History
The Brown Beret history has not been without complications. We have been mired with the
onslaught of infiltration by government agents and police. Even to this day we suffer at the hands of
a repressive government that wants to put us down. Our crime? Seeking freedom for our people
and the liberation of our lands from a repressive and oppressive colonizer who is destroying us.
The following highlights are as factual as can possibly be gathered. There is no written history on
us, most of this knowledge is shared at the mouths of the Brown Beret veteranos who sometimes
have sketchy memories. If you are to understand us, it is best then to know the full history of our
organization, the good, the bad, and the ugly...
December 3, 1967
The first Brown Beret unit is organized in East Los Angeles, Califas.
January 1968
The Brown Berets organized the first demonstrations against police brutality in East Los Angeles.
March 1968
The Brown Berets organized the first school walkouts to change the educational system on behalf
of La Raza.
September 1968
The Brown Berets organized chapters throughout the states of California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado,
New Mexico and as far away as Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, and Indiana,
becoming a national organization.
November 1968
The first school walkouts were organized were organized in San Diego, California as well as other
cities throughout Aztlan by Brown Beret students and supporters.
May 1969
The Brown Berets celebrated the first Cinco de Mayo in San Diego city schools at Mar Vista High
School.
May 1969
The Brown Berets opened the first Chicano Free Health Clinic in East Los Angeles.
Summer 1969
The Brown Berets successfully promoted Chicano/Mexicano unity throughout California, creating
barrio peace and unity on a national level.
December 14, 1969
The Brown Berets organized the Chicano Moratorium Committee and the first rally in East Los
Angeles to protest against racial discrimination and the disproportionate number of Chicanos
getting killed in the Vietnam War
January 1970
La Raza of Logan Heights was threatened with violence by the Hells Angels. The San Diego Brown
Berets responded promptly to protect the Barrio effectively thwarting them.
April 22, 1970
The San Diego Brown Berets occupy the land that was to be a California Highway Patrol station in
Logan Heights under the Coronado Bridge, forming Chicano Park, which has now become a
symbol of Chicano pride and power that is famous around the world.
Summer 1970
The Brown Berets were promoted and organized in various California prisons, as well as in parts of
Mexico, Europe, and Asia by Chicano U.S. Military personnel that agreed with Brown Beret goals
and plans.
May 5, 1971
The Brown Berets marched one thousand miles from Calexico to Sacramento in “La Marcha de la
Reconquista” to protest statewide against racial and institutionalized discrimination, police brutality,
and the high number of Chicano casualties in Vietnam.
August 29, 1971
The Brown Berets embark on a yearlong nationwide expedition in “La Caravana de la Reconquista”
to organize La Raza on a national scale to secure rights and self-determination for La Raza.
August 30, 1972
The Brown Berets reclaimed Isla de Santa Catalina in order to bring attention of the illegal
occupation of the islands by the U.S. and to claim it on behalf of the Chicano people and to bring
attention to the shortage of housing for the Chicano community. The U.S. has illegally occupied this
and the other Archipelago Islands known as the Channel Islands since 1848 when they signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
November 1, 1972
Brown Berets were infiltrated by sellouts and subversives working for outside organizations
including but not limited to the FBI, LAPD, CWP, ATF, and other “law enforcement” agencies and
organizations working to co-opt the Chicano Movement to serve their own agendas. The Brown
Berets were disbanded by the then Prime Minister David Sanchez in order to circumvent any
violence the members of the organization which was being promoted by those infiltrators
mentioned above.
January 1993
Brown Berets are re-activated under the old Charter and Provisions as laid out by the previous
Brown Beret Organization. The organization was named Brown Beret National Organization (BBNO).
February 1994
The Executive leadership of the Brown Beret National Organization traveled throughout Aztlan
speaking and organizing Raza in the Barrios against gang violence.
March 1994
Brown Beret units were organized in Madera, Stockton, Watsonville, Oakland, San Diego, California
as well as in Sanger, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona, and El Paso, Texas.
December 1995
The Brown Berets organized a two week march that started in the projects of San Pedro and made
its way throughout the barrios of Los Angeles, culminating at the Los Angeles County jail. This
march was to promote peace and unity amongst the barrios of Los Angeles and to protest the poor
conditions that inmates of the county jail were being kept in.
