Pancho Medrano

Last updated • 9 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Pancho Medrano
Pancho Medrano (10019452) (cropped).jpg
Medrano at the dedication of the UAW Local 848 building.
Personal details
Born
Francisco F. Medrano

(1920-08-02)August 2, 1920
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
DiedApril 4, 2002(2002-04-04) (aged 81)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Spouse(s)Esperanza Jimenez
ChildrenFrancisco Jr., Roberto, Ricardo, Rolando, and Pauline
OccupationActivist
Known for Civil rights movement
Labor rights

Francisco F. Medrano (August 2, 1920 – April 4, 2002) was an American labor rights and civil rights activist. His work extended throughout the state of Texas and the country, and his family became prominent Dallas civic leaders. He is known for his motto: "In America, everything is politics, from the day you are born, until the day you die." [1]

Contents

Medrano rejected contemporary views of Mexican-American social and legal whiteness, in part because of the treatment he received because of his physical appearance: he was rejected from a work position because he looked "too much like a Negro to be hired". He expressed frustration with Mexican-American leadership, such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the American GI Forum, for being unwilling to organize protests. Medrano had no interest in identifying as Latino, and instead embraced the label of Chicano. [2]

Early life

Pancho Medrano in boxing attire Francisco Pancho Medrano in boxing attire (10019449).jpg
Pancho Medrano in boxing attire

Medrano was born on August 2, 1920, to Sabas Medrano and Nicolasa Franco at their home in the Little Mexico neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. [3] He grew up attending Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, [4] and was a member of the Asociacion Catolica de Jovenes (Catholic Youth Association) where a priest taught local children how to box. [5] Medrano often spoke of his memories of experiencing discrimination in Dallas. He recalled how metal rails were built around Pike Park to keep Mexican-American and African-American children from playing at the park, [6] and his mother had been denied service at a restaurant due to her ethnicity. [7]

He attended St. Anne's School during his childhood [5] and later Crozier Tech High School for a short period of time, but dropped out when the principal pulled him from class for a dress code violation because his shoes had large holes in the soles. The principal connected Medrano to a job breaking rocks at a rock quarry near Bachman Lake, where Medrano could earn money to purchase acceptable clothing. His boss at the quarry helped him into a Works Progress Administration (WPA) school, [8] and through his training he gained employment at a North American Aviation plant. [9] There he was introduced to semi-professional boxing and union work. [10] He began boxing during his 40-minute lunch breaks as a local light heavyweight, [11] and eventually becoming the heavyweight champion at North American Aviation. [10]

Labor activism

Medrano was introduced to union work when organizers distributed literature at the plant gates. He worked with organizers to create a union at the plant and lost his job for doing so. The Local 645 of the United Auto Workers-Congress of Industrial Organizations (UAW-CIO) was formed in 1943, and Medrano was reinstated at his job. [8] He was later elected Sergeant at Arms for Local 645 (which became Local 848 in 1962), [12] and in 1955 was elected as a trustee. Medrano left his job to become a full-time UAW official in 1963. [8]

Medrano campaign leaflets, Sergeant at Arms for UAW Local 645 Pancho Medrano campaign leaflets, Sergeant at Arms for UAW Local 645 (10019441).jpg
Medrano campaign leaflets, Sergeant at Arms for UAW Local 645

In 1967, Medrano was assigned to work in Starr County to advance labor rights. [13] He served as UAW representative at the picket lines in Starr County, and was present in the county as violence between the Texas Rangers and picketers escalated. Acts of violence occurred, included beatings of picketers by Texas Rangers during arrests. [14] Medrano had been arrested during one of these conflicts while taking photos of Texas Rangers arresting union picketers. The camera was opened by a Texas Ranger who alleged that he was determining if the camera was a weapon. [15] Medrano was punched in the face as he was being arrested. [14] In 1968, Medrano filed a civil suit alleging that the Texas Rangers, Starr County officers and officials, and local farmers had conspired to break the unions working in Starr County, and that Texas laws that were enforced during labor disputes were unconstitutional. The plaintiffs of this suit, Medrano v. A Y Allee, were Medrano, the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, the AFL-CIO, and picketers. Defendants were the Texas Rangers, State of Texas officers, and other public officials from Starr County, including Texas Ranger Captain A. Y. Allee. [16] The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of Medrano and his fellow plaintiffs, concluding that Articles 5154d, § 1 and 5154f of Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes and Articles 439, 474 and 482 of the Texas Penal Code were unconstitutional, thus rendering them null and void. The court also restrained the defendants from interfering with the plaintiff's civil rights and the civil rights of the class they represented. [16] The case would be argued again at the Supreme Court in 1973-1974. [17]

