Sáenz, José de la Luz, 1888-1953.

Mexican American civil rights activist, educator, and World War I veteran. José de la Luz Sáenz was born May 17, 1888 in Realitos, Duval County, Texas. In 1900 the Sáenz family moved to Alice, Texas, where José graduated from high school in 1908. After attending business college in San Antonio, Sáenz obtained his teacher's certificate and began his lifelong vocation as an educator in South Texas. Following the entrance of the United States into World War I, Sáenz volunteered in 1918 for service in the armed forces. He served in the 360th Regiment Infantry of the 90th Division from Texas, stationed in France and occupied Germany. During his years in Europe, Sáenz kept a diary which was published in 1933 as Los méxico-americanos en la Gran Guerra y su contingente en pro de la democracia, la humanidad y la justicia (San Antonio : Artes Gráficas). In his diary, Sáenz linked the American World War I "rhetoric of democracy" with the Mexican American struggle for civil rights. Upon his return from the war, Sáenz translated his experiences and sacrifices--and those of the many other American soldiers of Mexican descent--fighting for democracy into a movement for Mexican American civil rights in Texas. Sáenz had an early involvement in the establishment of LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens. He died on April 12, 1953, and is buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.