¡Viva Mexico! - Chronicle In Education

!
Viva
Mexico!
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage with
storytelling, art, and history
Includes a
story of
Benito Juarez
and
Cinco de Mayo
Exciting student
activities inside!
This program is generously sponsored by Chevron.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
History of Cinco de Mayo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Aztec Treasures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Age of Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Fighting for Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Famous Hispanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Customs and Celebrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Fiesta Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Popular Hispanic Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Art and Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Los Váqueros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Houston's Hispanic Settlers . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Credits
Pamela Stone Ciaccio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Writer
Sara Padua Abogada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor
Summer Amin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Designer
History of
Cinco de Mayo
In 1862, in the town of Puebla, a battle took place between the French and the
Mexicans. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexicans' victory in this battle!
Cinco de Mayo also celebrates the courage of the Mexicans who believed, “If you don’t
give up, you can win — even if the odds are against you!”
Who is Benito Juarez?
Benito Juarez was born in a small
village called San Pablo Guelatao,
Oaxaca on March 21, 1806. His
parents died when he was three
years old, so Benito and his older
siblings lived with their grandparents. After their grandparents died,
Benito lived with his Uncle Bernardo, who taught Benito
to speak and read Spanish. (Benito had spoken a
dialect called Zapotec).
Later, Benito went to the city of Oaxaca for
three weeks, where he lived with Mr. Antonio Maza and
helped with domestic chores. Mr. Maza sent Benito
to live with a priest named Antonio de Salanueva, who
sponsored his studies at the seminary for several years.
After that, Benito left the seminary and studied law at
Oaxaca State University.
Two years later, Benito moved to Oaxaca City,
the capital of the state of Oaxaca, where he continued
learning. Here, he worked as a bookbinder in exchange
for the cost of his schooling. At the age of 28, Benito
became a lawyer and defended the poor.
But he wanted to do more. Benito entered politics and became his state’s governor. Benito wanted to
bring peace again to Mexico, protect every citizen and
make sure everyone had equal rights. Benito Juarez
inspired a very famous proverb: “Entre los individos
como en las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la
paz.” (Between individuals, as well as among nations, the
respect of others’ rights means peace.)
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Benito
Juarez becomes
president of Mexico:
In 1858, Benito Juarez became president of Mexico.
This was a dangerous time in Mexico. Far away, in France,
the French Emperor decided he would try to take over
Mexico. In 1862, he sent soldiers across the sea to fight
the Mexican people.
What happened
on Cinco de Mayo?
When the Mexicans learned the French army was
advancing, they hid in the hills and waited for them. On
Cinco de Mayo (May 5, 1862), thousands of French soldiers marched on foot. Thousands more rode on horseback.
The soldiers’ pointed rifles looked like a forest of prickly
spikes. Horses pulled heavy cannons over the bumpy
ground.
The land was covered with weapons and soldiers! At
noon, the battle began. The French thought the battle
would be over quickly. But, to their surprise, the
Mexicans fought hard.
By late afternoon, the French were
running out of bullets and cannon balls.
Many soldiers were dead or wounded.
Finally, the French rode away.
Viva Mexico!
The Mexicans won. Viva Mexico! Now they knew they
were strong.
But the war
was not over.
The French Emperor was angry at the news of “Cinco
de Mayo.” He sent 30,000 more soldiers to Mexico. Soon,
they took over Mexico City.
President Juarez had to flee the city.
Free again!
For four years, the French ruled Mexico (May 17, 1863
to June 19, 1867). But, Benito Juarez and other Mexican leaders kept fighting. At last, in 1867, they won. The French left.
Mexico was free again. From that time on, no other country
has ruled Mexico.
President Juarez rode back into Mexico City. He raised
the Mexican flag over the city. “Viva Mexico!” he cried. “Viva
Mexico!” shouted the people.
How is Cinco de Mayo
celebrated today?
Today, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in both Mexican
and American cities. People young and old
parade in the streets — dancing, singing and making
merry remembering the
“Battle of Puebla.”
Student Activities
Holiday fun...
How many holidays, past or present, can you find listed in
the Houston Chronicle? Divide into three teams and circle the
holidays. Read the Dining Guide and Flavor sections, as well as
the ads. (Hint: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Earth
Day, and more.)
Pick-a-celebrity...
Divide into three teams. Read the Houston Chronicle, especially the
Star section. Find stories or pictures of Hispanic celebrities. The
team that clips the most can lead the next activity.
Stage-a-parade...
The winning team selects a celebrity or group of celebrities to lead a parade. Then, the
class can create the parade, including the holiday theme, parade route, celebrity leader, costumes, floats, etc. Get permission to stage your own parade outside in front of
the school! If you can’t find all these items, pantomime the parade. Have fun!
BENITO JUAREZ
✥ How old was Benito Juarez when
he learned to read?
✥ Who taught him?
✥ In what city did he attend school?
✥ How did he pay for his schooling?
✥ How old was he when he became a
lawyer?
✥ When did he become President of
Mexico?
✥ What did Benito Juarez do when
he declared Mexico free?
✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥
CINCO DE MAYO
✥ What caused the battle of Cinco
de Mayo?
Chron.com activities...
✥ Go to chron.com. In Sports or Entertainment, find a picture of a Hispanic person
in the news. Write a summary of that news story.
✥ Go to chron.com. Search Jobs for employment positions available for people who
speak both English and Spanish. List at least five of those jobs.
✥ Go to chron.com. From Travel, find a place in Mexico that you would like to visit.
Write about something you would like to do there to help you learn about the history
or culture of that place.
✥ What does Cinco de Mayo mean?
✥ Describe the Battle of Puebla.
✥ What time did the battle begin?
✥ Where was the location of the
battle?
✥ Which side was defeated on Cinco
de Mayo?
✥ After the battle on Cinco de Mayo,
what did the French Emperor do?
✥ When did Mexico win its freedom
forever?
­­­­­4
Warfare
A ztec
TREASURES
Almost 700 years ago, Native American people called Aztecs lived in the
country we now call Mexico.
Land of
the legends
An ancient legend describes how the Aztecs wandered for many years without a home.
According to the legend, one day, their god,
Huitzilopochtli, told the Aztecs to build a city where they
saw an eagle on a cactus.
On an island in Lake Texcoco, they spotted their
eagle, so they built the great city of Tenochtitlan. For 200
years, the Aztecs were rich and powerful.
How Aztecs ruled
✥
✥
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✥
✥
An Aztec ruler was called the Tlatoani.
The people were divided into classes.
The noble class worked in the government.
Common people were craftsmen, fishermen
and farmers.
Rich people owned slaves.
Moctezuma
Moctezuma was a rich and powerful Aztec
ruler. He was carried around on a portable
throne. When his followers saw him in a
parade, they cheered and threw
flowers at his feet. Some waved
banners. Some presented him
with rare jewels or other riches.
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Home & families
Aztec parents, grandparents and children often
lived together in one house. When a baby was born, a special ceremony was held. For a boy, the family crafted a tiny
bow and arrow. For a girl, clothes and a spinning wheel were
made.
Commoners’
families
Children worked hard. Their
parents were strict. Girls helped in
the home. Boys fished or worked
in the fields. Boys and girls went
to separate schools, where
they learned weaving, feather
work, pottery and other crafts. Boys trained as
warriors.
