Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
For All the Children/Para Todos Los Ninos
Sylvia Mendez (1936-present)
| — | Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes | — |
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
1. For All the Children/Para Todos Los Ninos Marker
In 1944, future civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez moved with her family to Westminster, a small town near Los Angeles. That fall, Sylvia's aunt attempted to enroll her own children, as well as Sylvia and her siblings, in the 17th Street Schol. She was told that her children would be accepted since they were light-skinned and had a French surname, but Sylvia and her brothers would not be accepted. They would have to enroll at the "Mexican school," Hoover Elementary.
Nearly 80 percent of students from the Mexican community attended the separate "Mexican schools." Sylvia recalled the two-shack Hoover Elementary as "terrible." Students were forced to use "hand-me-down" books and sit in desks that were falling apart. "We weren't even taught how to read and write," she said.
Sylvia's parents, Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, were determined to stand up against this unequal treatment. They believed they had an obligation to fight for the well-being of all children, not just their own. The family hired attorney David Marcus to represent them and four other plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa
this page online
Lawyer David Marcus argued that segregation resulted in feelings of inferiority among Mexican American students, negatively affecting their self-esteem and impacting their ability to learn. This treatment violated their 14th Amendment rights under the Equal Protection clause. Judge Paul J. McCormick ruled in favor of Mendez, prompting Governor Earl Warren to outlaw school segregation in the state of California. This case would have a long-term impact. Many of the arguments made in Mendez v. Westminster were used again in the landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education, which outlawed segregation in schools throughout the nation.
Despite their trailblazing efforts in the fight for equal opportunity and school integration, the Mendez family's contributions were not long remembered. It was after her mother became ill, that Unsung Hero Sylvia Mendez began to educate the public about her family's activism. She bravely took the mantle, traveling across the country to present educational youth programs
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
2. For All the Children/Para Todos Los Ninos Marker
Marker is on the far right.
Erected by Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Hispanic Americans • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1944.
Location. 37° 50.481′ N, 94° 42.35′ W. Marker is in Fort Scott, Kansas, in Bourbon County. It can be reached from South Main Street south of East Wall Street. Marker is located in the courtyard behind the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 17 S Main St, Fort Scott KS 66701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas and specifically in Bleeding Kansas Border War Country. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
3. Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
Also see . . . Sylvia Mendez on Wikipedia. (Submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed by Unknown
4. Sylvia Mendez at age 8
public domain
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 12, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
