The first Latina to graduate from Swarthmore College, Martínez received a B.A. in 1946 and went to work at the United Nations. Her long career in numerous fields as an editor, educator, writer, and activist spanned key historical moments such as the Chicano, Civil Rights, the feminist, and anti-war movements. In 1959 she traveled to Cuba and witnessed the changes wrought by the Cuban Revolution. She visited the Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary, and later China to witness the changes that occurred as people struggled to transform their societies. In New Mexico, she co-founded the newspaper, El Grito del Norte (1968–1973) and later co-founded the Chicano Communications Center. The first Chicana antiwar activist to visit Vietman in the 1970s, Martínez’s commitment to social change and justice continues unabated. She is editor of 500 Years of Chicano History and produced a corresponding documentary, Viva La Causa! Her book, De Colores Means All of Us: Latina Views for a Multi-colored Century, is considered a classic. Martínez has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions. In 2005 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement Images Videos