1974: Southwest Voter Registration Education Project

"Su Voto Es Su Voz" (Your Voice is Your Vote).

—Willie Velasquez

Camilo J. Vergara, photographer. *Voting, alley by Whittier Blvd. and Dittman Ave., Los Angeles, 1997.* 1997. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

In 1974, William C. Velasquez, a former founding member of MAYO, in San Antonio, Texas established the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project (SVREP), a nonpartisan organization championing voter participation and political empowerment among Latinxs and other minorities.

Through grassroots organizing, SVREP conducted door-to-door registration drives and Spanish-language voter campaigns in areas with low voter registration rates. In 1991, SVREP chartered the Southwestest Voter Research Institute (later renamed the William C. Velasquez Institute) to produce critical research and analysis on Latino/a voting patterns, provide public policies, and increase the Latinx electorate influence. In addition, SVREP and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) paired up during the 1970s to address and file lawsuits against gerrymandering, a political maneuver restricting the Latino/a or minority electorate from gaining political representation. With over 75 legal lawsuits filed, SVREP and MALDEF succeeded in redrawing multiple electoral districts from oppressive gerrymandering practices.

Velasquez died in 1988 at the age of 44 as Texas reached 1.2 million Latina/o voters, doubling their participation from 1980. The organization continued its advocacy and initiatives, and by 1991, 13 southwestern states had SVREP charters. Under Andrew Hernandez’ tenure as president, the organization evolved into the international arena, organizing election drives and/or researching and overseeing elections in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and South Africa. They delivered extensive reports to the Reagan administration.

From 1994 to 2018, Antonio Gonzalez served as president of SVREP, expanding the Latinx electorate from 5.4 million to 15.5 million. SVREP sued over 100 cities and school districts for suppressing voter practices. Currently, Lydia Camarillo serves as the president of SVREP, during a time when the Latinx electorate is projected to reach 17.5 million.

Timeline

1971	William C. Velasquez organizes the Citizens’ Voter Research and Education Project as an assistant director of field organizing with the National Council of La Raza (now known as UnidosUS).
1972-1974	The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) is organized and founded by William C. Velasquez, who becomes the president of the organization.
1977	SVREP and MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) file lawsuits against gerrymandering in southwestern states.
1977-1980	SVREP mobilizes the Native American electorate in New Mexico and Arizona and the African American community in Texas.
1984	SVREP charters the Southwest Voter Research Institute (now known as the William C. Velasquez Institute), the polling and research component of the organization.
1988	The Southwest Voter Research Institute produces comprehensive research on voting patterns in Nicaragua and Costa Rica; Willie Velasquez dies while Mexican American registered voters reaches 1.2 million; Andy Hernandez becomes president of SVREP.
1991	The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project is chartered in 13 southwestern states.
1993	Elected Latina/o representatives increases to 259% since the founding of SVREP in 1974.
1994	Antonio Hernandez becomes president of SVREP.
1995	President Bill Clinton awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Willie Velasquez, the second Latino to receive that distinction.
1997	The Southwest Voter Research Institute renames itself to The William C. Velasquez Institute, in honor of its founder.
2006	The Latino/a electorate reaches 10 million.
2018-Present	Lydia Camarillo becomes president of SVREP; under her tenure, Latinx registered voters have surpassed 15.5 million.

Resources

The following resources are available online at the Library of Congress.

Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP)
Archived web site of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project
U.S. Election Statistics: A Resource Guide
A guide to online and print resources that contain U.S. election statistics for both federal and state elections.
Presidential Elections, 1789 to 1920: Resource Guides
The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a large selection of primary source materials associated with presidential elections from 1789 to 1920, including manuscripts, letters, broadsides, government documents, prints, photographs, sheet music, sound recordings, films, and newspaper articles.

Staff in the Hispanic Reading Room can provide access to these books at the Library of Congress. If you cannot visit the Library in person, please contact us using Ask a Librarian for assistance. In many cases, you can also find these materials at your local library.

The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.

