Marker to honor labor leader san antonio expressnews. Ucapawa year book 1938, 22, case file 195114, rg 280, na. The case of luisa moreno national museum of american history. Starting on january 31, the strike lasted until march 8. She was born on december 21, 1916 in the west side of san antonio. It was a small victory but it gave the community hope and was a step forward in the struggle for equality.
After the activities in 38, 39, did you make it a conscious decision to retire from labor organizing. The pecan shellers strike occurred in 1938, in san antonio, texas, with the. Was able to get superintendant fired and books banned. She is best known for her work organizing mexican workers in texas during the 1930s, particularly for leading the 1938 southern pecan shelling company workers strike. Considered the largest labor strike in san antonios history, it saw mainly mexican american pecan shellers, organized by labor activist emma tenayuca, protest wage cuts by the southern pecan shelling company. Emma tenayuca and the san antonio labor movement during the great depression zaragosa vargas the author is a member of the history department in the university of california, santa barbara in the 1930s mexican americans fought their first major battles for worker rights and racial equality when they joined the. Ebook emma tenayuca as pdf download portable document. Emma tenayuca, annie mae carpenter the feature documentary recovers stories of working people in texas and demonstrates the power of labor and liberation. The workers organized under the international pecan shellers union ipcu local no. Shellers early connection with emma tenayuca brooks, a.
There we see a 20yearold tenayuca lead the 1938 pecan shellers strike in texas. Emma tenayuca, religious elites, and the 1938 pecan shellers strike. Emma tenayuca tells her story, texas observer 75, no. Emma tenayuca was just sixteen years old in 1932 when she joined a strike of women cigar makers. She was first arrested when she was sixteen, but by the time she led the pecan shellers strike she had become a real threat to business as usual in san antonio. Rights activist emma tenayuca, seen in 1937, led 12,000 pecan shellers on strike in 1938. She was arrested for the first time at age 16 after joining a picket line of workers striking against the finck cigar company. Additional gift options are available when buying one ebook at a time. Cigar strike and activist beginnings emma tenayuca was just sixteen years oldin 1932 when she joined a strike of women cigar makers. Vilified by the conservative establishment that controlled san antonio, she became a beloved.
The strike was documented in newspapers nationwide. What we can learn on the 80th anniversary of the san. From an online biography of emma tenayuca by 1937 emma held a leadership role with. This picture book tells the true story of emma tenayuca, who at the age of 21 led. With her family and neighbors strongly affected by the privations of the great depression, she joined labor protests on behalf of the working poor. University of texas at san antonio and the threat of godless communism guaranteed the hostility of the catholic church. While the pecan shellers strike is recognized by many as the birth of the chicano movement, it is shrouded in myth and denial about its iconic communist leader, emma tenayuca. Emma tenayucas struggle for justice, a bilingual childrens book that tells. Emma tenayuca led a strike by pecan shellers in 1938, when she was 21.
Emma tenayuca 21 years oldorganized 1938 pecan shellers strike in san antonioasked for higher wages and better work conditionsshe and her husband communists. Undaunted, emma tenayuca remained firm in her commit. Utsa the university of texas at san antonio 3,047 views. From a newsletter about emma tenayuca tenayuca participated in the picket line and was arrested. We had excerpted from an interview conducted by geoffrey rips, living history. Emma grew up with a strong social conscience and a drive to help. Emma tenayuca and the 1938 pecan shellers strike a short account of the life of emma tenayuca and the texas pecan shellers strike of largely hispanic workers in which she played a leading role.
To my amazement, emma tenayuca came to life through an animated cartoon in the exhibition american enterprise. The 1987 march on nacogdoches was the result of the annie mae carpenter race and gender discrimination lawsuit initiated by the naacp ten years earlier. Emma tenayuca and the 1938 pecan shellers strike libcom. Emma tenayuca and the 1938 san antonio pecan shellers strike 12 min 8 years old and up. The 1938 san antonio pecan shellers strike was a labor strike involving 12,000 pecan shellers in san antonio, texas, united states. By 1937, when she was twentyone emma held a leadership role with the workers alliance of america, a group that sought to unite organizations of unemployed and industrial workers. Biography of emma tenayuca, who, in 1938, led 12,000 poor mexicanamerican workers in a strike for better wages. Ilgwu strikes but tenayucas role in the pecan shellers strike of 1938 receives.
