Sylvia Mendez, one of the plaintiffs in the the historic civil rights case. File photo

Sylvia Mendez, left, Sandra Duran Mendez, center, and Gonzalo Mendez Jr., right, are pictured with a photo of their parents Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez of Mendez vs. Westminster fame. The Mendez children were denied entrance into a “white school” in Westminster. Her father spent all the money he had to fight back in court in Sylvia Mendez’ behalf. The case lead to a landmark ruling that segregated schools, including those in Orange County, violated the 14th amendment. California became the first school in the nation to end school segregation and Sylvia Mendez entered school in 1944 at age 8. ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez, who won a landmark desegregation case in Orange County. File photo

The Mendez v Westminster postage stamp was revealed at Chapman University in this photo from 2007. From left, Mistala and Sylvia Mendez, and Gerard Ahern of the US Postal Service. Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register

Mendez children, center, with some cousins were sent to a Mexican-only school in Westminster, triggering a lawsuit that led to the desegregation of California schools. MILLENNIUM MAGAZINE



It’s been 70 years since the ground-breaking decision in the case of Mendez et al v. Westminster School District et al led to the end of segregation of Mexican American children in California schools.

The court case helped paved the way to end school segregation nationwide a few years later.

But while the landmark lawsuit has been honored with a U.S. Postal Service stamp, had an Emmy-winning documentary film made about it, and seen Sylvia Mendez, the daughter of the lead plaintiffs, honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, in the city of Westminster there’s not really been a public place to honor the residents and the city’s role in this important piece of history.

Until now, that is, with the announcement by the city of Westminster on its Facebook page on Monday, Nov. 20, that a new bike path will be named after the lawsuit. The Mendez Historic Freedom Trail will be a two-way dedicated bikeway along Hoover Street between Garden Grove Boulevard and Bolsa Avenue.

Its creation will be funded by a $2.3 million grant from the California Natural Resources Agency, and while construction won’t start until early 2019, it’s an important step by the city.

“Great idea!” wrote Bonnie Gonzales on the Facebook announcement. “I love the idea of a bike path!”

Some, such as Bob Perham, offered suggestions to make it even more: “Would be nice if there were exercise stations along the route. Push-ups, pull-ups, dips, etc.,” he wrote.

“Congrats to the city of Westminster,” added Camfil Alex.

And, of course, this being a social media post, there were critics who carped about the city spending money on the project – it’s special funds from a grant, not the city’s general fund though – or complained about the location of the bike path.

That location, though, is significant. Hoover Elementary School used to be located by this stretch of Hoover Street, and that was the Mexican-only school that the Mendez children were assigned when their parents tried to enroll them in the Main Street School, only to learn that the district operated that school for whites.

Councilman Sergio Contreras proposed applying for the state grant money earlier this year and the City Council unanimously voted to approve his request after hearing from Sylvia Mendez and others about the importance of such an idea.

“There is no public place of recognition in Westminster,” she told the council at the time. “It is largely unknown here.”

Mayor Tri Ta and others on the council expressed surprise, and vowed to change that.

“I was really surprised that the past City Council or Westminster schools did not come up with any ideas to honor the family properly,” Ta said at the time. “I think this is the time, a good start.”

Brainiac has been off and away from these pages for a few weeks but we’re back now. If you’ve got any burning questions, comments, story ideas you’d like us to check out in Westminster, Garden Grove, Stanton or Midway City, as always, send us an email at plarsen@scng.com or a phone call at 714-796-7787.