Dear San Antonio, I'm Gone but Not Lost by Barbara Renaud; Terri Lopez (Preface by)
Call Number: E184.M5 G644 2018
ISBN: 1948955016
Published/Created: 2018-10-24
This YA novel tells the riveting story of voting rights champion Willie Velasquez's life and work through letters to his Texas city from the beyond.
Give Us the Ballot by Ari Berman
Call Number: JK1846 .B47 2015
ISBN: 1250094720
Published/Created: 2016-08-02
Countless books have been written about the civil rights movement, but far less attention has been paid to what happened after the dramatic passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 and the turbulent forces it unleashed. In this groundbreaking narrative history, Ari Berman charts both the transformation of American democracy under the VRA and the counterrevolution that has sought to limit it from the moment the act was signed into law. The VRA is widely regarded as the crowning achievement ofthe civil rights movement, and yet--more than fifty years later--the battles over race, representation, and political power continue, as lawmakers devise new strategies to keep minorities out of the voting booth, while the Supreme Court has declared a key part of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. Through meticulous research, in-depth interviews, and incisive on-the-ground reporting,Give Us the Ballot offers the first comprehensive history of its kind, and provides new insight into one of the most vital political and civil rights issues of our time.
Latino History and Culture by David J. Leonard; Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo
Call Number: E184.S75 L3622 2010
ISBN: 9780765680839
Published/Created: 2009-12-15
Latinos are the fastest growing population in America today. This two-volume encyclopedia traces the history of Latinos in the United States from colonial times to the present, focusing on their impact on the nation in its historical development and current culture. "Latino History and Culture" covers the myriad ethnic groups that make up the Latino population. It explores issues such as labor, legal and illegal immigration, traditional and immigrant culture, health, education, political activism, art, literature, and family, as well as historical events and developments. A-Z entries cover eras, individuals, organizations and institutions, critical events in U.S. history and the impact of the Latino population, communities and ethnic groups, and key cities and regions. Each entry includes cross references and bibliographic citations, and a comprehensive index and illustrations augment the text.
The Life and Times of Willie Velasquez by Juan A. Sepulveda
Call Number: E184.M5 V4 2003
ISBN: 1558854193
Published/Created: 2004-02-28
William C. "Willie" Velasquez founded the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project (SVREP) and was an influential participant in other leading Latino rights and justice groups. From the late 1960s until his untimely death in 1988, Velasquez's work on voter rights and registration triggered an unprecedented mobilization of Latino voters in pivotal electoral states across the U.S., including California, Illinois, and Texas.
Multicultural America by Carlos E. Cortes (Editor)
Call Number: E184.A1 M8145 2013
ISBN: 9781452216836
Published/Created: 2013-09-05
This comprehensive title is among the first to extensively use newly released 2010 U.S. Census data to examine multiculturalism today and tomorrow in America. This distinction is important considering the following NPR report by Eyder Peralta: "Based on the first national numbers released by the Census Bureau, the AP reports that minorities account for 90 percent of the total U.S. growth since 2000, due to immigration and higher birth rates for Latinos." According to John Logan, a Brown University sociologist who has analyzed most of the census figures, "The futures of most metropolitan areas in the country are contingent on how attractive they are to Hispanic and Asian populations." Both non-Hispanic whites and blacks are getting older as a group. "These groups are tending to fade out," he added. Another demographer, William H. Frey with the Brookings Institution, told The Washington Post that this has been a pivotal decade. "We're pivoting from a white-black-dominated American population to one that is multiracial and multicultural."Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopediaexplores this pivotal moment and its ramifications with more than 900 signed entries not just providing a compilation of specific ethnic groups and their histories but also covering the full spectrum of issues flowing from the increasingly multicultural canvas that is America today. Pedagogical elements include an introduction, a thematic reader's guide, a chronology of multicultural milestones, a glossary, a resource guide to key books, journals, and Internet sites, and an appendix of 2010 U.S. Census Data. Finally, the electronic version will be the only reference work on this topic to augment written entries with multimedia for today's students, with 100 videos (with transcripts) from Getty Images and Video Vault, the Agence France Press, and Sky News, as reviewed by the media librarian of the Rutgers University Libraries, working in concert with the title's editors.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States by Suzanne Oboler (Editor); Deena J. González (Editor); Deena J. González (Editor)
Call Number: E184.S75 O97 2005
ISBN: 0195156005
Published/Created: 2005-08-25
A landmark scholarly work, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States offers comprehensive, reliable, and accessible information about the fastest growing minority population in the nation. With an unprecedented scope and cutting-edge scholarship, the Encyclopedia draws together the diverse historical and contemporary experiences in the United States of Latinos and Latinas from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Over 900 A to Z articles ranging in length from 500 words to 7,500 words written by academics, scholars, writers, artists, and journalists, address such broad topics as identity, art, politics, religion, education, health, and history. Each entry has its own bibliography and cross-references and is signed by its author. Essential for scholarly and professional researchers as well as the classroom and library, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States will fill a void in the historical scholarship of an under-served population.
