Word of the mayor’s beliefs spread. Emma’s involvement in Communist Party activities led her to join the Workers Alliance of America, a group dedicated to supporting laborers, particularly those unemployed during the Depression. Part I can be found here . In 1968 she returned to San Antonio, earning an MA from Our Lady of the Lake University. In San Francisco, California, she studied education at San Francisco State College, returning to San Antonio for a master’s degree, spending her career teaching in her hometown’s Harlandale School District. Why was Emma asked to step down from leading the pecan shellers’ strike? Cihak and Zima (photographer), Ida B. Wells-Barnett, ca. Emma Tenayuca Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999) was a labor organizer, activist and writer most known for her leadership in the 1938 Pecan Shellers Strike in San Antonio. "I was arrested a number of times. Emma Beatrice Tenayuca was born on December 21, 1916, in San Antonio, Texas. Emma Tenayuca standing by a jail cell. She studied briefly at the Workers' University of Mexico in 1936 and took classes at the University of Houston and Sinclair Business School in Houston in the 1940s. Although she still believed in social justice and racial unity, the war and other factors pushed her away from organized politics. (d. 1999) Person. Tenayuca married Homer Brooks, a leader in the Communist Party of Texas, in October 1937. A Catholic newspaper proclaimed, "In the midst of this community exists a woman by the name of Emma Tenayuca who wants to spread disorder and hatred…. Eventually, Tenayuca went on to pursue a college degree. Building a New Nation, 1783-1828 explores the foundation of the new nation, how women’s rights were suppressed in the formation of the new government, and the central roles women played in the creation of the new American identity. San Antonio has never been known as a strong union town, but it was the site of a major uprising by laborers in 1938. Barbara Jordan was a U.S. congressional representative from Texas and was the first African American congresswoman to come from the Deep South. Tenayuca returned to San Antonio in 1968. Compare Ella May Wiggins’s life story to those of Clara Lemlich and Emma Tenayuca and consider why and how women were active participants in labor movements. Her image--striding in front of a line of marchers or standing at a microphone shaking her fist as she stirred the strikers to struggle on--inspires the Undercover agents attended meetings where she was present, eavesdropped on her conversations, and interviewed former colleagues and friends. The Crew Members Who Died in the Challenger Explosion . Although Emma was no longer a public figure, she found ways to remain politically involved. She later earned a master’s in education from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Tenayuca's communist beliefs ostracized her from parts of her community. ", However, Tenayuca was clear about what had compelled her to become an activist: "I had a basic underlying faith in the American idea of freedom and fairness. But Homer did not want to back down. is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico.In the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, Tenayuca was a settlement on the former shoreline of the western arm of Lake Texcoco.It was located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the northwest of Tenochtitlan (the heart of present-day Mexico … The early 1940s were a stressful time for Emma, but she did not know that there was a looming threat following her. “Oportunidades Iguales Para Las Mujeres En El Trabajo y La Educaccion”, Women’s Strike for Equality, New York, Fifth Avenue, 1970, Eugene Gordon photograph collection, 1970-1990. Gertrude Kasebier (photographer), Zitkala Sa, Sioux Indian and activist, c. 1898. What has the author Emma Ellwood Miller written? She had been jailed many times and had recieved many death threats. Her close relationship with a grandfather who read the newspapers with her and took her to rallies for the rights of the poor fed the young girls profound hunger for both learning and social justice. December 21, 1916: Emma Tenayuca is born in San Antonio, Texas: 1924: The U.S. Border Patrol is created. Emma’s father’s family was descended from the Native people of the region. Chien-shiung Wu (1912-1997), professor of physics at Columbia University, 1963. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. She raised him as a single mother. Or did Emma Tenayuca do steroids, coke or even stronger drugs such as heroin? After this event, Tenayuca was sent death threats and was unable to find work under her own name. Emma died on July 23, 1999 in San Antonio. Emma Miller died in 1917. No Es Justo! In 1938 she married organizer Homer Bartchy who used the alias "Homer Brooks." She has become a role model for many Mexican American women since because of her important labor organizing work and her fearlessness. Tenayuca, Emma (21 December 1916–23 July 1999), labor organizer, community activist, school teacher, was born in San Antonio, Texas, the first daughter of eleven children born to Sam Tenayuca and Benita Hernandez Zepeda. It welcomed people of all races and supported Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency. This was during the Great Depression era and when Jim Crow laws were enforced with a heavy hand. They threw rocks at the police stationed outside and forced their way inside. Anti-Communists destroyed the room and held an “Americanism” rally, during which they denounced all Communists and the mayor, whom they burned in effigy. Daisy Bates was an African American civil rights activist and newspaper publisher who documented the battle to end segregation in Arkansas. Emma Tenayuca never worked again as a labor organizer. Having to leave San Antonio because of death threats, she lived in Houston briefly, then moved to San Francisco, thereafter returning to San Antonio. Maury Maverick was as close as you could get to Anglo royalty in San Antonio. Nicolás Enríquez de Vargas (artist), Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, ca. By 1937 she'd joined the Communist Party. SUBJECT: Union movement, S.A., 1930s INTERVIEW WITH: Emma Tenayuca DATE: February 21, 1987 PLACE: Her home in San Antonio As the Great Depression continued in the 1930s, Tenayuca used her roles in organizations like the West Side Unemployed Council and the Workers Alliance of America to push for better treatment for Mexican Americans who were not receiving equitable access to Works Progress Administration resources. