests, Marches, Rallies)
1969-1971
Box 5, Folder 7
Script for KNBC "Religion and the Chicano"
Undated
Castillo Hall (Gordon) Case
Box 6, Folder 2
Ephemera (flyers and announcements)
1980-1982
Box 6, Folder 4
Justice for Gordon Castillo Hall Committee
1980
Box 6, Folder 6
Photographs-Victory Celebration
June 4, 1982
Box 6, Folder 7
Cruz (Richard V.) and Associates (Notice and Demand to Members of the Teatro a la Brava, et al.)
February 12, 1981
Murrieta (Edward) Case
1980-1991
Box 7, Folder 1
Arbitration between Richard V. Cruz, Emma, and Edward Murrieta
1983-1991
Box 7, Folder 2
Application for Writ of Prohibition
April 1982
Box 7, Folder 4
Docket sheets
October 21, 1980
Box 7, Folder 5
Notice of Filing of Notice of Appeal
September 1983
Box 7, Folder 6
People vs. Christopher Anthony Avitea and Edward Frank Murrieta and Reporter's transcripts of proceedings
March 29, 1982
Box 7, Folder 7
People vs. Christopher, Avitea, Edward, Murrieta and Brian Powers-verdicts
May 16, 1983
Box 7, Folder 8
People vs. Edward Frank Murrietta (Prohibition Officers report)
July 1982
Box 7, Folder 9
People vs. Christopher Avitea, Edward Murrietta and Brian Powers-summaries of testimony
October 1980-April 1983
Nolasco (Oscar) vs. Richard Cruz
1984-1985
Request for Dismissal
April 4, 1985
People vs. Cruz et al. (St. Basil's demonstration) Reporter's Transcription on Appeal, Jury Trial
Box 9, Folder 1
April 15, 1970 (9:30 a.m.)
Box 9, Folder 2
April 15, 1970 (1:30 p.m.)
Box 9, Folder 3
April 16, 1970 (8:30 p.m.)
Box 9, Folder 4
April 16, 1970 (2:30 p.m.)-April 17, 1970
Box 9, Folder 5
April 20, 1970 (9:00 a.m.)
Box 9, Folder 6
April 21, 1970 (9:40 a.m.)
Box 9, Folder 7
April 21, 1970 (1:30 p.m.)
Box 9, Folder 8
April 22, 1970 (9:40 a.m.)-April 23
Box 9, Folder 9
April 23, 1970 (1:30 p.m.)
Box 9, Folder 10
April 24, 1970 (9:32 a.m.)
Box 9, Folder 11
April 27, 1970 (9:21 a.m.)
Box 9, Folder 12
April 27, 1970 (1:30 p.m.)
People vs. Cruz et al. (St. Basil's demonstration); People vs. Alicia Escalante
Box 11, Folder 1
People vs. Jessie Guerrero
1984-1985
Box 11, Folder 2
Police brutality case against Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies
August 7, 1973
Ponce (Augustine B.) et al. vs. Laborers International Union of North America, Local 300, AFL-CIO, et al
Box 11, Folder 3
Correpsondence, flyers, newspapers
1972-1974
Box 11, Folder 4
Court documents in legal cases against Union officers
1970-1974
Box 11, Folder 5
Election of officers
1963, 1969
Box 11, Folder 7
Deposition of Carlos Enriquez
January 8, 1975
Box 11, Folder 8
Deposition of Manuel Rentería
December 28, 1972
Box 11, Folder 9
Mexico connections-Padilla and Rentería
1974-1975
Box 11, Folder 10
Minutes of Executive board
May 28, 1974-June 25, 1974
Box 11, Folder 11
Miscellaneous publications
1971-1975
Box 11, Folder 12
Photographs and negatives of laborers union
Undated
Ponce, Esquivel, and Pesquiera vs. Laborers International Union, Local 300, AFL-CIO, and Manuel Rentería (Court Appeal, Second
District)
March 3, 1978
Box 11, Folder 14
Ponce et al. vs. Local 300-Attorney notes and documents
1974-1975
U.S. Department of Labor vs. Local Union 300
Box 12, Folder 1
Attorney notes and documents
1974-1975
Box 12, Folder 2
Civil action for violation of Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959
