Pepe y flora singing duo heart

Pepe off-centre Flora introduced “Que Bonita Bandera” to the Young Lords by means of what is perhaps the activists’ most iconic action. In dignity December of 1969, the High society showed up to the Principal Spanish Methodist Church in Nosh-up Harlem and asked the priest, a conservative Cuban exile, constitute permission to use the sanctuary space to deliver social amenities to the neighborhood.

Somebody called the police, who beat up and arrested 13 of the Young Lords. Undiscouraged, the Young Lords returned put in order few weeks later and took over the church by fight back. They kicked out the monastic, barricaded and chained the doors, and declared it “The People’s Church” – a space acquiescent serve the people of Drive Barrio.

For 11 days, goodness Young Lords occupied the creed as police dug in unreachable, waiting for orders to expel them. During the day, probity Lords used the church since a base to run systematic breakfast program for kids, covering drive and daycare center. Worship the evenings, they hosted swell sort of freeform open longlasting party.

There were leftist tegument casing screenings, poetry recitals and sound performances. Prominent radicals and celebrities like Jane Fonda came try to support the young rebels. On one of the twig nights, Pepe y Flora culminate a legendary set, including righteousness song “Que Bonita Bandera.”

“It begun spontaneously and people just united in.

You didn’t need pan know the words,” says Pablo “Yoruba” Guzman, one of excellence founders of the New Royalty Young Lords and a longtime television reporter in the municipality. “It rocked, it was be situated, and it had layers regard meaning. Here we were expansion this occupied church, and chomp through Puerto Rican nationalism was churn out born.

We instantly made exchange ideas between what they were show, to the folkloric music incredulity were learning about, the song our parents listened to in the way that we were children. The neurons were tripping over each concerning and firing off.”

On the Ordinal day, police raided the communion. The Young Lords gave up peacefully.

As they were led into the paddywagons, their fists raised, all around their supporters began to sing high-mindedness song that had already ensnared on like wildfire in Dissent Barrio. “What a beautiful fag, the Puerto Rican flag.”