September 1996
The Brown Berets took a nationwide bus tour of the U.S. in support of the “Latino March” and
provided security for the march and it’s organizers in the U.S. capital.
1997-2006
Various Units are organized in Los Angeles County. Catalina Island was revisited in
commemoration of the original Catalina Island Reclamation of 1972.
2006-2009
Brown Beret units were independently organized in Riverside County by Commander Chimalli
Cuetlachtli. In 2007 Commander Chimalli created this National Brown Beret website that attracted
thousands of viewers internationally. In 2008-2009 Commander Chimalli joined briefly with the
Brown Berets de Aztlan but then resigned and began working independently in 2009.
August 2008
June 2008
Jeronimo Blanco was unanimously voted in as the new National Commander of the BBNO, officially
replacing David Sanchez. The organization practically stayed dormant for the next 2 years with no
membership, recruitment, or activities
January 2009
A female Brown Beret, Annette Garcia, from the Riverside County Brown Berets was murdered by a
Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy. She was shot in the back in front of her husband and 6 children
on the family ranch. Protests and Candle light vigils were immediately coordinated.
2010
Jeronimo Blanco united various factions of Brown Berets in different states. He combined the
leadership of those organizations to form a new Cadre Nacional and many reforms were made.
Many new members in different states joined.
August 2010
Members from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California attended the 40th Anniversary of the
Chicano Moratorium in Los Angeles, CA.
November 2011
Jeronimo Blanco was "honorably retired" by the membership during the Second Annual National
Conference in Tucson, AZ. from the the Brown Beret National Organization. A new Organizing
Council was formed that took leadership of the Organization. Jeronimo Blanco is no longer a Brown
Beret.
December 27, 2011
All members of the Brown Beret National Organization voted unanimously to officially change the
name of the Brown Beret National Organization (BBNO), to National Brown Berets (NBB). The name
Brown Beret National Organization is no longer used.
onslaught of infiltration by government agents and police. Even to this day we suffer at the hands of
a repressive government that wants to put us down. Our crime? Seeking freedom for our people
and the liberation of our lands from a repressive and oppressive colonizer who is destroying us.
The following highlights are as factual as can possibly be gathered. There is no written history on
us, most of this knowledge is shared at the mouths of the Brown Beret veteranos who sometimes
have sketchy memories. If you are to understand us, it is best then to know the full history of our
organization, the good, the bad, and the ugly...
December 3, 1967
The first Brown Beret unit is organized in East Los Angeles, Califas.
January 1968
The Brown Berets organized the first demonstrations against police brutality in East Los Angeles.
March 1968
The Brown Berets organized the first school walkouts to change the educational system on behalf
of La Raza.
September 1968
The Brown Berets organized chapters throughout the states of California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado,
New Mexico and as far away as Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, and Indiana,
becoming a national organization.
November 1968
The first school walkouts were organized were organized in San Diego, California as well as other
cities throughout Aztlan by Brown Beret students and supporters.
May 1969
The Brown Berets celebrated the first Cinco de Mayo in San Diego city schools at Mar Vista High
School.
May 1969
The Brown Berets opened the first Chicano Free Health Clinic in East Los Angeles.
Summer 1969
The Brown Berets successfully promoted Chicano/Mexicano unity throughout California, creating
barrio peace and unity on a national level.
December 14, 1969
The Brown Berets organized the Chicano Moratorium Committee and the first rally in East Los
Angeles to protest against racial discrimination and the disproportionate number of Chicanos
getting killed in the Vietnam War
January 1970
La Raza of Logan Heights was threatened with violence by the Hells Angels. The San Diego Brown
Berets responded promptly to protect the Barrio effectively thwarting them.
April 22, 1970
The San Diego Brown Berets occupy the land that was to be a California Highway Patrol station in
Logan Heights under the Coronado Bridge, forming Chicano Park, which has now become a
symbol of Chicano pride and power that is famous around the world.
