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He was born in Delano California to migrant farm workers, being the second oldest of 10 children. -
He spent his childhood helping his dad grow crops along side with his siblings.
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He started school in Stratford, California but was always moving due to his father's farm life. Before he finally settled in San Jose, California.
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He graduated from James Lick High School in San Jose -
He went to SJSU on a scholarship for math and physics. During his 2nd year there, he switched his major to English. -
He won a playwriting contest with his one-act play 'The Theft' in 1961.
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He wrote his first full-length play, 'The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa' which he directed at SJSU. -
He founds 'El Teatro Campesino' in in order to highlight the struggles of farm workers through 'actos'. -
He joins Cesar Chavez on the strike of Delano Grapes and also wrote skits to support farm worker struggles. -
El Teatro Campesino was awarded the Obie award for Innovative Theatre. -
Valdez gets married to Lupe Trujillo, a fellow play writer. -
He had 3 kids: Kinan Valdez, who is a director a cinematographer, Anahuac Valdez who is a cinematographer, and Lakin Valdez who is an actor. -
Zoot Suit premieres at Mark Taper Forum, it is about zoot suit riots that occurred in 1940's in LA. -
First Chicano play in Broadway history. -
This was a breakthrough for Chicano stories on mainstream media. -
Corridos: Tales of Passion and Revolution was a TV adaptation of the stage play Corridos! by Luis Valdez's El Teatro Campesino. -
He begins to write unproduced scripts for Hollywood. -
This is Mexico's highest honor for non-Mexican citizens, this is because of his plays which brought Mexican-American culture to be more known. -
He is diagnosed with diabetes type 2. Which slows down his film work so he focuses on theatre and teaching.
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He chooses to start teaching at California State University Monterey Bay and teaches drama and Chicano studies. -
He is awarded the National Medal for the Arts by Barack Obama for bringing Chicano culture to American drama through his work. -
They move to online performances and online storytelling. -
He continues to write, direct, and mentor young Chicano artists, also considered the Father of Chicano Theatre. -
