Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) announced that President Biden signed into law his bipartisan legislation to rename the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse in honor of civil rights trailblazers Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez. The Mendez family fought alongside the Ramirez, Estrada, Guzman, and Palomino families in the landmark 1947 federal court case Mendez v. Westminster that led to the end of segregation in California schools. This case laid the groundwork for Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated schools nationwide. 

Gomez’s bill was included in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, making the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez U.S. Courthouse the first federal courthouse in history named after a Latina. The courthouse sits just blocks away from where the historic Mendez case was originally decided. You can read more information about the Mendez family and Gomez’s legislation can be found HERE.

“I’m proud the president signed into law my bipartisan bill honoring Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez – whose courage fighting school segregation helped bring equality across the U.S., and I want to thank their daughter Sylvia for her partnership in getting this done,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez.“This courthouse will serve as a lasting tribute to their civil rights advocacy and the enduring Latino American legacy in our nation’s history.”

“As a young girl who just wanted to get a good education, I could have never imagined that one day there would be a law honoring my parents and the four other brave families’ fight for equality,” said Sylvia Mendez, whose education and that of her brothers Gonzalo and Jerome, was at the heart of the Mendez v. Westminster case. “My parents were joined by the Ramirez, Estrada, Guzman, and Palomino families who also faced discrimination and refused to give up on their vision for a more equal society, where the color of someone’s skin doesn’t determine their access to education. I am deeply grateful to Congressman Jimmy Gomez for making this tribute a reality by naming the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse after them. This ensures their fight for justice, and this critical piece of history, will never be forgotten.”

“UnidosUS is very proud of our support for Congressman Jimmy Gomez's bill to rename the federal courthouse in honor of Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez and the Ramiro, Estrada, Guzman and Palomino families, who took on school segregation in California in Mendez v. Westminster and helped pave the way for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision,” said Janet Murguía, UnidosUS President and CEO. “This renaming is a long overdue recognition of these courageous and dedicated families' unique place in the fight for justice and equality, and we salute Congressman Gomez for his tireless efforts to help tell the full story of the Latino community's role in our nation's history.”

“This naming is a wonderful tribute to Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez and the countless families who were on the forefront of the legal struggle to desegregate our schools,” said Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA). “These civil rights pioneers made our state, country, and democracy more whole, and transformed our education system for generations to come. This courthouse will stand as a testament to the principles of equal justice and equal rights under the law.”

“Renaming Los Angeles’ Federal Courthouse to honor Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez is a testament to their bravery and determination in fighting for equality in education. Their efforts not only desegregated schools in Southern California but also laid the foundation for educational civil rights across the nation,” said former Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA). “I’m grateful to Representative Jimmy Gomez for his leadership in ensuring the Mendez family’s legacy is celebrated—a legacy that continues to inspire progress in our public schools and uplift the Latino community in California and beyond.”

"I extend my heartfelt thanks to Rep. Jimmy Gomez for his leadership and work to honor the legacy of Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez through legislation to name the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse in their memory. The CHC is also deeply grateful to President Biden for signing this bill into law,” said Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. “The Mendez family’s courageous fight in the landmark Mendez v. Westminster case ended segregation in California schools and paved the way for Brown v. Board of Education. Their legacy reminds us of the power of activism and the fight for equality. This recognition ensures their contributions to civil rights will inspire generations to come."

“In 1946, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez took a bold stand that secured the right to quality education for countless generations of California students. Naming the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse after these civil rights icons is a fitting tribute, honoring their courage and the justice they helped achieve,” said Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “The Mendez family's story is intertwined with another act of resilience and solidarity: the Mendez family relocated to Westminster after leasing farmland from the Japanese American Munemitsu family, who were enduring the injustices of federal incarceration during World War II. Their connection underscores the strength of unity in adversity. I appreciate our CAPAC Executive Board Member, Congressman Jimmy Gomez, for his dedication to preserving and commemorating the powerful legacy of the Mendez family.”

“I’m proud of the step forward we’ve taken today now that President Biden has signed the legislation to name the Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse after Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez,” said Congressman Horsford (NV-04), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “The contributions of the Mendez family have made an impact on civil rights history, and their courage to challenge segregation transformed California and laid the foundation for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision that reshaped education across the country. This courthouse will now stand for their legacy and their commitment to work toward justice and equality.”

“Hispanic Federation and our partners across the country proudly celebrate the passage of Congressman Jimmy Gomez's legislation to rename the First Street Federal Courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles in honor of civil rights pioneers Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez. The dedication of this courthouse is a lasting reminder of the Mendez family’s courage and the importance of continuing their fight for civil rights. As home to the nation’s largest Latino population, Los Angeles stands as a fitting location to memorialize the Mendez family's enduring contributions to Hispanic American history,” said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “Their courageous fight for justice not only transformed California but reshaped the national landscape of educational equity, and this courthouse will stand as an enduring reminder of their legacy as well as their commitment to equality for all.”

"As the 70th anniversary year of Brown v. Board of Education draws to a close, the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse reminds us of shared connections that link opportunity to justice in the fight for equality. The NAACP commends Congressman Gomez for advocating that this chapter in civil rights history achieve recognition,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO.

The NAACP wrote a letter of support for Rep. Gomez’s legislation to memorialize the Mendez family, and the following 21 advocacy organizations also submitted a letter of support: Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS); Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network); GreenLatinos; Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); Hispanic Federation; Hispanic National Bar Association; IDRA; Labor Council for Latin American Advancement; LatinoJustice PRLDEF; Latinos for Education; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); MANA, A National Latina Organization; Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF); Migrant Legal Action Program; National Hispanic Media Coalition; National Hispanic Medical Association; National Latinx Psychological Association; National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association; SER National; The National HEP/CAMP Association; and UnidosUS.

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