Mexican Colonized History, 1821-1993
A Brief and Partial Chronology of Texas
1963-1970
Researched, compiled & edited by Mario Longoria, Ph.D.
–1963. Mexican American voters revolt in Crystal City, Texas. Mexican candidates oust 5 Anglo city council members and elect 5 Mexican Americans in their place. This political victory eventually leads to the founding of “La Raza Unida Party.”
–1964-1975; the Vietnam War. Mexican Americans served valiantly even though their casualty rate is 20% compared to the 11% of the U.S. population they represent.
–The Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas lists 55 alumni and community residents as casualties of the Vietnam War. This casualty rate is exceedingly high for a single school district in Texas. A review of the casualty list of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardsmen revealed many decorated veterans that included the Purple Heart, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star and Air Medal.
–U.S Marine Corps Sergeant Alfredo Gonzalez from Edinburgh, Texas received The Congressional Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam.
–U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Miguel Hernandez Keith from San Antonio, Texas received the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam.
–U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez from El Campo, Texas receives the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam.
–1966. The Texas “Poll Tax,” which kept many Mexican Americans from voting is declared unconstitutional and abolished
–1970. Patrick Flores is the first Mexican American named Bishop of the San Antonio Catholic Archdiocese.
-(June 4, 1970) Federal District Judge Woodrow Seals, in “Cisneros vs. Corpus Christi Independent School District held that Mexican Americans are an “identifiable ethnic minority group” for the purpose of public school desegregation…Judge Seals further stated that they are entitled the same protection afforded Negroes under the landmark decision of “Brown vs. Board of Education.” –
