Description
Personal papers including correspondence; manuscripts; interviews; subject, alphabetical, and legal case files; newspapers;
and photographs.
Background
Born in El Paso, Texas, in 1918, Corona joined the labor movement soon after his arrival in Los Angeles in 1936. He became
a prominent organizer within the CIO, helping to organize Spanish-speaking workers in low-paying jobs. During the 1930s he
was also involved in organizational work within the Mexican American community and, along with Luisa Moreno, Josefina Fierro,
Eduardo Quevedo and others, he participated in El Congreso de Pueblos de Habla Española, one of the earliest Mexican American
groups to address political concerns. During the 1940s, when animosity between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Mexican
American community was growing, Corona was instrumental in defusing the tensions. He was active in the Citizens' Committee
for te Defense of Mexican-American Youth (also known as the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee) which represented the first organized
effort led by Mexican Americans to resist police attacks on their community.
Restrictions
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.