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. As a young woman, Emma Tenayuca advocated for civil and labor rights for Mexican and Mexican American workers who had little political and economic power. Although Emma was less involved in politics, the FBI watched her. Expansions and Inequalities, 1820-1869 examines what Westward Expansion meant to the diverse women living within and outside of the expanding nation’s borders, how women responded to the burgeoning immigration debate, and the roles women played in the early years of the Industrial Revolution. Emma eventually took on the role of chairperson of the Texas State Committee of the Communist Party. Emma Beatrice Tenayuca was born on December 21, 1916, in San Antonio, Texas. Emma was against meeting in such a public place. Emma quickly noticed a pattern. Afterward, the police chief declared, "the Tenayuca woman is a paid agitator sent here to stir up trouble among the ignorant Mexican workers. Emma is part of a long history of female labor leaders. Emma Tenayuca was born on December 21, 1916 in San Antonio, Texas. Emma moved to California in 1945 and ended her membership in the Communist Party shortly after that. Tenayuca died in 1999, leaving behind a legacy of courage and compassion. Her work contributed to a positive outcome. Why did Emma exile herself from high-profile political action? When the crowd outside heard 150 Communists singing “The Star Spangled Banner,” they were furious. Described by one professor as “a woman people attempted to write out of history,” the sixteen-year-old Mexican American labor activist was arrested for striking against San Antonio’s Finck Cigar Company in 1933. Her efforts helped establish local branches of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. bio September 14, 2020 No Comments Biography. In the days that followed, Emma received many death threats. Tenayuca was one of 11 children and the oldest daughter of Sam Tenayuca and Benita Hernandez Zepeda. Born in 1916 in San Antonio, Texas, Emma Tenayuca lived at a time when Mexican-Americans were allowed few freedoms and fewer privileges. ... Emma Tenayuca died … Emma fled San Antonio for Houston, where she worked in a series of office jobs to make money. She graduated from Brackenridge High School in … Emma and her colleagues believed San Antonio was full of laborers in need of organizing. Other leaders of the strike asked Emma to step out of the spotlight. Following a violent clash that broke out when she and other Communists were meeting in San Antonio in 1939, Tenayuca could not find work under her own name in Texas. One year later, she graduated high school. However, once back in her home state, Tenayuca learned her earlier activism was now lauded. He later called those years the worst time of his life. Reflection: Emma Tenayuca had many bad things happen to her in her life. She retired from teaching in 1982. Tenayuca died on July 23, 1999, after developing Alzheimer’s disease, and was buried at Mission Burial Park in San Antonio. Local authorities disliked the protests and demonstrations Tenayuca led. Tenayuca was arrested for unlawful assembly, assaulting an officer, and disturbing the peace. Growing up, Tenayuca saw some relatives' disdain for her "Indio" father. Smithsonian Institute Archives Image # SIA 2010-1509. Tenayuca took part in her first strike with workers from the Finck Cigar Company. She was arrested for the first time at age 16 after joining a picket line of workers striking against the Finck Cigar Company. 1890. Emma Tenayuca was born in San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 21, 1916. San Antonio native Emma Tenayuca was a pioneering activist involved with issues that resemble those of modern times: disparity of rich and poor, and substandard wages and working conditions of laborers and migrant workers. After graduating from high school in 1934, she continued to support labor actions, engaging in activities that ranged from creating leaflets to standing on picket lines. Though out of the limelight for many decades, Tenayuca “never lost her passion for social justice and empowerment,” notes her niece, Sharyll Teneyuca, a San Antonio attorney who with Tafolla has written a children’s book, That’s Not Fair! Emma was not necessarily interested in becoming an activist or leader, but she knew that she had to fight the social injustices of the world. in South Bexar County until her retirement in 1982. Emma was often arrested for her activities and received regular threats from anti-labor activists. Tenayuca died at the age of 82 in San Antonio on July 23, 1999. It was a small victory but it gave the community hope and was a step forward in the struggle for equality. New-York Historical Society. In addition, the FBI maintained a file on Tenayuca and surveilled her until 1953. At the wake for Emma, the Tenuyca family invited Maria Antonietta Berriozabal to lead the community in praying the rosary, that the voices of her family and community may accompany her sours journey to the other side. She earned a BA from San Francisco State University and became a reading teacher in 1952. How did she continue to be involved? When did Emma Ihrer die? Inside, Emma and Homer opened the meeting by singing the national anthem. When police broke up the picket, she was