Civil rights and political activism

Until his retirement from the UAW, Medrano served as representative at several meetings with high-profile politicians and civic leaders. In 1977, he visited President Jimmy Carter at the White House as part of a 15-member UAW delegation. [18] In October 1979, Medrano was called to attend a White House reception because of his work with the Medrano v. Allee lawsuit and his work with farm workers and undocumented migrants. He met Pope John Paul II at the reception and took a paper he had written for the Pope to read as well as religious artifacts from community members for the Pope to bless. Medrano called the meeting the chance of a lifetime, and possibly the most important pilgrimage in his life. [4] Various sources also place Medrano at the Selma and Birmingham marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., protecting Lyndon B. Johnson during his visit to Dallas in 1960, and working with Cesar Chavez in Texas. [19]

Pancho Medrano and Cesar Chavez in Rio Grande City, Texas Pancho Medrano (left) and Cesar Chavez, Rio Grande City, Texas (10010577).jpg
Pancho Medrano and Cesar Chavez in Rio Grande City, Texas

In 1954, prominent Dallas Mexican Americans, including Medrano and Joe Landin, founded a Dallas chapter of the American GI Forum. [20] Medrano and activist Guadalupe Delesma requested that a school in the Dallas Independent School District be named after a Mexican American in 1970. [21]

Trinity River Massacre Raid

Medrano rose in prominence in Dallas following the shooting of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rodriguez in 1971. Thomas Rodriguez and his wife were shot by Dallas policemen who raided their apartment while searching for a suspect in the murders of three other Dallas policemen on February 15, 1971, which became known as the Trinity River Massacre. [22]

Medrano paid Thomas Rodriguez's bond. At a vigil held for the family on March 6, Medrano explained that outside pressure discouraging people from attending the vigil, fear, and not knowing that people could take a stand for their rights resulted in fewer than 100 attendees at the vigil. According to Medrano, church groups and Mexican-American organizations had been urged to attend the vigil and to visit the Rodriguez family to no avail. Instead, the first visitors and supporters of the Rodriguez family were members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Mexican-American Progressive Association member Frances Arredondo echoed his statements on the community being too afraid to take action. [23] Later reports disputed Medrano's report that no church members or representatives visited the Rodriguez family. [24]

State Representative Paul Moreno of El Paso arrived in Dallas on March 11 to show his support for the Rodriguez family and hold a press conference with the community. In an article regarding his visit, Medrano was quoted as urging the community to vote against members of the Citizens Charter Association, an organization that worked closely with Dallas businesses and politicians. [25] Medrano claimed that Dallas Sheriff Clarence Jones [26] was not listening to the community and continued to ignore requests to discuss problems with the community. [27] He reached out to the office of Senator Birch Bayh, who then became involved in addressing police violence against Mexican Americans in Texas. Bayh received allegations of shootings in Brownsville, Pharr, San Antonio, and Dallas, and stated that there was a need for a thorough and impartial investigation of the reported incidents by the Department of Justice. [28]

On March 21, Medrano directed a march during the Shrine Spring Parade in support of the Rodriguez family. Around 200 marchers participated. [29] Throughout the ensuing actions taken after the shooting, Medrano worked to build interracial solidarity, and worked with Dallas leaders such as Al Lipscomb and Ed Polk. [30]

Shooting of Santos Rodriguez

Following the police shooting of Santos Rodriguez in 1973, Medrano became active in community responses and protests in Santos' memory. Medrano directed crowds at the Reverchon Park rally held in honor of Santos in 1978. [31] At the rally, he addressed the crowd as a representative of the UAW, applauding the community response to the rally and noting that Santos' name would live on. [32]

Statewide activities

In January 1975, Medrano became a member of the executive committee of the newly-formed Tejano Political Action Committee (Tex-PAC). The Austin-based group was led by Leonel J. Castillo, Comptroller of the City of Houston. The purpose of the group was to promote equal-opportunity legislation and educate members of the Mexican-American community of the importance of political involvement. [33]

