Documenting the Young Lords Activism: The Participant as Narrator

In Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History, Michel-Rolph Trouillot writes, “History is always produced in a specific historical context. Historical actors are also narrators and vice versa.” Building on this theoretical provocation, in this presentation Iris Morales will discuss the process of documenting the history of the Young Lords as a “historical actor” who was part of the movement. Using audio recordings, photos, and video clips Iris will invite the audience to “visualize” the movement she was a part of and experience her documenting process. In particular Iris will speak to the creation of the book Palante written by the Young Lords, her documentary film Palante, Siempre Palante!, as well as her edited and authored volume Through the Eyes of Rebel Women: The Young Lords, 1969-1976. Special attention will be paid to the First People’s Church Offensive and the ways the organization documented the eleven day occupation.

This presentation provides key insights on how “historical actors” choose to narrate their stories. It will also speaks to the importance of documenting history while history is happening. Such provocations provide insights for historians seeking to understand the sensibilities of social actors involved in movements. Yet it also provides important and rich insights for activists currently involved in movement building. As a former leading member of the Young Lords, and an activist, educator, and documentarian, Iris draws on a wealth of experience we can learn from today.