In 2000, Dr Cayetano Barrera noticed there were no monuments on the Texas State Capitol grounds commenerating the contributions of the Tejano population that were indiginous to what first became the Republic of Texas and later the State of Texas. Barrera gathered support and funing and lobbied to have the Texas legislature authorize a Tejano Monument. Throughout Texas history the Mexican-Americans who have lived in what is now Texas have contributed to its growth and prosperity. Three signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexican rule were Tejanos. But, multiple other Mexican-Americans have contributed to Texas in significant as well as minor ways.
The sculptures of people and livestock that compose this Tejano Monument were authorized and much of the funding was appropriated by at least five Texas House Resolutions between 2001 and 2010. The rest of the funding was raised by private donations. On March 30, 2012, the unveiling of the Tejano Memorial that was built on the southeast part of the Capitol grounds, near the 11th Street entrance gate, was dedicated in a public ceremony.
The artist chosen by the monument committee was Armando Hinojosa of Laredo, TX. Hinojosa worked on the many sculptures used in this memorial to Tejanos over an eight year period.
In the middle of the monument, near the sidewalk from the entrance onto the grounds up to the Capitol building, are five (5) large bronze plaques that summarize the contributions of Tejanos to Texas history. Each plaque tells of a significant era of time in the development of Texas. The statues of men, women, children, and livestock visually represent the various eras of time discussed in the plaques. All the sculptures are made of bronze and are mounted on a large rock formation of native sandstone.
The plaques read as follows, arranged in chronological order:
Spanish Tejanos
1519 – 1810
Tejanos are descended from the Spanish explorers and colonizers who settled Texas. They eventually took the name Tejano from the Spanish word Tejas, used by native American Indians who originally inhabited Texas. As early as 1519 Spaniards visited the Texas coast and a group led by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was the first to describe the native peoples of Texas and the geography of Texas between 1528 and 1534. The Texas Panhandle region was explored by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541, while the DeSoto-Moscoso expedition explored northeastern Texas the following year. Soon, Spaniards explored the coastal regions and established regions and established Texas as a province.
An attempt by France to establish a colony on the Texas coast in the 1680s, prompted Spain to send General Alonzo de Leon in search of the French settlement. On his expeditions into Texas in 1686-1690, De Leon founded the first Spanish mission in East Texas. These early expeditions named most of the major rivers in Texas and released many longhorn cattle which later became the foundation of the cattle industry in Texas. By 1718, a permanent community at San Antonio de Bexar had been established by soldier-settlers and Franciscan missionaries, later expanded by families from New Spain and the Canary Islands.
By the mid-1700d, Spanish settlements included the capital at Los Adaes (now Robeline, Louisiana), San Antonio and La Bahia (now Goliad). In the lower Rio Grande country, other settlers from the interior of Mexico and Spain, under the leadership of Jose de Escandon, founded a network of towns. Tejano ranchers provided thousands of longhorn cattle to Spanish soldiers and settlers and even drove cattle northeastward to aid the American Revolution. Tejano pioneers left a proud ranching legacy in Texas.
Tejanos Under the Mexican Flag
1810 - 1836
Tejanos developed their unique identity, and sought to control their own destiny in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Following Father Hidalgo’s call for rebellion against bad government on September 16, 1810, many Tejanos rallied in support of the Mexican war for independence. Tejanos and their Anglo allies first declared Texas independence in April, 1813, but suffered defeat at the Battle of Medina on August 18, 1813. It was the bloodiest battle ever fought on Texas soil. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, Tejanos welcomed Anglo-American immigrants into Texas under the Republic of Mexico.
In 1842, the Mexican National Congress joined Texas to Coahuila as a combined state. Fearful that the arrangement would hurt Texas interests, Tejanos opposed this union. This view was shared by the new Anglo-American colonists, many of whom retained strong economic and political ties to the United States. After the Mexican Congress cut off trade and immigration from the U.S., Anglo-Texans and Tejanos revolted and declared Texas independence from Mexico. Two native Tejanos signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836.
In his march to defeat the independence movement in Texas in 1836, Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was opposed by many influential Tejano families, particularly the Sequin, Navarro, Ruiz, Benavides, Carvajal, and De Leon families. Many Tejanos fought bravely in the Texas Revolution, including the battles at San Antonio in 1835, the Alamo, and San Jacinto.
Tejanos in the Republic of Texas
1836 - 1848
As citizens of the Republic of Texas, Tejanos kept their language, culture, and traditions alive with a fierce determination despite many difficulties as Texans of Mexican heritage. The Republic of Texas had set the Rio Grande as its southern border, claiming the Mexican territories and settlements that had previously been part of the neighboring states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon. This increased the conflict with Mexico.
Despite the difficulties, Tejanos continued to serve in government and the military. Lorenzo de Zavala served as the first Vice President of an interim government of the Republic of Texas. Tejanos served in both houses of the Congress of the Republic of Texas. Other Tejanos served in local government and as Texas Rangers. Tejanos also participated in the defense of Texas against Indian raiders contributed to frontier settlements. They continued to be active participants in the ranching and agricultural economy of the Republic.
In 1845, the United States annexed Texas as its 28th state and re-asserted the claim to the Rio Grande as its border. This led to the United States – Mexican War of 1846-1848 and the United States victory over Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo incorporated all of Mexican north of the Rio Grande into the United States, including Texas. The treaty made Tejanos and other Mexican settlers into United States citizens.
Tejanos and Texas in the U.S.
1848 - 1920
After 1848, when all of Texas became part of the United States, most Tejanos adjusted to the new American laws and to the new economy. At times, change came too fast for Tejanos resulting in injustice and violence, and many experienced the loss of their lands. Rebellions broke out that attempted to right those wrongs. Many others adapted, and some even prospered in the new political and economic systems, particularly in South Texas. In the 1850s, Mexican-Americans shared their ranching life and culture of vaqueros (the first cowboys) with Anglo settlers. While some of the original Tejano residents in cities such as Brownsville, Laredo, and San Antonio became merchants and leaders in local political organizations, many Mexican-Americans arriving from Mexico became laborers in the new economic system. Many of these new arrivals assumed identities as Tejanos. They participated in important national events, including the Civil War (1861-1865) in which Tejanos were recruited by the Union as well as the Confederacy. Many Tejanos fought honorably in the Spanish-American War and in World War I.
Mexican Americans in 20th Century America
World War II ushered in a new era for Tejanos and Mexican-Americans of other states. Tejanos were among the first American soldiers to volunteer and to be recruited to serve in combat. They fought bravely, earning a disproportionately high number of combat decorations, including the Medal of Honor. Tejanos served in an integrated Army with Mexican-Americans from other states and returned to Texas after the war to press for economic, political, and social equality. Struggles in various civil rights organizations produced new opportunities that resulted in the rise of a new professional class and greater political participation for Tejanos. Immigration from Mexico in the late 20th century resulted in larger Mexican-American populations in the western and Midwestern states while it also augmented the Tejano community in Texas.
By the end of the 20th century, Tejanos had served in the cabinets of presidents of both political parties, held elective public office at the statewide level, and led public colleges and universities. Tejanos also made significant contributions in the worlds of business and sports. Traditional Mexican cultural identity remained strong in Tejano families and achieved public expression in music, literature, and the arts.
The Tejano Monument Committee
2012
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