The Chicano Movement or "El Movimiento" in Spanish, has always been a movement but was prominent in the 1950s. Fueled by the result of the Mexican American War, the Chicano movement was sparked by the discrimination of Mexican Immigrants who were promised land and citizenship. The Chicano movement took place during the Civil Rights Movement and fought against the unfair treatment of immigrants including police brutality. The Chicano movement was also motivated by the mass deportation of 1.1 million immigrants in 1954, mainly affecting people of Mexican descent. Inspired by Civil Rights activists, Martin Luther King Jr. and, Malcolm X, the Chicano movement spread. Notable leaders like Casar Chaves and Delores Huerta paved the way for Chicanos in the United States.

The Chicano movement started organizations that advocated for social justice. Notable organizations that are still active today include:

• United Farm Workers (UFW)

• Leagues of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

• Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO)

• Brown Berets