Chicano Park
Let’s talk about the history of Chicano Park.
Chicano Park is a vibrant community space in San Diego, California, renowned for its stunning collection of Chicano murals. This park acts as a gathering place for the community, hosting events, festivals, and cultural celebrations, and is a testament to the resilience of the Chicano community.
During the early 1970s, the California Department of Transportation planned to build a freeway over the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. On April 22, 1970, The Barrio Logan community fought to prevent the demolition of their neighborhood during the construction of Interstate 5 by occupying the proposed freeway site. After 12 days of resistance, the city granted them the space under the bridge to build a community park.
Every April, the community of Barrio Logan comes together to commemorate the “liberated territory” known as Chicano Park. Chicana/o/x artists have used their skills in support of the liberatory action by painting murals on the pillars and pylons of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge. These murals depict themes such as pre-Columbian heritage, Mexican folklore, social justice movements, and contemporary Chicano experiences. With 100 murals painted across seven acres, the park is home to the largest concentration of Chicana/o/x murals in the world.
