Dr. Ernesto Galarza Collection

Dr. Ernesto Galarza (1905-1984) was a distinguished Mexican-American scholar, activist, labor organizer, and author. Born in Jalcocotán, Nayarit, Mexico, he immigrated to California as a child with his family, where he went on to earn degrees from Occidental College, Stanford University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Galarza became a leader in the labor movement, fighting for the rights of agricultural workers and organizing strikes and campaigns aimed at improving wages and working conditions. In addition to his labor activism, Galarza was committed to educational reform, advocating for bilingual education and greater cultural representation in schools. Galarza also made significant contributions to academia, serving as a professor at the University of Notre Dame, San José State University, and the Universities of California at San Diego and Santa Cruz.