Freeport to West Sacramento, April 9

Freeport to West Sacramento, April 9

Fina Hernández, Johnny Hernández, and Julio Hernández standing amongst a crowd of marchers holding candles during the march to Sacramento, West Sacramento, CA, 1966. Photo by John Kouns.

The next to last day of the march to Sacramento began in Freeport with religious service, followed by a walk to West Sacramento for the night. The last leg of the journey concluded with a gathering of about 2,000 people at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and School, where a prayer vigil took place. That night, Teatro Campesino performed the act “Governor Brown” (1966), who refused to meet the marchers in Sacramento and decided to spend the weekend instead at Frank Sinatra’s home in Palm Springs. In a video interview, Luis Valdez tells the story of this act, performed that night by Agustín Lira (Governor Brown), Beto Reyes (Delano Rekord), Felipe Cantú (Bank of Amerika), Errol Franklin (Zaninovich), and Luis Valdez (Di Gorgio Fruit Corp.) (Go to Day 25)

Luis Valdez on Performing Governor Brown
Roberto Román and child standing among marchers during the march to Sacramento, West Sacramento, CA, 1966

Roberto Román and a child stand in front of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. West Sacramento, California, April 9, 1966. Photo by John Kouns.

Fina Hernández, Johnny Hernández, and Julio Hernández standing amongst a crowd of marchers during the march to Sacramento, West Sacramento, CA, 1966

Fina Hernández, Johnny Hernández, and Julio Hernández (left, foreground) join fellow marchers inside Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and School. West Sacramento, California, April 9, 1966. Photo by John Kouns.

Andy Imutan in a crowd listening to César Chávez speak on stage during the march to Sacramento, West Sacramento, CA, 1966

César Chávez speaks on stage at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and School in West Sacramento. Pete Cárdenas (American flag), Luis Valenzuela (Virgin of Guadalupe), and Jim Drake (right of Chávez) are on stage. A large union flag and two large banners that read, “Welcome Pilgrims,” are the backdrop of the stage. West Sacramento, California, April 9, 1966. Photo by John Kouns.

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