Rodolfo Acuña, an American historian and educator, died on March 23, 2026, at age 93.
He was a professor at California State University, Northridge, and a scholar of Chicano studies. Acuña wrote the 1972 book “Occupied America: A History of Chicanos,” a foundational survey of Mexican American history.
Born in Los Angeles on May 18, 1932, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Los Angeles State College, now California State University, Los Angeles, and later received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Southern California.
Rodolfo Francisco “Rudy” Acuña (May 18, 1932 – March 23, 2026) was an American historian and educator who was a professor at California State University, Northridge. He was also a scholar of Chicano studies and the author of the 1972 book Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, a foundational Mexican American history survey.