In Re Ricardo Rodriguez - Texas Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

From 1896 up to 2019, the politics around immigration and civil-rights has not changed. The prejudice some people have against other ethnic groups or those with other skin color is still active in Texas and the United States in general. This marker points out that a Mexican man who had met the requirements for eligibility for US citizenship had a court battle against the distractors and resisters who did not want Mexicans to gain American citizenship.

The following passage from page 159 of the book "Naturalizing Mexican Immigrants: A Texas History" by Martha Menchaca both summarizes this civil-rights trial and gives insight into the political resistance to immigration in general, but also specifically shows the resistance against Mexican immigrants gaining US citizenship.

"After overcoming a strenuous political campaign launched by members of the People's Party and by Republicans and enduring a slanderous trial in which he was debased and humiliated, Ricardo Rodriguez finally became a US citizen. This persistent man who wanted to become a US citizen for the simple reason that he lived in the United States, clarified federal law and cleared a path toward citizenship for other Mexicans of color. His victory may have been personal, but it was a triumph for American democracy, as racial ideology was not allowed to destroy the principal of law."

This marker is at the corner of the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and Post Office at Ave E and E Houston Street. The marker faces toward the Emily Morgan Building that is across the street of Avenue E. The Alamo Plaza and the Alamo itself is across the street of Houston Street.

Texas State Historical Association link about this case:
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"Naturalizing Mexican Immigrants: A Texas History" by Martha Menchaca. (See P. 159)
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Marker Number: 17054 Marker Text: In 1896, a court case involving Ricardo Rodríguez brought attention to questions of citizenship and voting rights for Mexican Texans. Although several actions had granted citizenship to large numbers of Tejanos during the 1800s, some sought to disenfranchise the group. In 1896, Rodríguez came before Federal District Judge Thomas S. Maxey to gain approval for his American citizenship request. Little is known of Rodríguez, who indicated at the Bexar County Courthouse that he was born in Hijuelas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico c. 1857. However, the case in which he was involved, styled In Re Or Ex Parte Ricardo Rodríguez, activated a major influence on the incipient Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement. In addition to his declaration of intention, Rodríguez submitted affidavits attesting to his length of residency and good character. San Antonio lawyers A. J. Evans and T.J. McMinn submitted two Amicus Curiae briefs suggesting that he was ineligible for naturalization based on his ancestry. Maxey considered the evidence and delayed a ruling, instead appointing a committee to examine the issues and report back. After receiving the committee briefs, Judge Maxey rendered his ruling, on May 8, 1897. While noting that Rodríguez was uneducated, could not speak English, and did not know the principles of the U. S. Constitution, Maxey affirmed he met residency and character requirements. The judge also believed that citizens of Mexico were eligible for naturalization regardless of questions of race, and resolved to grant Rodríguez’s application. The political and social consequences of the ruling were significant. It established the right of Mexican immigrants to attain citizenship if requirements other than ethnicity were met and affirmed that immigrants could not be denied naturalization due to lack of education. (2010) Marker is property of the State of Texas

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