Gods & goddesses
Aztecs believed that gods controlled their lives and
everything that happened in their world. The Aztecs made
sacrifices to:
✥ Tlaloc, the god of rain
✥ Huitzilopochtli, god of sun
✥ Coatlicue, fierce goddess of earth
✥ Xipe Totec, god of plants
✥ Tepeyolatl, the god of fire
✥ Quetzalcoatl, the god of the wind
The Aztec warriors left their homes and joined the
army at the sound of the war drums. The warriors wore stiff
cotton suits and carried wooden shields into battle. They
fought with bows and arrows, spears, and wooden clubs. These
fierce clubs were edged with sharp chips of volcanic rock called
obsidian.
The Aztecs did not kill their enemies. They took them
alive to pay tribute to the Aztecs and used them as slaves.
To the Aztecs, tribute was like a tax. It was paid with
food, treasures and slaves to provide for the Aztec people and
give riches to the nobles (ruling class).
Animal helmets
Aztec knights wore jaguar skins and feathered helmets
in battle. They believed these helmets gave them the
strength of wild animals.
How to make
a war helmet...
Materials: Tagboard, hole puncher, stapler,
yarn, scissors, markers, glue, “beautiful
trash” like feathers, fabric scraps,
cotton balls, stars, etc.
For a more organic look, you can
collect dried leaves, nuts or berries, or fur-like materials.
Procedure: Cut strip of tagboard to fit
around head as helmet. Then, decorate
helmet with objects. Use glue to fasten
objects onto helmet. You may draw symbols
of the gods or goddesses with markers.
You can use more than one strip of tagboard to add to helmets’ height. You may
use stapler to staple tiny objects or paper
objects onto helmet. You can also punch
holes in helmet and attach ribbon, yarn or
string for decoration.
Student Activities
Aztec feast...
Divide into groups of four. Read the Flavor section of the
Houston Chronicle. Select foods “fit for a king” and make a
list of foods you might serve Montezuma at an Aztec feast.
Weather watch...
The Aztecs named their gods and goddesses from their environment. Divide into groups
of four. Select weather-related stories from the Houston Chronicle and create god-like
names to describe them, like Helda, the goddess of Hurricanes, etc. The team with the
most names wins!
Tall tales...
The Aztecs loved to tell tall tales about heroes or “sheroes.”
Read the Houston Chronicle or scan its comics, and select
a hero or “shero.” Then, draw a picture of a heroic
figure taken from the Houston Chronicle.
Ask-a-hero...
Divide into groups of four. Two people select their favorite hero or “shero.” Remaining
group members act as reporters and interview the characters. Before the interview,
make a list of questions like: What two people were the greatest influence in your
life? What famous deed are you known for? Can you describe how you felt when you
did that deed? What did you gain from this experience?
Stor y writing...
Aztec
Art Activity
Can you draw & decorate a banner of Montezuma to
carry in a parade?
BANNERS
Materials: Construction paper in shape of banner or streamers; glue and glitter; tray (could
use half of egg carton) ; balloon sticks; tape to
attach banners or streamers to sticks; curling
ribbon. Colored markers.
Procedure: You may use markers to decorate
banner with symbols representing the gods.
Squeeze lines of glue on banner. Pour glitter on
banner. Shake off extra glitter into tray. Attach
banner and curling ribbon to stick.
PARADE
Class can go outside and parade around
school building waving banners in praise of Sun
God. Act out giving gifts to Aztec gods or
goddesses. Use rhythm instruments, chanting
or dancing.
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AZTEC QUIZ
1.
Who lived under one roof in an Aztec family?
2.Many Aztec __________ trained as
warriors.
3._____________ rode around on a portable throne.
4.About ___________ years ago, Native
American people called ________ lived in a
country known as Mexico.
5.For _________ years, the Aztecs were rich
and powerful.
From the research gained from interviews, each group writes a story about the hero or
“shero.” You can refer back to your original news article or the comics for added details,
like physical appearance, friends, relatives, residence, job, super powers or other facts.
­­­­­6
Spain’s great explorers of the late 1400s and the 1500s were like team players in
a serious game. The Spanish, Portuguese, French and English were all racing to discover and
claim the most land. Some explorers used whatever means necessary to make their country
the most powerful on earth.
The Conquistadors
After Christopher Columbus arrived in North America,
the conquistadors followed.
Hernan Cortes
defeats Moctezuma
Moctezuma II (1480? to 1520), the great-great grandson
of Moctezuma I, was the emperor of Mexico when the
Spaniards came. He ruled from 1502 to 1520. He and his
people believed that the conquistador Hernan Cortes, the
leader of the Spaniards, was Quetzalcoatl, the White God
of the Aztecs, who had sailed away many years before but
promised to return. At first, Moctezuma welcomed the
Spaniards with gifts of golden ornaments. Later, he tried
to keep them from entering Tenochtitlan, but it was too
late. Cortes captured the city and the emperor.
Bold adventurers
Like Cortes, the conquistadors were after one thing
— gold. These bold adventurers did not want to “settle”
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the New World. They were on get-rich-quick missions,
searching for gold and jewels. They came in a burst of
glory and blood, and were gone.
Hernando De Soto
As the conquistadors poured into America in the
years following Columbus’ voyages, the successes and
failures of a few became well-known. One of these was
Hernando De Soto.
De Soto had accompanied explorer Francisco
Pizarro into Peru in the 1530s, and he returned to Spain
as a wealthy man.
On the De Soto expedition, he arrived just north
of Fort Myers, Florida, on May 25, 1539. Entering Indian
villages, he often took hostages including the chief. Then,
he demanded food and lodging for his men.
When he was ready to move on, he took along the
hostages, freeing them only when the next Indian village
agreed to his demands.
In this way, the Spaniards moved
north from Augusta, Georgia, to
below Memphis, Tennessee, at the
Chickasaw Bluffs.
The Spaniards found
supplies of maize and beans
but no gold. Near Natchez,
Mississippi, the party stopped. De Soto, who was ill, suddenly died.
Four months later, the party returned to Spain.
They did not return with jewels and precious metals.
Starving and in poor health, the party returned in rags.
Student Activities
.
.
.
s
r
o
f
r
conquistado
Ads
Bring the Real Estate section from the Houston
Chronicle to class or go to chron.com/realestate. Read
aloud a few advertisements for lavish houses or estate
properties. Discuss how ad writers make copy appealing. Point out how ad writers use copy points, headlines,
body copy, slogans, humor, or figures of speech to
catch the readers’ attention.
De Soto seeks
adventurers...
\
Pretend you are Hernando De Soto seeking adventurers to search for gold and glory in the Americas. Divide
into four groups. Each group finds interesting ads from the
newspaper, then writes their own ads for Hernando De Soto.
Race relations...
The conquistadors did not treat the Aztecs fairly. They tricked Moctezuma into believing they were friendly, then they stole his gold and treasures. After defeating Moctezuma,
they enslaved his people. Find race-related stories in the Houston Chronicle and explain
how some people, because of race or class, are still treated unfairly.
Big business...
Luring people to the Americas was big business. Who
benefited from the Spanish discovering gold? Study the
Business pages of the Houston Chronicle. List three
businesses that, for profit, try to motivate customers to
buy or build a product.
Why did the Europeans call the
native people in Mexico and Peru
“Indians?”
✥ How did the Spanish soldiers
overrun the natives?
✥ How did the natives fare in North
America?
