In the 60's, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales and Chicano community members founded an urban civil rights and cultural movement called the Crusade for Justice. He became one of the central leaders in the Chicano movement and a strong proponent of Chicano nationalism and self-determination. During this time Corky, and his organization, supported high school walkouts, and demonstrations against police brutality. He was one of the first civil/human rights leaders to speak out against the Vietnam War at mass demonstrations around the country.

For the 1968 Poor People’s March to Washington D.C. organized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Gonzales led a Chicano and Native American contingent from the Southwest. While there, he issued his "Plan del Barrio" which called for better housing, education, community owned businesses, and restitution of pueblo lands.

One of the most important roles played by Gonzales, and The Crusade for Justice, was as organizer of the three Annual Chicano Youth Liberation Conferences, the first that took place in 1969. These Conferences drew large numbers of Chicano youth from throughout the United States. At the first conference, the ground breaking El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan was created. The next conference in 1970 further refined Gonzales' efforts toward Chicano self-determination that lead to the formation of the Colorado La Raza Unida Party. One of his greatest contributions to the struggle was the ability to forge coalitions with people and organizations locally and nationally. Corky never wavered in his commitment to enhance the lives of Chicanos and all oppressed peoples. He was the fist of the Chicano Movement.