arrested. Pecan shellers, who were mostly women, suffered higher rates of tuberculosis and blamed their poor health on the work conditions. He fought in the War of 1812 and died at the Alamo in the Texas Revolution. The article and bibliography were prepared by R. Matt Abigail and Jazmin León for the Texas State Historical Association, the Handbook of Texas Online . Though out of the limelight for many decades, Tenayuca “never lost her passion for social justice and empowerment,” notes her niece, Sharyll Teneyuca, a San Antonio attorney who with Tafolla has written a children’s book, That’s Not Fair! Institute of Texan Cultures. Her application to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Corps during World War II was rejected, presumably due to her membership. She returned to San Antonio in the 1960s and died in 1999. Emma’s mother’s family traced their heritage to Spanish colonizers who owned land in East Texas for generations. When was Emma Miller born? Emma Ihrer died in 1911. Emma’s maternal grandparents encouraged her to take an interest in politics. Rather, divisions existed based on economic status, skin tone, and heritage. Tell us your opinion below. The 37-day pecan shellers strike involved as many as 6,000 workers, largely Hispanic, and is regarded as the first labor victory for Tejanos and Mexicans in U.S. history. San Antonio in 1916 was a world where women lacked civil rights, where minorities faced racism in every aspect of life and where workers lacked basic workplace protections or financial security. Emma Tatham died in 1855. Emma Goldman was born in Kovno, Russia and emigrated to live with a sister in Rochester, New York when she was fifteen. Tenayuca was one of 11 children and the oldest daughter of Sam Tenayuca and Benita Hernandez Zepeda. In 1935, she joined the Young Communist League. 1 of 2. Emma Tenayuca was an organizer and activist who fought for civil and labor rights for Mexican and Mexican American workers in San Antonio, Texas, in the 1930s. In 1937, police raided the Workers Alliance. From there she went on to teach in Harlandale School District until her retirement in 1982. 1750. Tenayuca (Nahuatl languages: Tenanyohcān [pronunciation?]) San Antonio in 1916 was a world where women lacked civil rights, where minorities faced racism in every aspect of life and where workers lacked basic workplace protections or financial security. She also protested beatings conducted by border patrol officers and the deportation of Mexican American citizens. She occasionally participated in Communist Party activities on a smaller scale. She later stated, "I carried an Indian name. Her name is Emma Tenayuca and history is just now starting to give her the credit she deserves. She departed Texas for California in the mid-1940s. Emma Tenayuca stands on the steps of City Hall in 1938, the same year she led a pecan shellers strike at age 21. Wiki User Answered . Institute of Texan Cultures. With her family and neighbors strongly affected by the privations of the Great Depression, she joined labor protests on behalf of the working poor. It was this historical background and my grandparents’ attitude which formed my ideas and actually gave me that courage to undertake the type of work I did in San Antonio.". See a Timeline of the US-Mexico Border. She was frustrated that the organization represented the same divides she witnessed at home. A common language did not unite San Antonio’s Spanish-speaking population. They both believed in unity among the races, and their marriage (Homer was white) represented this. New-York Historical Society Library. Tenayuca died in 1999, at 83. She divorced Brooks in 1941 and left her hometown in order to attend San Francisco State College where she majored in Education. I am embarrassed that I did not know who this amazing woman was and I certainly reflect the ignorance of Latino culture that pervades our white dominated society. A prominent figure in the labor movement of the mid-1930s was Emma Tenayuca of San Antonio. Dec 21, 2016 will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Emma Tenayuca, San Antonio’s acclaimed labor and human rights activist, who died at the age of 83 on July 23, 1999.To celebrate her birthday, a dozen community partners will kick off a series of events to both honor the historic icon’s lifelong commitment to justice and compassion for the poor, and to encourage … She eventually moved to California and became a teacher, and continued to teach when she returned to San Antonio in 1968. She was a San Antonio native and graduated, M.Ed., from Our Lady Of The Lake University. The Tejano community honored her and described her “La Pasionaria de Texas”—the passionflower of Texas. We strive for accuracy and fairness. 1985.212. "All of us were affected by the Depression," she once said. Emma and Homer were a Communist power couple. The pair divorced in 1941. IMAGE COURTESY UTSA LIBRARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AT ITC. By Kevin Lentz Editor’s Note: This is Part III of a three part series on the life and times of Emma Tenayuca. Emma Tenayuca ran quixotically for Congress the next year on the Texas Communist Party ticket, and even persuaded San Antonio’s just-elected mayor, Maury Maverick, to allow the use of the city auditorium for the party’s state convention. It showed that one person, no matter how small, can make a difference. "It's kind of like an incredible mixture of this unstoppable force … Emma’s maternal grandparents encouraged her to take an interest in politics. They had a permit from the mayor, who stated the Communist Party had the right to assemble in a public building. In her formative years Tenayuca followed election politics of the U.S. and Mexico. Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee: giving an account of her call to preach the gospel, frontispiece. The Historic New Orleans Collection, acc. 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