Sylvia Mendez, of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, became a school integration pioneer at age 9 right in Orange County, California. In 1946, the landmark U. S. Supreme court case Mendez v. Westminster established Sylvia’s right to attend the public school near her house. Her award winning picture book in our collection tells her story. You can listen to Sylvia at 80 years old, still a pillar of our community and a fighter for equality, right after she has been honored by the Los Angeles City Council.