✥
✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥✥
DRAMA
Write a play about the influence of
Hernan Cortes in the settling of New
Spain. Don’t forget to answer these
questions:
✥ How did Hernan Cortes befriend
Moctezuma?
✥ Why did Moctezuma think Hernan
Cortes was a god?
✥ How did Moctezuma show his
appreciation to Cortes?
✥ What happened when Cortes discovered the riches of Moctezuma?
✥ How did the Spanish trick the
Native Americans?
NOTE: Begin with a storyline, divide
it into scenes, assign players, act
out play. Be sure it has a beginning, middle and end.
­­­­­8
Fighting
for
Did you know that Texas once belonged to
Mexico? Yes, it was a Mexican territory.
However, by the 1830s, nearly 35,000 immi-
grants were lured to Texas by the promise of land.
Anglo-American settlers outnumbered Mexicans.
Independence
rebels at the Alamo, Santa Anna ordered the execution of
a weaker nation.
340 Texas prisoners in nearby Goliad. To this day, Texans
Texans in Mexico
Texans felt they had little loyalty to Mexico’s
constitution and laws which required Texans to become
Mexican citizens or Catholic before they could acquire
land.
Alamo!” and “Remember Goliad!” bring forth passionate
Texans also objected to Mexico’s anti-slavery laws,
because many immigrants who colonized Texas brought
slaves with them to work the farmlands.
Many Texans opposed a centralized government
in Mexico. They wanted to rule themselves. They rebelled
against Mexico, seeking to set up an independent
republic.
Sam Houston
Sam Houston was appointed Commander-in-
Background of the war
memories to Texans.
2. BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO - April 1836
Santa Anna’s troops pursued what
was left of the Texas rebels — including
Texans wanted slavery
remember this bloody incident. The cries, “Remember the
frightened colonists — across eastern
Texas. But the rebel Texans soon assembled at the San Jacinto River, a mile from
Santa Anna’s army camp.
On April 21, 1836, during a siesta,
the Texas rebels attacked the Mexican
encampment. “A three-hour massacre followed, making
San Jacinto a war atrocity in its own right,” says historian
Sam W. Haynes. “The Texans killed 630 Mexicans, wounded
In 1844, James Polk was elected as president of
the United States. He was in favor of annexing Texas, which was controlled by Mexico.
The Mexican government warned that,
if Texas was admitted to the Union, a war
would occur.
In addition, there was a movement
by the United States to expand westward into new lands. This was called
“Manifest Destiny.”
After failed attempts to make concessions with Mexico, on
200, and captured 730 more.”
May 13, 1846, Major General Zachary Taylor led a battle
3. MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR - 1846 to 1848
of this battle, Congress declared war on Mexico, saying,
This war was fought between the United States
against Mexican soldiers near the Rio Grande. After news
“American blood was shed on Mexican soil.”
and Mexico over disagreements that had accumulated for
two decades. In the course of the war, U.S. forces invaded
More bloody battles
Chief of the newly formed Texas army, and he led a
Mexico and occupied the capital, Mexico City.
revolt against Mexico. David Crockett was one of the
U.S. volunteers for the Texas army.
of Mexico City, insisting that the Mexicans agree to turn
Cerro Gordo - A key victory for the Americans during
over land from the Rio Grande region of the northern ter-
the march from Veracruz to Mexico City. The battle, fought
ritory, including California, Nevada, and Utah, and parts
from April 17 - 18, 1847, cleared the way to Mexico City. Bloody battles
1. THE ALAMO - February 1836
In February 1836, Santa Anna’s army of 1,800
soldiers attacked the Texas rebels at the Alamo, an abandoned mission in San Antonio. After defeating the Texas
­­­­­9
At the war’s end, the United States took control
of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. With the
signing of the Treaty of Hidalgo and the gain of $15 million,
Chapultepec - A group of young Mexican military
Mexico agreed to these demands.
cadets were the dying heroes in this battle, which took
place at the Castle of Chapultepec, at the top of a rocky
In spite of this treaty, many historians regard the
Mexican-American War as unnecessary and an attack on
hill, towering 200 feet, inside the gates of Mexico City.
Continued on page 10
Continued from page 9
At sunrise on September 12, 1848, U.S. artillery
began blasting at Chapultepec’s walls and rooftops. The
shelling lasted 14 hours, but the Mexican troops held firm.
Inside the castle of Chapultepec, the bombardment
had taken its toll. The dead and wounded lay along the corridors. Without medicine or supplies, their fellow soldiers could
do nothing for them.
Brave soldiers
The fight for Chapultepec ended in bloody, hand-to-
hand combat, with U.S. troops scaling the walls of the castle
with ladders. Some of the bravest Mexican soldiers were student cadets, most were teenagers, the youngest thirteen.
According to legend, six cadets chose to die rather
than surrender: Agustin Melgar, Juan Escutia, Fernando
Montes de Oca, Vicente Suarez, Francisco Marquez, and
Juan de la Barrera. Juan Escutia is said to have wrapped
himself in the flag of Mexico before leaping to his death from
the castle wall. Known as the Niños Heroes (boy heroes), they
are remembered every year in a national patriotic ceremony.
This was the last battle of the Mexican-American
War. The next day, Mexico surrendered the capital of Mexico
City to the United States.
Student Activities
Politics...
Study the Editorial pages of the Houston Chronicle
for political and editorial opinions. Clip the editorials
and cartoons which portray Republican or Democratic
viewpoints.
Democrat v. Republican
Study your clips and decide whether or not you support the Democrats’ or Republicans’
point of view. Then, write a paragraph expressing your view. Remember, an editorial allows you
to express yourself freely!
Other Activities...
✥ Scan the Houston Chronicle for articles about wars. Discuss these wars.
✥ Divide into teams of five. Refer to the articles you’ve circled. Compare the modern-day
wars to the Civil War or the Mexican-American War. Consider — who is fighting whom?
Why are they fighting? Are they fighting to defend their own country or someone else’s?
How long have they been fighting this particular war?
✥ The Mexican-American War was a training ground for leading American and
Confederate officers who later fought in
the Civil War. They were: Ulysses S. Grant,
William T. Sherman, Robert E. Lee and
Jefferson Davis.
✥ Ulysses S. Grant said this about the
Mexican-American War: In his memoirs, he
recalled this war with shame, describing it
as “the most unjust war ever waged by a
stronger against a weaker nation.”
READ and DISCUSS
The Mexican-American War was more than
a skirmish between the United States and
Mexico. It was also a battle to retain the right
to own slaves. In fact, many historians think
that the war fueled the flames of the oncoming Civil War. Can you explain why?
✥ Read the Main News section of the Houston Chronicle. Can you find a reference to the
term “ethnic war?” What does that term mean? Refer to the war articles you’ve recently
pulled.
­­­­10
Famous
Hispanic People
Mama Ninfa, restauranteur
Rita Moreno, actress
Did you know that Rita Moreno
was the first Hispanic actress to win the
Oscar? She is listed in the Guinness Book of
Records as the only person ever to win
the four major prizes in show business: the Oscar,
the Grammy, the Tony and the Emmy. She has
three Emmy awards, in fact.
Moreno won her Academy Award as best
supporting actress in 1962 for West Side Story.
In 1972, she won her Grammy for her recording of
The Electric Company Album, which included her singing for a
children’s educational TV series. In 1975, she received a Tony for
her performance in The Ritz. In 1978, she received Emmy awards for
appearances in The Muppet Show, The Rockford Files, and most recently,
Oz on cable TV.
