A Historic First: Downtown L.A. Courthouse Named for Latino Civil Rights Icons
In a landmark moment for civil rights recognition, the federal courthouse at 350 W. 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles has been officially renamed the Felicitas and Gonzalo Méndez United States Courthouse. This historic renaming, signed into law by President Joe Biden in January 2025, marks the first time a federal courthouse in the United States has been named after a Latina, honoring the pivotal role the Méndez family played in the fight against school segregation in California.
A Legacy of Courage and Change
In 1946, Felicitas and Gonzalo Méndez, alongside four other families, filed a lawsuit against the Westminster School District in Orange County, California, after their children were denied entry to “whites-only” schools due to their Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. The case, Méndez v. Westminster, resulted in a groundbreaking federal court ruling in 1947 that declared school segregation unconstitutional in California. This decision set a critical precedent for the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which ended school segregation nationwide.
Honoring the Méndez Family
The renaming of the courthouse was championed by U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), who introduced the bipartisan legislation to honor the Méndez family’s contributions to civil rights. The courthouse’s location is just blocks away from where the original Méndez v. Westminster case was decided, making the tribute especially poignant.
Sylvia Méndez, daughter of Felicitas and Gonzalo, has been a tireless advocate for her parents’ legacy. In 2011, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her continued efforts to educate others about the significance of the Méndez v. Westminster case and its impact on desegregation in America.
A Symbol of Progress
The Felicitas and Gonzalo Méndez United States Courthouse stands as a testament to the enduring impact of grassroots activism and the importance of challenging systemic injustice. It serves not only as a place of law but also as a beacon of the progress achieved through the courage and determination of individuals who fought for equality.
This renaming ensures that the contributions of the Méndez family and the broader Latino community to the civil rights movement are recognized and remembered for generations to come.
