Thread: Monument at Texas Capitol will honor roles of Tejanos

Monument at Texas Capitol will honor roles of Tejanos

By Zahira Torres \ Austin Bureau
Posted: 01/14/2012 12:00:00 AM MST

AUSTIN -- Tejanos will soon have a permanent home at the Texas Capitol.

A groundbreaking ceremony Friday started two months of preparations to install the first monument that honors the contributions of Tejanos -- early Texas settlers of Spanish and Mexican descent who introduced ranching and missions, fought in critical battles and can be credited with developing many towns and cities.

The effort to get such a monument on the Capitol grounds was not easy.

South Texas resident Renato Ramirez and others have labored for 12 years through legislative red tape, a misunderstanding of the role Tejanos played in the history of the state and attempts by naysayers to keep the monument away from the Capitol.

"There is no art that refers positively to Hispanics," Ramirez, vice president of the nonprofit Tejano Monument Inc., said about the Capitol grounds. "They've got Santana on his knees with a sword to his neck. It's always a put-down."

Ramirez recalled a visit to the governor's office in 2000 that yielded his only encounter with Hispanic art at the Capitol. Even still, he said, the painting was of a Mexican hut, not of the ornate haciendas that produce pride in Mexican architecture.

"Hispanics are a very important part of Texas culture and history, and we want to reflect positively on the accomplishments of Hispanics," said Ramirez, who leads fundraising efforts for the project, which has drawn more than $1 million in private donations.
State lawmakers appropriated an additional $1 million for the approximately 550-square-foot monument that is 10 feet tall and has 12 pieces, including a Spanish explorer, a vaquero on a horse and two longhorns. The monument reflects Tejano history starting with the arrival of the Spaniards in the 1500s.

The monument will be unveiled March 29, joining 18 permanent displays on that Capitol grounds that include Heroes of the Alamo, Confederate soldiers, the Texas cowboy and volunteer firemen.

"The Capitol grounds, in part like the Capitol building, tell part of the great story of Texas and of the people and of the events that are important parts of our history," said John Sneed, executive director of the State Preservation Board. "This will be an important addition to telling part of our great story."

Organizers at the groundbreaking also announced a one-year project to develop a Tejano history curriculum for some elementary schools, which is funded primarily with a $100,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

The curriculum, crafted by the University of Texas at Austin, will be piloted by a handful of fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in the Austin Independent School District.

Teachers will receive "journey boxes," which cover 40 themes in Tejano history from the colonial period to the early 20th century. They will include letters, articles, paintings and speeches from early explorations, the establishment of frontier institutions such as ranching, pueblos and missions, the Mexican-American war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Emilio Zamora, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, is spearheading the curriculum project. He said he wants to replicate the program in at least 15 to 20 districts throughout the state.

"I think we've hit upon one of the best ways to influence public school curriculum in a positive way -- in a way that enhances the subject matter that teachers have," Zamora said.

The arduous process started in 2000 with a group of Texas residents who formed Tejano Monument Inc. They began formulating strategies to make the initiative a reality, and now, with help from several lawmakers and donors, the monument will be available to the more than 1 million people who visit the Capitol each year.

Ramirez said both the monument and the curriculum project are teaching vehicles, which will make Tejanos proud of their heritage.

"I want to see, 10 or 15 years from now, Tejanitos come on their field trips to the Capitol and the first monument that will greet them will be the Tejano monument," Ramirez said.

Zahira Torres may be reached at ztorres@elpasotimes.com; 512-479-6606.

Monument at Texas Capitol will honor roles of Tejanos - El Paso Times

"I want to see, 10 or 15 years from now, Tejanitos come on their field trips to the Capitol and the first monument that will greet them will be the Tejano monument," Ramirez said.

Funny I want to see 10 or 15 years from now all the Tejanitos will have a monument that says all the Tejanitos went that a way!!!!!

Pointing South

That is a fitting monument to the Tejanos that particitated in the settlement of Texas and fight for the Republic of Texas. Many were slaughtered by Santa Anna and the Mexican army.

How about a monument here in Texas to all the immigrant Germans who came here to Hill country and settled in with the Indians? They made peace with the Indians, traded, taught them to do various things in exchange for land here and to live here in peace! I would think those Germans need a Monument also while we are making them.....

Ken, In Texas Hill Country

I agree degerk, there should be any "racial" distintions made to honor one group of Tejanos over another, the Mexican army killed them indiscriminately.

Mexico invited the Americanos to settle Texas because the Indians were kicking Mexico's butt.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

I agree degerk, there should be any "racial" distintions made to honor one group of Tejanos over another, the Mexican army killed them indiscriminately.

Mexico invited the Americanos to settle Texas because the Indians were kicking Mexico's butt.

LOL! Everyone kicks mexico's butt....over and over and over. Not hard to do. They never have been able to take care of their own...