Born in Humaco, Puerto Rico, as Rosa Dolores Alverio, she came
to New York City when she was four years old. Rosa grew up speaking
English without an accent. She also began dancing lessons when she
was six. By thirteen, she appeared on Broadway for the first time.
At the age of fourteen, she went to Hollywood. And in 1956, she was
cast in her breakthrough role as Tuptim in The King and I. In 1961, she
was cast in West Side Story, where she received her Oscar.
Ms. Moreno has also worked within the entertainment industry to
secure more jobs for Hispanics. In 1988, she was given a New York
Image Award for lifetime achievement from the Hispanic Academy of
Media Arts and Sciences.
11
Ninfa Laurenzo is known to Houstonians as “Mama Ninfa.” She is
more than a successful restauranteur. She is a survivor. This is her story.
In 1969, Mama Ninfa’s husband died suddenly and she was faced
with supporting her family.
After praying, she mortgaged her house and opened
a little taqueria. The next morning, she called a contractor
about remodeling, and in 1973, Ninfa’s on Navigation became a
reality.
But troubles continued for the Ninfa family. The next week, a fire
destroyed the upstairs of the restaurant. Ninfa gathered her family around
her, saying, “We’re going to grit our teeth and fix it up.”
Within weeks, the restaurant reopened.
Soon, the lines began forming. People from all over Houston, including
River Oaks, came to Ninfa’s for tacos al carbon, enchiladas, tacos, and more
.. all like Ninfa’s mother used to make.
In less than 10 years, Ninfa’s grew into a multi-million dollar business with restaurants in
Houston and Dallas.
George Bush is a
frequent visitor, as was
John Travolta, when he
was filming the movie
Urban Cowboy.
Today, Ninfa's
Restaurants employ up
to 1,000 people, serving
more than 2 million
people a year; that’s
about 40,000 a week.
That’s a lot of tacos!
Famous
Hispanic People
Ellen Ochoa,
astronaut
In 1990, Dr. Ellen Ochoa was selected
to be an astronaut in NASA’s Space Shuttle
Program. Her message to other Hispanic
students regarding her success is, “If you
stay in school, you have the potential to
achieve what you want in the future.” Her
example reinforces those words.
A native of San Diego, she graduated from San Diego State before receiving
her master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from Stanford
University.
Before her astronaut training, she was the chief of the Intelligent
Systems Technology Branch at the NASA/Ames Research Center at Moffet
Field Naval Air Station in Mountain View, California. She is the first Hispanic
female ever to become an astronaut.
Roy Benavidez, Vietnam hero
Roy Benavidez, a Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient,
lived most of his life in El Campo, Texas. He earned the admiration and
respect of millions of Americans before his recent death at the age of 63,
following a long illness.
The son of Texas sharecroppers, Benavidez grew up knowing the
pain of prejudice and poverty. His parents died when he was young, and he
was raised by his uncle. Under the circumstances, Mr. Benavidez felt his
only way out was the army.
The young soldier was right. As a Green Beret, Mr. Benavidez gained
a sense of pride and an opportunity for adventure. During a secret mission
inside Cambodia, for instance, he proved his worth. When his Green Beret unit
was attacked by North Vietnamese, he saved the lives of eight men who were
surrounded by enemy fire.
With everything appearing lost, Mr.
Benavidez saved the day by repositioning troops, directing
helicopters and calling air strikes, and administering first aid to the
wounded — all while enduring dozens of injuries to himself, caused by
gunshot wounds, grenade explosions and hand-to-hand fighting.
Though praised for his brave actions, Mr. Benavidez responds
by saying he was only doing his “duty.”
Selena, superstar
Selena Quintanilla-Perez was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, to a musical family. By the age of six, Selena was already singing like a pro at her
father Abraham’s restaurant.
After the restaurant failed in the 1980s, Selena’s family moved to
Corpus Christi, where they boarded a rambling bus and toured South Texas,
singing at weddings and on the streets.
In 1986, Selena’s career began to take off. By February 1995,
Selena sold out the Houston Astrodome with her last concert for the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
At this time, trouble began. Selena began to suspect that her
fan club director, Yolanda Saldivar, was embezzling money. In March,
Selena confronted Yolanda. The two women argued, and Yolanda pulled
out a gun and shot Selena in the chest. An ambulance rushed to the
scene, but Selena was pronounced dead at 1:09 p.m.
As news of her death spread all over the world, fans mourned
the queen of Tejano music. The Friday she died will always be known
as Black Friday.
However, in July of 1995, Selena accomplished her greatest
musical goal — her dream of crossing over into the pop market.
Her first single, I Could Fall in Love, released posthumously, became
an instant #1 hit. Selena lives on in the hearts of millions of her
fans!
12
Las Posadas
In most Spanish speaking
countries in the Americas,
“Las Posadas” are celebrated
on December 16. This event
brings to life how Joseph and
Mary searched for a place
for Christ to be born. The
word “Posada” means “inn” or
“place of lodging.”
To celebrate this holiday, people go from house to
house knocking on the doors of friends and neighbors for nine
days. They pretend to be searching for the inn where Jesus
was to be born. They carry lanterns and small figures of Mary
and Joseph while singing carols or exclaiming, “Feliz Navidad,”
which means “Merry Christmas.”
When they reach the house where the nativity scene
is kept, they have a big celebration, where they eat tamales
and break a pinata.
The Day of
the Three Kings
The Day of the Three Kings is celebrated on January 6.
This holiday comes twelve days after Christmas. On the night
of January 5, children leave their shoes or an empty shoe box
stuffed with straw outside their houses for the camels of
the Three Kings. In the morning, the straw is gone, but in its
place, are candy, fruit and toys. This tradition reminds the
children of the Three Kings’ journey to find the
Christ Child.
­­­­­13
Day of
the Dead
Through the years, this celebration has become
a “blended tradition” accepted by both the Spanish and
native groups.
Native groups, for example, had customs which
showed respect for the dead. The Day of The Dead is one of
these events. To them, The Day of the Dead is not weird or
scary. The Taino Indians of Cuba, for instance, believed that
at night their dead family members came back to their
huts looking for food. During the Day of the Dead festivities,
the Indians set out favorite food dishes for their relatives
each night.
The Spanish explorers had a similar tradition, though.
On November 1, they have a day set aside to pray for people
who died. This day is called All Saints Day. And it also shows
respect for the dead. The day after is called All Soul’s Day —
when people pray for souls of the dead. With time, these ideas
of paying respect to the dead came to be called the Day of
the Dead.
Quinceañeras
15
On a Hispanic girl’s fifteenth
birthday, this day commemorates
her entry into adulthood. The
young girl dresses up in party
clothes and dances the night
away with friends and family,
as they feast on scrumptious foods!
Student
Activities
Relative power...
Find a person in the news that reminds you of
a favorite (or, not-so-favorite) relative. Then,
write down three of this person’s qualities,
good or bad. For each quality, write a sentence
telling how you found out the person has this
quality.
Groups galore...
With your class, look through the Houston
Chronicle and find stories or photos about
three different family groups. Then discuss
what common interest or experience is holding
each group together.
