Treganza Heritage Park renaming also honors history of humanitarian Lemon Grove doctor
Photo: Roberto Alvarez at the far right in the third row
Courtesy: California State Library (1928)
By Kathleen Connell
February 10, 2020 (Lemon Grove) -- A City Council discussion and unanimous resolution to rename City Center Park to Treganza Heritage Park opened an unexpected floodgate of memories about the diverse history of Lemon Grove, and a too-often-forgotten national Latinx farmworker landmark legal victory.
Desegregation of US schools is usually attributed to the landmark 1954 legislation, Brown vs. The Board of Education. In fact, the first successful desegregation challenge occurred at Lemon Grove in San Diego’s East County. Roberto Alvarez vs. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District, a legal challenge known as the Lemon Grove Incident, occurred in 1931, in the agricultural town of Lemon Grove. Helen Ofield, past President of the Lemon Grove Historical Society, mentioned the historic win in passing to the City Council, in support of the park’s name change.
Recent comments