Personal life

Medrano's father, Sabas Medrano, died sometime in his thirties in circumstances unknown to his family. Medrano recounted in an oral history interview that his father was allegedly arrested by Dallas police officers behind a fire station on Laws and McKinney Streets, near where Medrano was born. The family never saw Sabas again, and at the time of the interview, did not know where he was buried. Medrano's mother went on to marry a man named Pedro Centeno. [5]

Pancho Medrano married Esperanza Jimenez, and they had five children: Francisco Jr., Roberto, Ricardo, Rolando, and Pauline. Roberto served as a Dallas ISD trustee for 13 years until he lost an election in 1986. [34] Ricardo was on the Dallas City Council from 1979 to 2003, and served as president of the Dallas Brown Berets for a time. [35] Pauline was on the council from 2005 to 2013. She served as Dallas Mayor Pro Tem from 2011 to 2013, and is a graduate of University of Texas at Arlington. Rolando is also a graduate of UT Arlington, and earned his master's degree from Southern Methodist University. [36] The children were often brought into political activities since their childhood, and political activities became family affairs. [8] Francisco Jr.'s son, Adam Medrano, was elected to the Dallas City Council District 2 seat in 2013, and serves as Mayor Pro Tem.

Several of Medrano's children and peers were interviewed by Texas Christian University for a project called Civil Rights in Black and Brown, and spoke of his story and legacy. [37] Dallas ISD's Francisco "Pancho" Medrano Middle School is named after him. [38]

Medrano died on April 4, 2002. The funeral was at Gonzáles Funeral Home, rosary at the Hall of State in Fair Park, and services at Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, 2215 Ross Ave. He was buried at Calvary Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Dallas. [39]

Related Research Articles

Texas Rangers (baseball) American professional baseball team

The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington, Texas, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. In 2020, they moved to the new Globe Life Field after having played at Globe Life Park in Arlington from 1994 to 2019. The team's name is shared with the law enforcement agency of the same name.

United Farm Workers American labor organization

The United Farm Workers of America, or more commonly just United Farm Workers (UFW), is a labor union for farmworkers in the United States. It originated from the merger of two workers' rights organizations, the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) led by organizer Larry Itliong, and the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. They became allied and transformed from workers' rights organizations into a union as a result of a series of strikes in 1965, when the mostly Filipino farmworkers of the AWOC in Delano, California initiated a grape strike, and the NFWA went on strike in support. As a result of the commonality in goals and methods, the NFWA and the AWOC formed the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee on August 22, 1966. This organization was accepted into the AFL-CIO in 1972 and changed its name to the United Farm Workers Union.

Globe Life Park in Arlington Stadium in Arlington, TX, US

Globe Life Park in Arlington is a multi-purpose stadium in Arlington, Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth. Originally built as a baseball park, it was home to the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame from 1994 until 2019 when the team vacated the stadium for Globe Life Field. It was constructed as a replacement for nearby Arlington Stadium and opened in April 1994 as The Ballpark in Arlington.

The Cisco Kid Fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series

The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in the collection Heart of the West, as well as in Everybody's Magazine, v17, July 1907. Originally a murderous criminal in O. Henry's story, the Kid was depicted as a heroic Mexican caballero later in films, radio and television adaptations.

John Coffee Hays Texas ranger and politician

John Coffee "Jack" Hays was an American military officer. A captain in the Texas Rangers and a military officer of the Republic of Texas, Hays served in several armed conflicts from 1836 to 1848, including against the Comanche Empire in Texas and during the Mexican–American War.

<i>Under a Texas Moon</i> 1930 film by Michael Curtiz

Under A Texas Moon is a 1930 American Pre-Code musical Western film photographed entirely in Technicolor. It was based on the novel Two-Gun Man which was written by Stewart Edward White. It was the second all-color, all-talking feature to be filmed entirely outdoors, as well as being the second Western in color and the first all-talking, all-color Western. The film features one theme song by the title of "Under A Texas Moon."

Dallas Police Department Dallas, Texas law enforcement agency

The Dallas Police Department, established in 1881, is the principal law enforcement agency serving the city of Dallas, Texas.

Queer Liberaction (QL) is a Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas-based grassroots organization advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. The group was founded in November 2008 following the international attention surrounding California's Proposition 8, which changed that state's Constitution to deny marriage rights to any LGBT couples who are not defined as "a man and a woman", passed by a slight majority. The organization is a proponent of same-sex marriage rights for LGBT couples, considering civil unions and domestic partnerships as less than full equality.

