José La Luz Collection
Scope and Contents
The José La Luz Collection includes writings by La Luz and his involvement in the trial of José Torres Cruz and José A. Torres Vega, two young Puerto Rican men charged with firebombing a police vehicle in Hartford, as well as correspondence, newspaper articles, and miscellaneous bulletins, reports and conference materials. The collection spans the years from 1971 to 1991.
Dates
- 1971-1991
Creator
- La Luz, José (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright is held by Centro.
Biographical / Historical
José La Luz is a longtime labor and social activist of the Hispanic community. He is also a specialist in labor education programs for the Hispanic trade unionists at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations of Michigan State University. He was also was the Socialist Party Chairman in Hartford, Connecticut.
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, La Luz grew up on the island in the 1950s and ‘60s, where he saw firsthand the plights of the rural workers. In the early 1970s, La Luz moved stateside for college and became active in the Connecticut branch of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) with Eric Vega. Allied to Castro's Cuba, the Marxist-Leninist PSP agitated for Puerto Rican independence and committed several bombings and other terrorist acts on U.S. soil.
La Luz was expelled from the PSP in 1976 and went on to join the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee the following year. He became Chairman of the Hispanic Commission of DSOC, before the merger with the New American Movement that created Democratic Socialists of America in 1982.
Extent
0.25 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Spanish; Castilian
Abstract
José La Luz is a longtime social activist of the Hispanic community and a specialist in labor education programs for the Hispanic trade unionists at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations of Michigan State University. He was also the Socialist Party Chairman in Connecticut. The collection consists of documents, including writings by La Luz and his involvement in the trial of José Torres Cruz and José A. Torres Vega, as well as correspondence, newspaper articles and miscellaneous bulletins, reports and conference materials.
Arrangement
This small collection is organized topically, including writings, correspondence and newspaper articles.
- Activism Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Hartford Advocate
- Newspapers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Occupation and Labor Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puerto Ricans -- Political activity -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Writings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- José La Luz Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Christopher Medina, Archive staff member under the supervision of Pedro Juan Hernandez.
- Date
- November 2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- June 2020: Notes updated and expanded by Victoria Fernandez and Lindsay Wittwer
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of the Puerto Rican Diaspora Repository
Silberman Building, Hunter College
2180 Third Ave. Rm. 122
New York New York 10065
centro.library@hunter.cuny.edu