Rich relatives
Sometimes we are very concerned with the
money our relatives make. Look through different sections of the Houston Chronicle and
find one story from each section that deals
with money in some way. Print the stories or
headlines and combine them with your own
artwork to make a poster showing how money
affects our lives, especially the lives of our
loved ones.
ts four Hispanic recipes.
s
i
l
n
ctio
e
s
is
Th
Student
Activities
Bulletin board...
Look for Hispanic recipes or restaurant news
or ads in the Houston Chronicle. Also check
out chron.com for recipes plus restaurants
that serve Hispanic food. Create a classroom
bulletin board that highlights your favorite
Hispanic dishes
Did you know Hispanic cooking is the product of
two worlds? Livestock, cheeses, orchard fruits,
and wheat were brought to the New World by
the Spanish, as well as their special way of
cooking. In addition, the Spanish forced the
Maya of Mexico to become servants and
to prepare Spanish foods and spices.
After a while, the two cultures blended together — resulting in a new
way of cooking.
Chocolate Caliente
Mexicano
Chorizo con Huevos
Mexican Hot Chocolate. When it’s cold outside and you
need something warm to drink, why don’t you try this?
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
8 eggs
6 ounces of plain, sweetened
3 - 4 links chorizo sausage
chocolate or Mexican chocolate
Garlic powder
6 cups milk (preferably whole milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (unless you
are using Mexican chocolate)
2 teaspoons of sugar (if you want)
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over
low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and
the mixture is blended.
¡Celebracion!
Divide class into groups of five.
Create a celebration including food,
games, costumes and decorations.
Select which culture or custom you’d like
to celebrate and sketch out your ideas.
Present ideas to the rest of your class.
First peel off the skin of the chorizo. Take a frying pan
and mash the chorizo in the pan with a big spoon. Cook the
chorizo with a little bit of oil. When done, drain the chorizo
grease. Next put the eggs in the pan. Scramble the eggs. Mix
the eggs, chorizo and garlic powder to taste. Serve with a
flour tortilla.
Just before serving, use an egg beater and beat until smooth.
Buñuelos
Serves four.
Spanish delight... Mexican Pizza
Divide into groups. From the Houston
Chronicle Flavor section, select a recipe or
ingredient that may fit into a Latino dish.
For what celebration or occasion is this
dish created? Who prepares it? How
is it prepared? Describe the texture,
aroma, color and flavor — yum! Draw
a picture of this dish.
Sausage with Eggs. Egg-zactly the way to start the day!
Sweet
Mexican
dessert
snacks. When frying tortillas
for Mexican Pizza, you can also
A familiar dish with a Spanish zing!
make Buñuelos (ben-whe-lohs).
In a large skillet, add peanut oil to one-fourth inch depth.
Cut the tortilla into pieces, fry
Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry eight flour tortillas, one at a time,
until crisp, and then shake them
in hot oil until lightly browned and blistered (about 10 seconds
in a plastic bag containing cinnamon and sugar.
per side). Drain on paper towels. Then, prepare ground beef
and taco seasoning according to seasoning envelope
directions. Spread 2 tablespoons each of beef
and salsa. Sprinkle one-half cup cheese
and garnish with black olives and
green onions. Broil pizza eight inches
from heat for about two minutes until the
cheese is melted. Makes eight pizzas.
ART ACTIVITY
You Will Need: Glue, paper plates, markers, packing
materials (styrofoam, straw, etc.), yarn, string,
ribbon or material scraps.
To Do: Recreate collage of one of the Mexican
dishes listed. Make it look appetizing. Remember
color presentation! After you create your “dish,”
you may serve your classmates.
14
Popular Hispanic Games
Cascarones
Piñatas
At a Cinco de Mayo party, children delight in crowning the
Piñatas originated in Italy during the European Renaissance.
adults with “cascarones” (kahs-kah-ro-nas). They are
They were shaped like a clay ice cream cone with three points.
colorful confetti-filled eggs which crack open to shower
Mexico first used the piñatas to celebrate the Day of the
unsuspecting victims.
Three Kings. Children were told that the Kings put candy and
toys in the piñatas.
HOW TO PLAY
HOW TO MAKE CASCARONES
✥ Punch open a dime-sized hole in one end and a smaller
Break a piñata in a large, open space outdoors or in a gymna-
hole (the size of pencil lead) in the other end of each
sium. Suspend the piñata from a rope over the branch of a tree,
raw egg. Blow through the smaller hole to remove the
a building beam or a hook. The player is blindfolded and spun
insides of the egg. Wash the eggshell.
around three times by others. A stick or broom handle is placed
✥ Color the hollow egg shells with dye, magic markers or
acrylic paint.
✥ After filling the shells with confetti, the ends can be
sealed with tissue moistened with glue. Let them dry
in the player’s hand. The children shout, “Dale! Dale!" (dah-lay)
which means “Hit it! Hit it!,” and the player tries to whack the
piñata.
*Note: For safety, all observers should move away from reach of player with stick,
so he/she will not be able to accidentally hit anyone.
and your cascarones are ready for a fiesta.
Mexican
storytelling
Mexican stories (cuentos) are
important to the Hispanic tradition.
Before there was a written language,
there was storytelling. Although
Hispanic stories are entertaining,
they also teach lessons and explain
the meanings of things. Stories reveal
the morals, values and tradition of
each culture.
­­­­­15
Student Activities
Story search...
Look in the Houston Chronicle and find stories
about people who are struggling to keep something
that belongs to them. They may be trying to keep
their jobs, their homes or their businesses. What are
they doing to solve their problems? Write a paragraph
describing what they are doing.
Star search...
Look in the Houston Chronicle and find a story
about a Hispanic entertainer, musician or actor. Is
there a story behind this individual’s success? Do you
know how he or she became famous? Write a short
story about this person.
Sports star...
Look in the Sports section of the Houston
Chronicle. Locate stories about famous Hispanic
sports stars. Who are they? Why are they famous?
Which teams do they appear on? Who is your favorite?
Write a “Star Report” about your findings and present
it to the class.
o
p
c
a
o
t
Pand epetl
Ixtaccihuatl
A
POPUL AR
HISPANIC
TALE
Here’s a popular Mexican tale which takes place near two of Mexico’s two volcanoes near Mexico City.
Popocatepetl, or Popo, are called “smoking mountains” in Aztec.
In this story, lovely Princess Ixtaccihuatl falls in love
Princesss tells him she is promised to a brave warrior.
and her cries are heard no more.
with Popocatepetl. Popo is a soldier who wants to marry
her. Ixtaccihuatl’s father insists any suitor who wants to
name of her betrothed. The soldier tells the Princess that
Neighbors tell him that his lovely maiden died on the moun-
marry his daughter must first fight invaders in a foreign
Popocatepetl died in battle and asks for her hand in mar-
tain mourning her true love.
land. While Popo is away at war, the Princess turns away
riage. She refuses the proposal and runs away.
many interested suitors.
Ixtaccihuatl climbs a mountain near her garden.
mountain overshadowing the smaller Ixtaccihuatl. Then, he
Days pass, and the Princess sadly waits for her
When she reaches the top of the mountain, she falls to the
lights a candle and watches over his true love. Soon, snow
Popo. One day a soldier passes by and sees Ixtaccihuatl
ground and weeps. Snow begins to fall, but still she weeps
begins to fall and it covers him. The lovers are still buried in
working in her garden. He asks her to be his wife, but the
on the ground. Snow covers the maiden for many nights
these mountains today.