In depressionera south texas, a young mexicanamerican woman broke tradition when she stood up for oppressed workers in her community and made an. Tenacious labor leader and educator emma tenayuca was born in san antonio in 1916. This book is an excellent contribution to our effort to diversify the immigrant narrative, as it exposes not only the initial hardships of immigrating to the u. Emma beatrice tenayuca, mexican american labor organizer, civil rights activist, and educator, oldest daughter of sam tenayuca and benita hernandez zepeda, was born in san antonio, texas, on december 21, 1916. As charismatic leader of san antonios workers alliance, honorary chair of the pecan strike, and the public face of the communist party in the city, tenayuca was subject to constant pressure and. This compelling tale, best for grades 26, recounts the biographical story of emma tenayuca, a young, mexicanamerican activist. Tenayuca was a central figure in the radical labor movement in texas during the 1930s and a leading member of the workers alliance of. Emma tenayuca biography e mma tenayuca, born in san antonio in 1916, was a texan through and through. It speaks of emma tenayuca s role for the importance of the womens strike in san antonio. This is an article that provides information about the strike and the background of emma tenayuca. Courtesy courtesy 2 of 3 rights activist emma tenayuca, seen in 1937, led 12,000 pecan shellers on strike in 1938. I saw my first strike activity during the finck cigar strike, it was not the first such strike.
This picture book tells the true story of emma tenayuca, who at the age of 21 led thousands of mexicanamerican pecan shellers in a successful strike. Ethnic mexicans labor activity in texas california state. The strike lasted three months, and the number of strikers and supporters reached 12,000. Emma beatrice tenayuca, mexican american labor organizer, civil rights activist, and educator was a central figure in the radical labor movement in texas during the 1930s and a leading member of the workers alliance of america and communist party of texas. Emma tenayuca s struggle for justice, a bilingual childrens book that tells the story of her contributions to the pecan sheller strike, as well as in the playdramas written to honor her dedication and contributions. August 25, 1939 tenayuca prepares to speak at a meeting of the communist party when a riot breaks out at municipal auditorium. It showed that one person, no matter how small, can make a difference. From 193448, she supported almost every strike in the city, writing leaflets, visiting homes of strikers, and joining them on picket lines.
The 1938 san antonio pecan shellers strike, in richard croxdale and melissa. Emma tenayuca 19161999 was a hispanic labor activist, organizer, and humanitarian in texas, best known for leading the pecan shellers strike in san antonio in 1938. A full biography of tenayuca s life is in the process of being written by her niece scheduled for publication in 2021. Emma tenayuca was born in born in san antonio, texas in 1916. Her mother was a member of the cepeda family, one of the first spanish families to settle san antonio in the early 1700s.
The original strike leader was emma tenayuca, a wellknown figure in san antonio politics and the dominant force in the workers alliance, a national organization formed by the communist party during the great depression. Tenayuca, whose husband, homer brooks, was a former communist party gubernatorial candidate, had led sitdowns at city hall and battled pay cuts in the work projects. Located in the print periodicals collection, 2nd floor, blume library. She is best known for her work organizing mexican workers in texas during the 1930s, particularly for leading the 1938 san antonio pecan shellers strike. In depressionera south texas, a young mexicanamerican woman broke tradition when she stood up for oppressed workers in her community and made an important contribution to the fight for social justice. The pew and the picket line collects works from a new generation of scholars working at the nexus where religious history and workingclass history converge.
Mexicanamerican emma tenayuca fought for women workers. The original strike leader was emma tenayuca, born in 1916, a wellknown figure in san antonio politics and the dominant force in the workers alliance, a national organization formed by the. Tenayuca was a central figure in the radical labor movement in texas during the 1930s and a leading member of the workers alliance of america and. A short account of the life of emma tenayuca and the texas pecan. Local union leaders quickly realized that they did not have the resources necessary to overcome san antonios white power elite. Emma beatrice tenayuca, mexican american labor organizer, civil rights activist, and. Only by working outside dominant religious institutions, as emma tenayuca did, were of these religious activists able to support the striking pecan shellers. Born and raised culturally catholic herself, tenayuca fit the profile of a catholic dedicated to socialjustice causes and. Tenayuca, emma beatrice the handbook of texas online. Right to work lawsresponse to red scare and communists in unions. Focusing on christianity and its unique purchase in america, the contributors use indepth local histories to illustrate how americans male and female, rural and urban. Emma tenayuca, leader of the pecan shellers strike of 1938 photo courtesy of the institute of texan cultures. Strike in 1938 and one of its central activists, emma tenayuca, this thesis reevaluates.
From a newsletter about emma tenayuca in 1936 tenayuca joined the communist party. Antonio walkout one of the only cio strike success stories in the south. Emma tenayuca, religious elites, and the 1938 pecan. Although this article does not mention emma tenayuca, it provides details about the 1938 pecan shellers strike and its aftermath. At age 16, tenayuca joined a picket line of workers on strike against the. On one of the great unsung heroes of the american labor. She is perhaps best remembered for her role in organizing the largest strike in san antonio history, the pecan shellers.
Bilingual spanish and english biography of labor activist emma tenayuca for. The authors focus on emma s childhood and her awakening empathy with mexicanamerican laborers. In 1938, at the age of 21, she led a successful strike of 12,000 pecan shellers. Emma tenayuca and the san antonio pecan shellers strike of 1938, from stephen harrigan and the university of texas press.