Little Mexico is a former neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, encompassing the area bordered by Maple Avenue, McKinney Avenue and the MKT Railroad. Formerly a Polish Jewish neighborhood, it was settled by a wave of Mexican immigrants beginning about 1910, and was recognized as Little Mexico by 1919, becoming a center of a Mexican-American community life in the city that lasted into the early 1980s, with a peak of population in the 1960s. Pike Park and a few structures are the remnants of the historic neighborhood, redeveloped as Uptown, including the Arts and West End Districts.

History of the Texas Rangers (baseball) aspect of history

The Texas Rangers Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise was established in 1961 as the Washington Senators, an expansion team awarded to Washington, D.C., after the old Washington Senators team of the American League moved to Minnesota and became the Twins. The new Senators remained in Washington through 1971 playing at Griffith Stadium in their first season and at RFK Stadium for the next 10 years. In 1972, the team moved to Arlington, Texas, where it became the Texas Rangers. The Rangers played at Arlington Stadium from 1972 to 1993, Globe Life Park in Arlington from 1994 to 2019. The team moved into Globe Life Field in 2020.

Michael Choice American baseball player

Michael Blair Choice is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Choice played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, and in the KBO League for the Nexen Heroes.

Alfred Young Allee was the grandson of Alfred Allee who became sheriff of Karnes County, Texas in 1892. He was born in La Salle County, Texas and became a Texas Ranger like his father and grandfather.

Marcos A. Rodriguez Cuban-American radio broadcaster and entrepreneur

Marcos A. Rodriguez is a Cuban-American entrepreneur, movie producer, businessperson and investor. He is the founder and CEO of numerous American media outlets including KLTY, KUUR, an FM radio station serving the Carbondale, Colorado area and "TV Aspen" KCXP-LP, a television station in Aspen, Colorado. These radio and television stations represent the only locally owned stations in Aspen.

Guilder Rodríguez Venezuelan baseball player/coach

Guilder Alfredo Rodríguez Pérez is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and current professional baseball coach in the Texas Rangers organization. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers.

History of Mexican Americans in Dallas–Fort Worth aspect of history

There is a rapidly growing Mexican-American population in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Adelfa Botello Callejo was an American lawyer and civil rights activist of Mexican descent.

José Tomás Canales was an American businessman, lawyer, and politician based in Texas. He served five terms in the State House, where he was the only Hispanic representative at the time. He is best known for his work on behalf of Mexican-Americans and Tejanos in Texas, defending civil rights of Hispanic and other minorities.

Pancho Claus Hispanic version of Santa Claus popular in parts of the United States, sometimes referred to as a "Tex-Mex" version of Santa

Pancho Claus is a Mexican version of Santa Claus popular in parts of the United States, particularly Texas. Pancho Claus is sometimes referred to as a "Tex-Mex" version of Santa. Growing out of the Hispanic civil rights movement of the 1970s, the Pancho Claus tradition incorporates a strong element of charity, with gift-giving and events run for the benefit of disadvantaged children.

Murder of Santos Rodriguez

On the morning of July 24, 1973, in Dallas, Texas, 30-year-old Dallas Police Officer Darrell L. Cain fatally shot Santos Rodriguez, a 12-year-old Mexican-American child. Officer Cain and Officer Roy R. Arnold were investigating reports of a burglary at a Fina gas station when they took Santos Rodriguez and his 13-year-old brother David Rodriguez from their home for an impromptu interrogation over the burglary. Cain shot Santos Rodriguez while conducting Russian roulette on the brothers in an attempt to force a confession from them.

The 1971 shooting of Dallas police officers occurred on February 15, 1971, when Rene Guzman and Leonardo Lopez abducted five law enforcement officers in West Dallas, Texas, killing three officers and injuring one at a site near the Trinity River. One deputy was able to escape the shooting and call for help. Guzman and Lopez were suspects in a burglary in Ellis County, Texas, and the officers were obtaining consent-to-search forms when they were abducted.