When asked, Ixtaccihuatl tells the soldier the
Student Activities
Playful animal puns...
Go through the Houston Chronicle and list puns, idioms or slang using animal names like
“dog days,” “donkey breath,” “sweathogs,” “a lion’s share,” “lion-hearted” and more.
Story play...
Using the information from the Houston Chronicle, make up a story about imaginary or
real animal characters. Use the animal names from your list in your story. Let the story show
conflict. Does a problem occur? Then, resolve the conflict. Each story must have a beginning,
middle and end.
Newscast...
Much later, Popo comes looking for his betrothed.
When Popo hears the tragic news, he climbs a tall
Activity
Select a favorite story and act it out with a team of
players. Be sure to select costumes and props (hats,
scarves, aprons, sword, spoon, pots, pans, etc.)
You may use large pieces of material to represent a
swamp or river. Follow these guidelines:
1. Make sure there are enough players. If there are
not, some people can be part of the environment...like a gurgling brook, a swishing tree limb,
a creaking door, swamp filled with frogs, and
more. The persons that play these parts can
make the noises and movements.
2.The play must have a beginning, middle and end.
3.Keep the action moving — you can change the plot
line if necessary to fit your needs.
4.Speak loudly. And don’t EVER turn your back to your
audience!
5.As an option, one person can narrate the story and
the others act it out if you’d like.
Collect “characters” from the story you created from the information in the Houston
Chronicle. Next, put leading characters in a TV newsroom. Assign characters, reporters, production crew, teleprompter, producer, director, make-up, prop person and anchor persons.
Create a fast-breaking news story. Put on a fast-paced newscast using all the necessary
participants.
16
and
Album” by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. “Being an
only daughter in a family of six sons forced me by circumstance to spend a lot of time by myself, because
my brothers felt it beneath them to play with a girl in
public. But that aloneness, that loneliness, was good
for a would-be writer — it allowed me time to think
and think, to imagine, to read and prepare myself.”
Sandra Cisneros, writer
Sandra Cisneros is one of today’s best-known
Mexican-American authors. Her most famous book is,
“House on Mango Street.”
She says her family experience shapes her
books.
“I was/am the only daughter,” says Ms.
After graduating from college, Ms. Cisneros
attended the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. Here, she
decided to write about her own people. “I knew I was a
Mexican woman, but I didn’t think it had anything to
do with why I felt so much imbalance in my life, whereas it had everything to do with it! My race, my gender,
my class! That’s when I decided I would write about
something my classmates couldn’t write about.”
1. Get a large piece of butcher paper. Cover long
table or walls.
2. Divide up into groups of three or four. Decide on
theme for group mural, i.e., politics, environment,
social issues, etc.
3. Group also plans scene and characters in mural.
4. Select colors and supplies, like tempera paint,
Cray-Pas® (wet crayons), paint brushes,
sponges, spatula or cooking utensils.
5. Execute: Draw horizontal line across paper.
Separate sky from earth. Students chose which
area they prefer to paint.
6. After painting is complete, students can add
color, lines and texture with sponges or cooking utensils dipped in paint and “splashed” or
printed on mural.
*Tip: Group may sketch mural on small piece of paper
before beginning on large mural.
In the 1920s, Mexican art, as in mural painting,
became the rage. Its popularity spread throughout
the world. Like the great paintings from the Italian
Renaissance period, the Mexican murals sprang from
the passionate convictions of the artists. One of
these artists was Diego Rivera.
In 1923, Diego, 37, painted for the Mexican
Ministry of Education. This mammoth project became
world-known because it captured the panoramic view
of civilization on a wall.
Diego’s murals touched a human chord, because
they encouraged people to “read” Diego’s walls without being literate. When people saw Diego’s work, they
immediately responded.
Cisneros in the book “The Mexican American Family
MURAL ART ACTIVITY
Diego Rivera, artist
Student Activities
Art-search...
Read the Houston Chronicle and www.chron.com. Divide into groups and list stories about fine artists —
painters, sculptors or artisans who work in bookbinding, ceramics or jewelry. How many of these artists
are of Mexican-American heritage? Does their work reflect a Hispanic heritage or lifestyle? Write a paragraph describing what you find.
Actor-search...
Read the Houston Chronicle and chron.com. Divide into groups and list stories, with their page numers,
about actors who work in the theater, movies or television. How many are Hispanic actors? What are
their most famous roles? The group that finds the most artists wins. Write a paragraph telling why it is
important for Hispanics to appear as entertainment artists.
Make-a-poster...
Make a poster display of pictures or articles about famous Hispanic artists you find in the Houston
Chronicle and on chron.com.
­­­­­17
T
y
omance
R
of t
he
he Cowbo
horseswerebroughttothiscontinentby
Long-horned Iberian cattle and Andalusian horses
The
Valiant
Vaqueros
Spanishsettlers.Asaresult,manycolowere brought
to this continent by Spanish settlers. As a
The
Valiant
Vaqueros
ThoughMexico’speasantry,thevaqueros
Mexico's cowboys, called vaqueros (comes from
(FromtheSpanishvacaforcow),thoughtthey
Spanish vaca for cow), thought they were superior
were
superior
towere
farmers.
were
proud
to farmers.
They
proud ofThey
their work,
which
theyof
their
work,
which
theyand
believed
demanded
believed
demanded
courage
physical endurance.
They
courageandphysicalendurance.Theyscorned
scorned firearms for settling disputes.
firearmsforsettlingdisputes.
Other nations recognized the bravery of the vaque ros. Othernationsrecognizedthebraveryofthe
In 1823, Hawaii’s King Kamehameha III sent for vaquevaqueros.
Inhis
1823,
Hawaii’s
King
Kamehameha
ros to train
paniola
(cowboys).
In California,
New Mexico
IIIand
sent
for
vaqueros
to
train
his
paniola
Texas, Mexican-American vaqueros worked (cowas ranch
boys).
In
California,
New
Mexico
and
Texas,
hands in the late 1800s.
Mexican-American vaqueros worked as ranch
handsinthelate1800s.
result, niststurnedtocattleranching,because
many colonists turned to cattle ranching, because
ofthegreatdemandforhides,horn,meatand
of the great demand for hides, horns, meat and tallow.
tallow.
By 1848, when Mexico lost much territory to the
U.S.,By1848,whenMexicolostmuchterritory
ranching had spread to Texas and California. Rich,
toranch-owning
the U.S., ranching
had
Texas
and
charros liked
tospread
display to
their
wealth
with
California.Rich,ranch-owningcharroslikedto
personal ornaments of silver, much of it from the great
display
wealth
withcentral
personal
ornaments
mines oftheir
Zacatecas
in north
Mexico.
of silver, much of it from the great mines of
ZacatecasinnorthcentralMexico.
How about those
How
about
horses?
those horses?
Ranching techniques spread from Mexico through RanchingtechniquesspreadfromMexico
the Americas.the
AndAmericas.
the horses And
that escaped
in the
out
throughout
the horses
wildescaped
from these
became
thethese
mustangs
of the
Didyouknowthattherewerenocattleor
Did you know that there were no cattle or horses in that
inranches
the wild
from
ranches
U.S., thethe
pasos
of Peru, and
Argentina.
horsesinMexicopriortotheearly1500s?
Mexico prior to the early 1500s?
became
mustangs
ofthe
thecriolles
U.S.,of
the
pasos of
Charros &&Vaqueros
Charros
Vaqueros
Long-hornedIberiancattleandAndalusian
Peru,andthecriollesofArgentina.
