Lolita Lebron - Fireworks Graphics Collective

Primary Artist: Terry Forman

Created: San Francisco Collective, 1980

Medium: Offset Printed

Dimensions: 11″ x 17″

On March 1, 1954, Lolita Lebrón, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Irving Flores and Andres Figueroa Cordero carried out an armed attack the US House of Representatives to protest Puerto Rico’s new designation as a U.S. commonwealth and calling for independence for Puerto Rico and for an end to US colonialism. Five congressmen were wounded. The Four Nationalists received lengthy prison sentences of 50 to 75 years. In 1979 after an international campaign, Jimmy Carter issued commutations to the group. After their release they returned to Puerto Rico, where people received them as heroes. Lolita immediately began a lecture tour of Puerto Rican communities in the U.S. to advocate for independence and support the recently imprisoned 11 Puerto Rican Prisoners of War. Lolita was a lifelong fighter for independence including protesting the US Navy bombing exercises on the island of Vieques.

In 1978, Pablo Marcano and Nydia Cuevas Rivera occupied the office of the Consul General of the Chilean Consulate in Puerto Rico for one day, holding the Consul General. They demanded the release of the Puerto Rican Nationalist prisoners as well as the ceasing of July 4th celebrations on the island. For this, Pablo and Nadia were sentenced to 22 years in prison each, later reduced to seven. When the Nationalists were released in 1979, they campaigned for the release of these two independentistas.

Image: Drawing of Lolita Lebrón with fist raised, in front of the Puerto Rican Flag.

Words: Lolita Lebron, On A National Tour to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War. Free Nydia and Pablo!, U.S, Navy out of Vieques! No to Statehood! Free Puerto Rico! Long Live the Heroic F.A.L.N.! Free the 11!

Speaker: Lolita Lebrón

Color: red, blue, black on white paper.

Event: Wed. May 28, San Francisco, CA at the SF Women’s Building.

Sponsors: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, Movimiento de Liberación Nacional (MLN), Comité de California Contra La Represión (Comité de California), New Movement in Solidarity with Puerto Rican Independence and Socialism.