Summer 1970
The Brown Berets were promoted and organized in various California prisons, as well as in parts of
Mexico, Europe, and Asia by Chicano U.S. Military personnel that agreed with Brown Beret goals
and plans.
May 5, 1971
The Brown Berets marched one thousand miles from Calexico to Sacramento in “La Marcha de la
Reconquista” to protest statewide against racial and institutionalized discrimination, police brutality,
and the high number of Chicano casualties in Vietnam.
August 29, 1971
The Brown Berets embark on a yearlong nationwide expedition in “La Caravana de la Reconquista”
to organize La Raza on a national scale to secure rights and self-determination for La Raza.
August 30, 1972
The Brown Berets reclaimed Isla de Santa Catalina in order to bring attention of the illegal
occupation of the islands by the U.S. and to claim it on behalf of the Chicano people and to bring
attention to the shortage of housing for the Chicano community. The U.S. has illegally occupied this
and the other Archipelago Islands known as the Channel Islands since 1848 when they signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
November 1, 1972
Brown Berets were infiltrated by sellouts and subversives working for outside organizations
including but not limited to the FBI, LAPD, CWP, ATF, and other “law enforcement” agencies and
organizations working to co-opt the Chicano Movement to serve their own agendas. The Brown
Berets were disbanded by the then Prime Minister David Sanchez in order to circumvent any
violence the members of the organization which was being promoted by those infiltrators
mentioned above.
January 1993
Brown Berets are re-activated under the old Charter and Provisions as laid out by the previous
Brown Beret Organization. The organization was named Brown Beret National Organization (BBNO).
February 1994
The Executive leadership of the Brown Beret National Organization traveled throughout Aztlan
speaking and organizing Raza in the Barrios against gang violence.
March 1994
Brown Beret units were organized in Madera, Stockton, Watsonville, Oakland, San Diego, California
as well as in Sanger, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona, and El Paso, Texas.
December 1995
The Brown Berets organized a two week march that started in the projects of San Pedro and made
its way throughout the barrios of Los Angeles, culminating at the Los Angeles County jail. This
march was to promote peace and unity amongst the barrios of Los Angeles and to protest the poor
conditions that inmates of the county jail were being kept in.
September 1996
The Brown Berets took a nationwide bus tour of the U.S. in support of the “Latino March” and
provided security for the march and it’s organizers in the U.S. capital.
1997-2006
Various Units are organized in Los Angeles County. Catalina Island was revisited in
commemoration of the original Catalina Island Reclamation of 1972.
2006-2009
Brown Beret units were independently organized in Riverside County by Commander Chimalli
Cuetlachtli. In 2007 Commander Chimalli created this National Brown Beret website that attracted
thousands of viewers internationally. In 2008-2009 Commander Chimalli joined briefly with the
Brown Berets de Aztlan but then resigned and began working independently in 2009.
August 2008
June 2008
Jeronimo Blanco was unanimously voted in as the new National Commander of the BBNO, officially
replacing David Sanchez. The organization practically stayed dormant for the next 2 years with no
membership, recruitment, or activities
January 2009
A female Brown Beret, Annette Garcia, from the Riverside County Brown Berets was murdered by a
Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy. She was shot in the back in front of her husband and 6 children
on the family ranch. Protests and Candle light vigils were immediately coordinated.
2010
Jeronimo Blanco united various factions of Brown Berets in different states. He combined the
leadership of those organizations to form a new Cadre Nacional and many reforms were made.
Many new members in different states joined.
August 2010
Members from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California attended the 40th Anniversary of the
Chicano Moratorium in Los Angeles, CA.
November 2011
Jeronimo Blanco was "honorably retired" by the membership during the Second Annual National
Conference in Tucson, AZ. from the the Brown Beret National Organization. A new Organizing
Council was formed that took leadership of the Organization. Jeronimo Blanco is no longer a Brown
Beret.
December 27, 2011
All members of the Brown Beret National Organization voted unanimously to officially change the
name of the Brown Beret National Organization (BBNO), to National Brown Berets (NBB). The name
Brown Beret National Organization is no longer used.
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| This site created and maintained by Chimalli Cuetlachtli. © National Brown Berets, 2007 C/S (CON SAFOS) |
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