Student
Student Activities
Activities
Word search...
With a red pencil, circle words
which come from our Southwestern
heritage.
Check
all
sections
of
the
newspaper,
the Food heritage.
section
From the Houston Chronicle, make a list of words which comeincluding
from our Southwestern
or
the
Some
of these
are:. pioneer,
frontier,
boots,
bridle,
Check
allSports
sections,section.
including Star
, Flavor
and Sports
Some of these
are: pioneer,
frontier,
boots,
saddle,
chili,
pepper,
cinch,
pony,
mustang,
cowboy,
cowgirl,
bull,
rodeo,
bridle, saddle, chili, pepper, cinch, pony, mustang, cowboy, cowgirl, bull, rodeo, sombrero, chaps,
sombrero,
chaps,
etc.most
Thewords
person
stirrups, etc. The
personstirrups,
who finds the
wins!who finds the most words
wins!
Storryy play...
Sto play...
Froma this
list ofcowboy
words,
make Where
up a does
story
From this list of words, make up a story about
modern-day
or cowgirl.
this
about
a
modern-day
cowboy
or
cowgirl.
person live? Does this person ranch, play polo, rodeo, or enjoy taking mountain trail rides? Does
Where
does
this
person
Does
this
person
ranch,
play
polo,srodeo,
this
person
live on
a dude
ranchlive?
or working
ranch
in West
Texas?
Describe
the person’
daily life.or
enjoy
taking
mountain
trailtype
rides?
Does
this
liveWhat
on atype
dude
ranch
How
does
this person
survive? What
of horse
does
thisperson
person ride?
of saddle
or working
ranch
in West
Describe
daily
How
does
this person
use? What
type ofTexas?
day-to-day
problemsthe
doesperson’s
this person
face?life.
How is
the cowdoes
this
person
survive?
What
type
of
horse
does
this
person
ride?
What
boy/cowgirl’s future affected by our increasing population and industrialization of our country?
type of saddle does this person use? What type of day-to-day problems
does this person face? How is the cowboy/cowgirl’s future affected by
our increasing population and industrialization of our country?
RANCH RIOT
RANCH RIOT
DidyouknowthatagoodpartofTexas,
Did you know that a good part of Texas, New Mexico and
NewMexicoandCaliforniawasoncepart
California
was once part of Mexico? After the U.S-Mexican
ofMexico?AftertheU.S-MexicanWar,
War,
Mexico lost much of its northern territory to the
Mexicolostmuchofitsnorthernterritory
United
States. Many Mexican ranchers were forced off
totheUnitedStates.ManyMexicanranchtheir
land. Look in the Houston Chronicle for a story or
erswereforcedofftheirland.Lookinthe
picture
of an individual who is being forced to move from
HoustonChronicleforastoryorpictureofan
his
original home. How does that person feel when he is
individualwhoisbeingforcedtomovefrom
forced
to flee the country? Are some people being forced
hisoriginalhome.Howdoesthatpersonfeel
to
do this today?
whenheisforcedtofleethecountry?Are
somepeoplebeingforcedtodothistoday?
acctivities
err a
he
tth
O
tivities
O
✥ Look through the Houston Chronicle
✥ Look through the Houston
and find a story about people trying
Chronicle and find a story where
to protect their land. Once you find
people are trying to protect their
this story, add on to it. Create a good
land. Once you find this story,
ending with lots of details.
add on to it. Create a good
✥ ending
Find a Houston
story about
with Chronicle
lots of details.
a person who loves animals and the
✥ Find a story in the newspaper
outdoors. Turn it into a Mexican story
about a person who loves
written for children.
animals and the outdoors.
✥ Turn
What traditions
celebrations
do
it into aand
Mexican
story
we
share with
neighbors in Mexico?
written
forour
children.
Look in the Houston Chronicle and on
✥ What traditions and celebrachron.com for stories, traditions, festions do we share with our
tivals or foods that we share.
neighbors in Mexico? Look
in the Houston Chronicle for
stories, traditions, festivals or
foods that we share.
18
n
’
o
s
t
s
u panic
o
H His
s
r
e
l
t
t
Se
TheearlysettlersoftheHispaniccommunityinHoustonwereHispanics,
The
early settlers of the Hispanic community in Houston were Hispanics,
Mexicans,CubansandSpaniards.TheycamefromSpain,Cuba,Mexico,and
Mexicans,
Cubans and Spaniards. They came from Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and
CentralandSouthAmerica.
Central and South America.
Duringthe1920s,MexicannativesandMexican-Americanmigrants
becameprominentinHouston.TheystreamedintotheHoustonoilcity—many
During the 1920s, Mexican natives and Mexican-American migrants
became
prominent in Houston. They streamed into the Houston oil city —
foreseeingatemporarystay.
many foreseeing a temporary stay.
Magnolia park
Magnolia park
builds business
Duringtheearly1920sthegreatestgrowth
of Hispanic population took place in Magnolia
Park.BythetimetheMagnoliasuburbwasincor-
Bythelate1920s,MagnoliaParkdeveloped
its own business district. “Its ‘Avenida Madero’
is Navigation Boulevard,” noted the Houston
Magnolia Park
poratedinHoustononOctober8,1926,Magnolia
During the early 1920s the greatest growth of
waswellonitswaytocontaining“thelargestof
Hispanic
took place
in Magnolia as
Park.quoted
By theby
timea
thepopulation
local Mexican
settlements,”
localnewspaper.
the Magnolia
suburb was incorporated in Houston on October
8, 1926, Magnolia was well on its way to containing “the largest of the local Mexican settlements,” as quoted by a local
newspaper.
Downtown
district
The barrios in Houston had one thing in
common — the downtown business district. This
businesssectionwaswithinwalkingdistancetothe
barrios.Itsanchorpointswerethe1700and2100
The barrios in Houston had one thing in common —
blocksofCongressAvenue,whereMexicanbusinesses catered
the residents
of “Little
Mexico,”
the downtown
businesstodistrict.
This business
section
was
notedtheHoustonChroniclein1930.
within walking distance to the barrios. Its anchor points were
andThese
businesses
consisted
ofwhere
drugMexican
stores,
the 1700
2100 blocks
of Congress
Avenue,
hotels,cafes,dentalanddoctors’offices,drygoods
businesses catered to the residents of “Little Mexico,” noted
stores, jewelry shops, filling stations, grocery
the Houston Chronicle in 1930.
stores,bakeryshops,andothersmallshops.
Downtown district
These businesses consisted of drug stores, hotels,
cafes, dental and doctors’ offices, dry goods stores, jewelry
shops, filling stations, grocery stores, bakery shops, and other
small shops.
1
Magnolia Park builds
business
Barrio schools
Everybarriohadalocal“Mexicanschool,”
El Segundo Barrio, where makeshift homes were erected along
forelementary-agedchildren.InHouston,unwrit-
the banks
of Buffalopromotion
Bayou.
ten rules
discouraged
into the junior
highschools.
