Luis Valdez's farmworker origins
Clip: 10/6/2026 | 57sVideo has Closed Captions
Luis Valdez was born in a farm labor camp in Delano, California to farmworker parents.
Luis Valdez was born in a farm labor camp in Delano, California to farmworker parents, and joined his parents in the fields at just six years old.
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Support for American Masters is provided by AARP, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation,...
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Luis Valdez's farmworker origins
Clip: 10/6/2026 | 57sVideo has Closed Captions
Luis Valdez was born in a farm labor camp in Delano, California to farmworker parents, and joined his parents in the fields at just six years old.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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How do today’s masters create their art? Each episode an artist reveals how they brought their creative work to life. Hear from artists across disciplines, like comedian Chris Fleming, actor Greg Kinnear, sports journalist Taylor Rooks, and more on our video podcast "American Masters: Creative Spark."Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(wind whooshing) (birds chirping) (pleasant strings music) (text ticking) - I was born in a farm labor camp in Delano, California.
My parents were born in Arizona.
They were farm workers.
At six years old, I joined my folks in the fields, picking tomatoes, picking cotton, whatever there was to be picked.
We seemed to beasts of burden.
(gentle music) - Oftentimes they wouldn't get paid.
They had to work from sun up to sundown.
There were no bathrooms in the fields for the workers.
No drinking water.
It was literally slave labor.
(gentle music)
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
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Discover filmmaker and playwright Luis Valdez, a founding figure of the Chicano Movement. (2m 10s)
Luis Valdez's play commented on identity and assimilation
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Luis Valdez's play, "Los Vendidos," or the sellouts, was a commentary on assimilation and identity. (3m 6s)
NewWhen "Zoot Suit" reached Broadway
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Luis Valdez's "Zoot Suit" was the first Chicano play on Broadway. (1m 12s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Support for PBS provided by:
Support for American Masters is provided by AARP, The Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Burton P. and Judith B. Resnick Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation,...