Ernesto Galarza

Ernesto Galarza. . A line of strong, diverse, and dedicated teachers from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds have shaped the lives of Sacramento’s children. Ernesto Galarza was such a teacher, with an influence reaching far beyond Sacramento. He was born in Mexico, but grew up in Sacramento after fleeing with his parents from the uncertainties of the Mexican Revolution. Raised in Oak Park, he attended Sacramento’s integrated schools. He earned a Doctorate from Columbia University before entering the United States Foreign Service in the 1930s where he served for over 20 years. In the 1960s and 1970s, he taught at San Jose State University and served as a visiting professor at Stanford, Notre Dame, and the University of California at Berkeley. Throughout his life, Galarza strove to improve the working conditions of farm labor, advocated civil rights, and promoted child welfare. His autobiography, Barrio Boy, was on of the first autobiographies written by a Mexican American to be published. Shortly before he died, Galarza was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his lifetime commitment to social justice.