Chronicle, including restaurants, private offices,
barbershops,furniturestoresandaSpanishtalkie
theater“allnamedinSpanishandconductedby
By the late 1920s, Magnolia Park developed its
Mexicans,”thepaperobserved.
own business district. “Its ‘Avenida Madero’ is Navigation
IntheSecondWard,OurLadyofGualdalupe
Every barrio had a local “Mexican school,” for elemenCatholicChurchexpandedits\
servicestoassistthe
Boulevard,” noted the Houston Chronicle, including restautary-aged children. In Houston, unwritten rules discouraged
rants, private offices, barber shops, furniture stores and agrowingMexican-Americancommunity.By1929,
promotion into the junior high schools.
InspiteoftheincreaseinMexican-American
Spanish
talkie theater “all named in Spanish and conductedmorethan400childrenweretaughtbytheSister
Benitaorderofnuns.
jobs, racial prejudice was prevalent in Houston
by Mexicans,” the paper observed.
duringthe1920sto1930s.JimCrowcodesapplica
On November 8, 1926, in Magnolia Park,
bletoAfrican-AmericansextendedtoMexicans.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church
Mexican-Americans were denied access to
openedat70075thStreet.Twoyearslater,aparonearlyallpublicandprivateestablishments,from
chialschoolwasadded.
In the Second Ward, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic
restroomstoballrooms.
Barrio churches
schools
Barrio
Social conditions
Barrio churches
Social conditions
homes were erected along the banks of Buffalo
Bayou.
Real estate
Local real estate developers would not sell or rent to
Mexicans, encouraging segregation of neighborhoods.
Mexicans lived in distressing conditions in Houston’s
­­­­­19
C
protestant
churches
Church expanded its services to assist the growing Mexican
In spite of the increase in Mexican-American jobs,
American community. By 1929, more than 400 children were
racial prejudice was prevalent in Houston during the 1920s
taught by the Sister Benita order of nuns.
to 1930s. Jim Crow codes applicable to African-Americans
On November 8, 1926, in Magnolia Park, Immaculate
Local real estate developers would not sell
SeveralProtestantchurcheswereaddedin
extended
to Mexicans.
or rent to Mexicans, encouraging segregation of
thebarrios.Theywere:
Heart of Mary Catholic Church opened at 700 75th Street.
Mexican-Americans were denied access to nearly
neighborhoods.
✥ MexicanBaptistChurch-2505CanalStreet
Two years later, a parochial school was added.
all public
and private establishments, from restrooms to✥ MexicanPresbyterianChurch-7535Ave.L.
Mexicanslivedindistressingconditionsin
ballrooms. El Segundo Barrio, where makeshift ✥ MexicanMethodistEpiscopalChurchHouston’s
Real estate
N
Protestant churches
1110McKeeStreet
Continuedonpage19
Several Protestant churches were added in the barrios.
They were:
✥ Mexican Baptist Church - 2505 Canal Street
✥ Mexican Presbyterian Church - 7535 Ave. L.
✥ Mexican Methodist Episcopal Church 1110 McKee Street
Continued on page 20
E
Continued from page 19
Social contributions
Political contributions
During the 1920s to 1930s, the Houston
Hispanic community increased its involvement in the
Americanization of Mexicans. These efforts were achieved
by the Rusk Settlement Association, which sponsored
The Settlement Home, located next to the Rusk School.
The Settlement Home offered cooking classes for
Mexican-American women. And for all, lessons in English
writing were offered.
For mothers, practical things were offered, like
learning the names of foods, clothing, furniture, or how to
ask for prices. Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops were also
organized for the young.
In 1934, in an attempt to improve economic
conditions for Mexican-Americans, the Council
#60 of the League of United Latin American Citizens
(LULAC) was formed during the Depression decade.
Founded in 1929, LULAC sought to:
✥ Eliminate racial prejudice
✥ Provide legal equality
✥ Better educational facilities
✥ Gain a voice in local, state and
national politics.
LULAC desired to make Mexicans active citizens.
Membership was restricted to Mexican-Americans, native
born or naturalized.
In 1934, in response to the founding of the
Magnolia Park LULAC Council # 60, the Houston Chronicle
stated, “The object of the club is to study the laws
of local government, and to induce the Latin people of
Houston to understand the government, to partake of
voting privileges, and thus to become better citizens.
It is a civil organization composed of native born or
naturalized poll-tax paying citizens of Latin extraction.”
Some of the early council members were blue collar workers, including longshoremen, who belonged to the
union, as well as businessmen, merchants, restaurant
owners, doctors, lawyers and educators.
They were:
✥ John H. Duhig, attorney
✥ John J. Herrera, attorney
✥ Angel Gonzalez, M.D., doctor
✥ Felix Morales, businessman, owner, Morales Funeral Home
✥ Manuel Crespo, mortician
✥ Felix Tijerana, restaurateur
✥ Juvencio Rodriguez, grocery store worker
✥ Isidro Garcia, tailor
Student Activities
Name search...
Look through the Houston Chronicle and chron.com. List Spanish names of neighborhoods,
churches, schools or hospitals. How many can you find? What about your street name? If you
could rename your street or school or church with a Spanish name, what would it be?
.
.
.
r
Create-a-newspape
Study the Houston Chronicle. Next, create a newspaper for Spanish-speaking people in your
school's neighborhood. What will the name be? Which sections will be the same as the Houston
Chronicle? Which sections will be different? What will the purpose of the newspaper be? To entertain? To educate? To provide business leads? You may work on this as a class project.
y
o
l
m
p
ent ad...
m
E
HISPANIC MEDIA
Observe the classified and consumer
ads in the Houston Chronicle. Are any
geared to reach the Hispanic market?
Why? Or why not?
Check the Business pages. Are there
any articles written about Hispanic
companies or Hispanic products? What
are they?
Also check the music, art and
entertainment sections of the Houston
Chronicle and www.chron.com to see if
there are any articles written about
Hispanic efforts in these areas.
After making a list addressing
these questions, write an article
about “Hispanic Influence on Today’s
Advertising Scene.”
Study the ads in the Houston Chronicle. Remember, the early Hispanic settlers of Houston
were given jobs in the oil fields near Houston. Write an employment advertisment for oil field
workers. Make it read like a 1920s ad. You may also include an illustration with the ad.
20
Through generous sponsorship of the ¡Viva Mexico!
program, Chevron is helping thousands of students learn
about Cinco de Mayo, Aztec history, Spanish explorers
and Hispanic celebrities, plus the holidays, food and
games that make up Hispanic culture.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and REFERENCES:
1. “The Aztecs” by Sally Hewitt, Children's Press, New York, N.Y.
2. “Cowboy” by David Murdoch, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, N.Y.
3. “Extraordinary Hispanic Americans” by Susan Sinnott, Childrens Press,
Chicago, Illinois.
4. “The Mexican American Family Album” by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler,
Oxford University Press, Inc., New York, N.Y.
5. “The U.S. - Mexican War” by Carol and Thomas Christensen, Published to
Accompany the PBS series “The U.S. - MexicanWar 1846 - 1848, KERATV, Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton, Texas.
6. “Viva Mexico! Story of Benito Juarez and Cinco de Mayo” by Argentina
Palacios, Raintree Steck-Vaughn Company, Austin, Texas.
7. Enciclopedia de Mexico. Impresora Y Editoria de Mexico, S. A. de C. V.
Mexico, Mexico. April 1976.
8. “Distrito Federal.” Monografia Estatal Litografia Senefelder Editorial/SEP.
Mexico, D. F. 1996.
9. “Historia” Sexto Grado Litografia Senefelder Editorial/SEP. Mexico, D. F.
1995.