Oscar "Zeta" Acosta

Paper Summary:

The paper relates the background of Oscar "Zeta" Acosta and contrasts Acosta's life as a revolutionary and visionary who helped Latinos gain equality with his addiction to drugs and his alleged associations with those of questionable characters. The paper reviews also Acosta's semiautobiographical works concerning the Latino movement; "Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo" and "The Revolt of the Cockroach People". The paper offers a personal reflection on Acosta and posits that despite a turbulent past and many personal conflicts, one cannot deny his leadership and powerful role in improving the rights of all minorities.

Outline:
Bibliography
Review of Literature Work - Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo
Review of Literature Work - Revolt of the Cockroach People
Reflection

From the Paper:

"Oscar "Zeta" Acosta was born in El Paso, Texas, in April 8th 1935, and raised in a rural town named Riverbank near Modesto, California. He was a lawyer, writer, and political activist, but was most famous for his semiautobiographical works concerning the Latino movement; "Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo" and "The Revolt of the Cockroach People." Acosta was raised as the head of household after his father was drafted in WWII. The result was the occasional feeling of being alone and separated from everyone and it shows in some of his writings. After high school he joined the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged after four years. After serving in the Air Force he attended classes at Modesto Junior College and then San Francisco State University."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Acosta, Oscar Z. The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo. 1st ed. New York: Vintage Books, 1972. 11-199.
• Augenbraum, Harold, and Margarite Fernandez Olmos, eds. The Latino Reader. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 97. 308-317.
• Bass, Shermakaye. "Tracking the Mysterious Brown Buffalo." Gettingit.Com. 5 Aug. 1999. 2 Apr. 2008 <http://www.gettingit.com/article/603>.
• "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Wikipedia. 4 Apr. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas>.
• "Guide to the Acosta, Oscar Zeta Papers,1936-1990." California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives. 2002. 2 Apr. 2008 <http://cemaweb.library.ucsb.edu/acosta_toc.html>.

More papers on Oscar "Zeta" Acosta:

• Book Review # 139408 : "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" - A Book Review"
• Film Review # 136904 : "Oscar Micheaux's "Within Our Gates"
• Book Review # 73561 : "The Uprooted" by Oscar Handlin"

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