History
In 1948, a group of Mexican/Chicano mothers formed La Sociedad de Madres Mexicanas (the Society of Mexican Mothers) with the goal of creating a memorial for their sons and husbands who served and gave their lives in World War II. [3] The group held a series of grassroots fundraisers, including selling tamales, to raise money for the memorial. [3] The monument originally honored only the Chicano/Mexican-American veterans from the Sacramento Valley that served during World War II, but was later expanded to all Californian Chicano/Mexican-American veterans of all wars.
The memorial was sculpted in Italy, to a cost of $4,000, and erected at the former Sacramento Mexican-American Center on May 10, 1951 (Mexican Mothers’ Day). It stood there until 1975, when it was moved to its current location across from the California State Capitol. [2] [1] In 1985, Assembly Member Richard Polanco sponsored legislation that ceded the state grounds to the memorial and authorized its expansion. [2]
In 2016, the monument was restored and its grounds were expanded. [4]
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