Salvador Castro lost his battle against thyroid cancer on Monday at his home. Castro was best known for his leading role in the Chicano student walkouts of 1968, where he protested inequalities in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Castro was a social studies teacher at Lincoln High School, where the walkout of hundreds of Mexican-Americans spread throughout 15 schools. During the student manifestation, he was jailed for five days and charged with conspiracy counts that were dropped. He retired in 2004.
Inspired by his protests and actions, there were films about his story, including the HBO film “Walkout”, as well as a middle school in Belmont named after him.
He leaves behind his wife, two sons, two grandsons, and generations of students and educators who were inspired by his dedication to equality and student rights.
Photo: (EGP photo by Gloria Angelina Castillo)