Thank You for Voting by Erin Geiger Smith
Call Number: 2020933696
ISBN: 9780062934826
Published/Created: 2020-06-23
In this concise, lively look at the past, present, and future of voting, a journalist examines the long and continuing fight for voting equality, why so few Americans today vote, and innovative ways to educate and motivate them; included are checklists of what to do before election day to prepare to vote and encourage others. Voting is a prized American right and a topic of debate from the earliest days of the country. Yet in the 2016 presidential election, about 40 percent of Americans--and half of the country's young adults--didn't vote. Why do so many Americans choose not to vote, and what can we do about it? The problem, Erin Geiger Smith contends, is a lack of understanding about our electoral system and a need to make voting more accessible. Thank You for Voting is her eye-opening look at the voting process, starting with the Framers' perspective, through the Equal Protection amendment and the Voting Rights Act, to the present and simple actions individuals can take to increase civic participation in local, state, and national elections. Geiger Smith expands our knowledge about our democracy--including women's long fight to win the vote, attempts to suppress newly enfranchised voters' impact, state prohibitions against felons voting, charges of voter fraud and voter suppression, and other vital issues. In a conversational tone, she explains topics that can confuse even the most informed voters: polling, news literacy, gerrymandering and the Electoral College. She also explores how age, race, and socioeconomic factors influence turnout. Ultimately, Thank You for Voting offers hope. Geiger Smith challenges corporations to promote voting, and offers examples of how companies like Patagonia and Walmart have taken up the task in a non-partisan way. And she reveals how get-out-the-vote movements--such as television star Yara Shahidi's voting organization, Michelle Obama's When We All Vote campaign, and on-the-ground young activists--innovatively use technology and grassroots techniques to energize first-time voters.
United We Win by Ignacio M. García
Call Number: F790.M5 G33 1989
ISBN: 0939363011
Published/Created: 1989-10-01
Clearly, Ignacio M. Garcia has written a sympathetic history of the movement, critically describing conditions of the sixties and seventies and clarifying the outstanding issues and personalities in the Mexican American community of the Southwest. . . Garcia's passionate and insightful contribution cannot be overlooked as a source of factual information and analysis.--New Mexico Historical Review "Garcia's history of La Raza Unida party is a labor of love."--Journal of the Southwest "This book is an insightful, intensive, and interesting report on the origin, development, and demise of the 'party of the united people.' . . . The author['s] most noteworthy contribution may well be in the richness of the details of the party's history and in providing these documented dates, figures, personalities, and events as no one else has or perhaps can." --Southwestern Historical Quarterly "This book is must reading for students of the Chicano-Hispanic community, especially those living in the southwestern U.S. and in the larger cities throughout our country.
A Vote Is a Powerful Thing by Catherine Stier; Courtney Dawson (Illustrator)
Call Number: PZ7.S8556295 Vot 2020
ISBN: 9780807584989
Published/Created: 2020-09-01
Callie knows there's a presidential election coming up. Her class is having an election, too, about an issue that affects them all--the class field trip! She's about to witness first-hand what a difference a vote can make--even a single vote--and along the way will find out about the election process and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history. A great kids'-eye look at the power of the vote.

The following external websites can be useful for expanding your research on the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.

History and Legacy of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project External
Overview and history of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project provided by its official website.
H.Con.Res.347 Commemorative postage stamp in honor of William C. Velasquez External
This bill calls for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the U.S. Postal Service to recommend and the Postmaster General to issue a postage stamp in honor of William C. Velasquez (the national Hispanic civic leader and founder of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project).
Southwest Voter Registration Education Project External
History of the founding of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project provided by Texas Historical Association.
Biography - William C. Velásquez External
Read the biography of Willie Velasquez provided by the William C. Velasquez Institute.
How to Register to Vote External
Visit Vote.gov to register to vote. Depending on your state’s voter registration rules, the site can help you register to vote.
The William C. Velasquez Institute External
Visit the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI) website. This organization is a tax-exempt. non-profit, non-partisan organization chartered in 1985. The purpose of WCVI is to conduct research aimed at improving the level of political and economic participation in Latino and other underrepresented communities.

A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States

Caribbean, Iberian & Latin American Studies: Ask a Librarian

1974: Southwest Voter Registration Education Project

Timeline

Resources