This is a collection of Rudy Lozano’s personal papers related to his career and his work as a Mexican American activist and community organizer living in Chicago. The digitized material includes video and audio recordings and a selection of posters.
The physical collection also includes books, correspondence, meeting notes, newspaper clippings, photographs, and ephemera from his funeral. Some files pertain to developments after Lozano's death, including neighborhood advocacy, Latino political leaders, the Del Rey strike and boycott, and the Commission for Justice for Rudy Lozano. To use the collection in person, please consult the Rudy Lozano Papers finding aid. Further information is also available in the digital exhibit "A Search For Unity: Rudy Lozano and Coalition Building in Chicago", which is described below.
Rodolfo “Rudy” Lozano, (1951 to 1983) was an activist and a community organizer in Chicago. On June 8, 1983, Lozano was shot to death in his home, and multiple Chicago institutions now carry his name in memory of his life and career.Lozano was born in Harlingen, Texas, and he was raised in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.Lozano attended Cooper Elementary, Harrison High School, and the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle. At UICC, Lozano organized students to advocate for courses on Mexican history and for the University to hire more Latino/a faculty.Lozano’s career including projects with many organizations including: National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression; Centro de la Causa; Midwest Coalition for the Defense of Immigrants; Hispanic American Labor Council; Coalition for Labor Union Women; Latin American Council for Labor Union Advancement; Por Un Barrio Mejor; Citizen’s Information Service; Operation PUSH; Chicago Urban League; Chicago Peace Council. Lozano was a Midwest organizer for the International Ladies Garments Workers Union (I.L.G.W.U.).In 1982, Lozano unsuccessfully ran for alderman in the 22nd Ward in the City’s 1983 elections. During this time, Lozano organized Latino/a voting campaigns for both himself, Juan Soliz’s campaign as a state representative in the Illinois General Assembly, and Harold Washington’s campaign as mayor of the City of Chicago.After his death, the Pilsen branch of the Chicago Public Library and the Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy of the Instituto Del Progreso Latino were named after him.
For an in-depth look at Rudy Lozano's life and impact on the Chicago community, see our digital exhibit "A Search For Unity: Rudy Lozano and Coalition Building in Chicago". This digital exhibit explores the activism of a young Chicagoan who was driven to make change by bringing people together. Trace Lozano’s efforts to build unity among Latinx communities in his Near West Side neighborhoods, documented and undocumented workers fighting for better conditions, and Black, Latinx and white Chicagoans who organized for political change.
From Lozano’s student activism - including his time here at UIC - to his vital legacy that continues to shape the city today, uncover the story of this dynamic leader through original documents, posters and photographs from the Rudy Lozano papers and several other collections from the UIC Library’s Special Collections and University Archives.
The image featured at the top of this collection is from the poster "The people united is justice for Rudy Lozano". (Loza12_005_ovf1_035)