1972
Box 12, Folder 3
Civil Action
February 1974
Box 12, Folder 4
Judgement Writ of Execution and Order
1978
Box 12, Folder 5
Notations/appeal costs
1987
Box 12, Folder 6
United States of America vs. Manuel Rentería, Ray Pasillas (Indictment)
September 1970
Box 12, Folder 7
Writs and Exonerations-Ricardo Navarez
1973
Reporter's Transcription of Committee of Bar Examiners' Hearing Subcommittee in the Matter of Richard Cruz, application for
examination for admission to practice law, volumes I-XVI
September 13, 1972-January 7, 1973
Box 13, Folder 1
Vol. 1: September 13, 1972
Box 13, Folder 8
Vol. 8: December 16, 1972
Box 13, Folder 9
Vol. 9: December 18, 1972
Box 13, Folder 10
Vol. 10: December 27, 1972
Box 13, Folder 11
Vol. 11: December 28, 1972
State Bar Certification-Correspondence and Documents
Box 14, Folder 6
State Bar of California (certification)
1972-1973
Box 15, Folder 1
Affidavits of Karen E. Benker, M.D. (May 1970) and Warren Hern, M.D. 1972; Andrade (Virginia), et al. vs. Los Angeles County,
et al.
May 30, 1978
Box 15, Folder 2
Summons on First Amended Complaint, Answer to First Amended Complaint, Affidavit on Nonappearance of Witness, Complaint for
Damages
June 10, 1975
Box 15, Folder 3
Exhibit A Chronology of Pleadings, History of L.A. County Hospital
1898-1968
Box 15, Folder 6
Doctors' statements (1976) and report on hospitals' sterilization practices
1974
Box 15, Folder 7
Health research group-study on surgical sterilization
October 29, 1973
Box 15, Folder 8
Los Angeles Regional Family Planning Council
February 1974-June 1977
Box 15, Folder 9
Madrigal (Dolores) et al. vs. E.J. Quilligan et al.
June 30, 1978
Box 15, Folder 10-11
Miscellaneous publications on sterilization
December 1973-August 1979
Box 16, Folder 1
National Coalition against sterilization abuse
December 4, 1976
Box 16, Folder 2-3
Paramo vs. County of Los Angeles et al.
March 23, 1976-October 24, 1980
Box 16, Folder 5
Synopsis/Federal Plaintiffs-Plaintiffs answers to defendants first set of written interrogatories May 24, 1971-March 7, 1974,
Elidia Silva affidavit
September 1974
Vasquez (Hector) vs. Abrams (Arnold)
Box 16, Folder 6
Vasquez (Hector) vs. Abrams (Arnold)
July 14, 1982-August 28, 1984
Box 17, Folder 1
Cathedral High School
September 1983-February 1986
Box 17, Folder 2
Chicano movement
October 1971-June 1995
Box 17, Folder 3
Committee to stop home destruction
1974
Box 17, Folder 4
Minorities and Latinos
September 1970-March 1973
Box 17, Folder 5-6
Ruben Salazar and Chicano Moratorium (see also Oversize Box 18)
1970
Box 17, Folder 7
United Farm Workers
April-December 1970
Box 18, Folder 1
Católicos por la Raza
February 1965-January 1970
Box 18, Folder 2
Cruz (Ricardo V.) photograph 50th birthday celebration
July 4, 1993
Box 18, Folder 3
Justicia...O (La Raza Law Students Association, Loyola University)
November 1970-April 1977
Box 18, Folder 4
Machete (Los Angeles City College)
December 4, 1969-January 8, 1970
Box 18, Folder 5
The People's Justice (National Lawyers Guild Southern Californai Chapter)
December 1969-January 1973
Box 18, Folder 7
La Raza
December 1969-February 1970
Box 18, Folder 8
Ruben Salazar and the Chicano Moratorium (assorted original news clippings on or around the date Sunday, August 30, 1970)
