Compare Constellations

Bernal, Joe, 1927-. Oral history interview with Joe Bernal, 2003 [videorecording].

Title: Oral history interview with Joe Bernal, 2003 [videorecording].

Joe Bernal begins with his family history and his perspective of the Catholic relgious culture in San Antonio. He recalls his brothers working for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression on projects which included the Alazan-Apache Courts and the San Antonio River Walk (now the Paseo del Rio). He tells about the family's survival after his father's death, discusses the negative effect of school pressure to speak only English, relates an incident of early gang violence, and praises the sports program at the Mexican Christian Institute (later the Inman Christian Center of the Disciples of Christ). He shares his experiences with race discrimination under a training program at Texas Tech University prior to his induction into the U.S. Army and his transfer to the Pacific Air Command, United States Army (PACUSA). He recounts his experiences in Manila, the Philippines, and in Tokyo, Japan, including Emperor Hirohito's daily meeting with General Douglas MacArthur. Dr. Bernal elaborates on his post-war educational choices and attributes efforts of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) for higher education opportunities in Texas for Mexican Americans. He points to the Good Government League in convincing him to run for public office and to redistricting for aiding his election. He provides details on his election campaigns and campaign finances, and comments on his election opponents David Carter, David Evans, Frank Lombardino, and Nelson Wolfe [sic, Wolff] to whom he lost his senate election in 1972. Dr. Bernal talks about leaving state politics and returning to school administration prior to his election to the Texas State Board of Education. He reports on his meeting in Rio Grande City with Benito Rodríguez who was assaulted by Texas Ranger Captain Alfred Y. Allee, cites the court case against the Texas Rangers in the abuse of United Farm Workers organizer Francisco 'Pancho' Medrano in South Texas, and describes his own confrontation with Allee. He explains the formation of the Mexican American Democrats of Texas (MAD) and of the Tejano Democrats and discusses the Raza Unida party. He mentions such prominent Mexican Americans as Henry B. Gonzalez, Juan Maldonado, Tony Sanchez, Albert Peña, and José Luís Tovar.

ArchivalResource: 1 videocassette (VHS) (2 hr., 3 min.) : col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript, 99 p. ; 28 cm.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/420511737 View

Canales, Alma, 1947-. Oral history interview with Alma Canales, 1997 [videorecording].

Title: Oral history interview with Alma Canales, 1997 [videorecording].

Alma Gloria Canales begins with her personal and family background. She recalls her family's trip to the Traverse City, Michigan area as migrant farm workers and notes the race discrimination they encountered when they migrated through West Texas, particularly in Levelland. She shares information about her journalism scholarship to attend Pan American University, being hired by editor Jim Mathis of the 'Edinburg Daily Review' as a reporter, and the controversy over her college editorials regarding the recruitment of African Americans with basketball scholarships. She talks at length about the political tensions following the La Casita Farms strike in Starr County when she was assigned to run the 'Rio Grande Herald' by its new owner, Jim Mathis, and a particular incident involving Joe Bernal and Texas Ranger Captain Alfred Y. Allee. She concludes as to why her boss, Jim Mathis, was not intimidated by threatened litigation into firing her, due to his family connections with Brown and Root, Inc. She provides details of her work for the 'Castro County News' and 'Ya Mero,' the United Farm Workers newspaper, and tells about Senator Edward M. Kennedy's visit to South Texas. She talks about her work with the Colorado Migrant Council and the day care centers she began for Head Start in Wisconsin and in Edinburg. She explains the Colégio Jacinto Trevino program funded by the Zale Foundation and her studies in Mexico City. She describes the women's protest march which led to the 'Pharr Police Riot' and the shooting of bystander Alfonso Loredo Flores. She addresses the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO) Conference held in La Lomita and reveals Narciso Alemán's shortcomings as a leader. She mentions the work of Alex Moreno with the Colonias del Valle and of Jesus 'Chuy' Ramirez's with MAYO. She criticizes the Raza Unida Party's statewide thrust for recognition at the cost of local political efforts and blames Ramsey Muñiz and Carlos Guerra for the party's failure. She contrasts her campaign for Lt. Governor of Texas on the Raza Unida Party ticket with that of Ramsey Muñiz's bid for Governor. She relates her involvement in many aspects of the Waco, Texas community and that of her husband, Louis Steven Espinoza, in the local MAYO and Raza Unida Party.

ArchivalResource: 2 videocassettes (VHS) (3 hr., 8 min.) : col. ; 1/2 in.Transcript : 88 p. ; 28 cm.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/320956910 View