References

  1. Lantz, Gene (January 13, 2017). "Civil Rights Leader Pancho Medrano Will Be Honored". DALLAS AFL-CIO COUNCIL.
  2. Phillips, Michael (2006). White Metropolis : Race, Ethnicity, and Religion in Dallas, 1841-2001 . Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. pp. 164–165. ISBN   9780292796195.
  3. Birth Certificate, Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. Francisco Medrano, 40954. August 2, 1920. Rec'd April 11, 1942.
  4. 1 2 Stiteler, Betsy (October 5, 1979). "'Chance of lifetime': hispanic to meet pope". The Dallas Morning News .
  5. 1 2 3 "Francisco 'Pancho' Medrano Interview". Tejano Voices. July 16, 1997.
  6. Phillips, Michael (2006). White Metropolis : Race, Ethnicity, and Religion in Dallas, 1841-2001. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. p. 70. ISBN   9780292796195.
  7. Gonzales Funeral Home (April 2002) Funeral Program for Francisco F. Medrano . The Deaton-Kennedy Co.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Stiteler, Rowland (May 1980). "Lords of Little Mexico". D Magazine .
  9. Simnacher, Joe (April 5, 2002). "Political Patriarch Mourned". The Dallas Morning News.
  10. 1 2 "Westward Portrait: Francisco Medrano". Dallas Times Herald . September 1983.
  11. "Medrano Signs for Friday Fight". The Dallas Morning News. May 12, 1948.
  12. "Pancho Medrano Honored Again". Labor Dallas. January 10, 2009.
  13. "Reuther Arrives". The Dallas Morning News. June 9, 1967.
  14. 1 2 Glasrud, Bruce A; Maroney, James C (2013). Texas Labor History. Texas, USA: Texas A&M University Press. pp. 376–382. ISBN   978-1603449458.
  15. "Allee Says Minister Seemed to be 'Ram-Rod'". The Dallas Morning News. June 14, 1968.
  16. 1 2 United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Brownsville Division (June 26, 1972). "Medrano v. Allee". Casetext.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. "Allee v. Medrano". Oyez.org. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  18. "Action Meeting". The Dallas Morning News. February 27, 1977.
  19. "Civil rights legend Pancho Medrano honored". People's World . November 10, 2006.
  20. Phillips, Michael (2006). White Metropolis : Race, Ethnicity, and Religion in Dallas, 1841-2001. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. pp. 129–130. ISBN   9780292796195.
  21. Wiessler, Judy (February 12, 1970). "School Board Votes to Join in Equity Suit". The Dallas Morning News.
  22. MCNALLY, BRENDAN (January 2016). "The Trinity River Massacre". D Magazine.
  23. "Latins, Blacks Hold Vigil for Rodriguez". The Dallas Morning News. March 7, 1971.
  24. "Worker Visited Rodriguezes". The Dallas Morning News. March 8, 1971.
  25. McNeely, Dave (March 12, 1971). "Rep. Moreno Visits Dallas to Ponder Rodriguez Case". The Dallas Morning News.
  26. Hitt, Dick; Stout, Nancy (1982). "History of the Dallas County Sheriff's Department" (PDF). Dallas County.
  27. Schwartz, Maryln (March 15, 1971). "3,000 'Help' Rodriguezes". The Dallas Morning News.
  28. Presley, Merikaye (March 17, 1971). "Probe Asked for Lawmen In E. Dallas". The Dallas Morning News.
  29. Kliewer, Terry (March 21, 1971). "Protesters March in Shrine Parade". The Dallas Morning News.
  30. "Tres Colores de Piel Diferente en Defensa de Una Misma Causa...La Justicia". El Sol de Texas . March 5, 1971.
  31. Kenny, Steve; Newman, Maria (July 17, 1978). "Rally, march 'a start for la raza'". The Dallas Morning News.
  32. Kenny, Steve (July 18, 1978). "Mexican-Americans praise march's unifying effect". The Dallas Morning News.
  33. "Mexican-Americans Form Lobbying Group". The Dallas Morning News. January 26, 1975.
  34. Mullen, Holly (June 12, 1997). "My two sons?". Dallas Observer .
  35. Lobrovitch, Mitch (August 5, 1973). "Berets Wait, See". The Dallas Morning News.
  36. "FAMILY OF THE WEEK: THE MEDRANO FAMILY". The Dallas Post Tribune. May 22, 2014.
  37. TCU. "Civil Rights in Black and Brown: "Medrano"".
  38. "EDUCATION NOTES". The Dallas Morning News. May 7, 2007.
  39. Simnacher, Joe (April 5, 2002). "FRANCISCO MEDRANO SR.: 1920-2002 - Political patriarch mourned". The Dallas Morning News.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Pancho Medrano at Wikimedia Commons