History of Education in San Antonio

The Tejano Voices Project focuses on seventy-seven oral history interviews with Tejano and Tejana leaders from across the state conducted by Dr. José Angel Gutiérrez, associate professor of political science at the University of Texas at Arlington.

The historic images in the collection range in date throughout the University’s first 100 years and are divided into 4 subject categories (based on the University’s geographic location): the Tehuacana Images (1869-1902), the Waxahachie Images (1902-1942), the Woodlawn: San Antonio Images (1910-1952), and the Skyline Campus: San Antonio Images (mid 1950s-present).

The digitized version of the Trinity University campus newspaper. Available dates include some issues from 1919-1943 and 1959-2007.

Collection of digitized photographs documenting the history of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Albar Peña served as a professor in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at UTSA beginning in 1973 until his death in 1993. He was the first president of the National Association for Bilingual Education, twice served as the president of the Texas Association for Bilingual Education, and he was selected as U.S. representative at the International Colloquium in Bilingualism and Biculturalism, Paris, France.

Arcadia Hernandez Lopez was born December 21, 1909, and came to the West Side of San Antonio with her family as refugees from the Mexican Revolution. She overcame a language barrier and poverty to earn her Doctorate and become one of the first bilingual educators in Texas. She was the author of her own biography, "Barrio Teacher."

The personal and professional papers of Mexican American educator, writer, and civil rights activist George I. Sánchez. Correspondence, written works, speeches and interviews, photographs, and reference materials document Sánchez's career as an educator in New Mexico and Texas, his involvement with organizations such as the American Council of Spanish-speaking People, the University of Texas, LULAC, and his activism against the segregation of Mexican Americans.

Educator and elected official elected to Texas House of Representatives in 1964, to Texas Senate in 1966, where he served until 1971. Known as a liberal Democrat who espoused the interests of minorities, the elderly, and the disadvantaged, Served on the board of directors of MALDEF, on the Democratic National Committee, and as regional director of ACTION, a federal agency which coordinated volunteer activities. Co-authored books on the Texas Rangers and on bilingual education.

Dr. José A. Cárdenas, a professional educator for 45 years, founded Texans for Educational Excellence (TEE) in 1973 with a grant from the National Urban Coalition. TEE expanded its goals in 1974 and became the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). Nationally recognized as an educational expert and civil rights advocate, Cárdenas served as superintendent of San Antonio's Edgewood ISD, chairman of the education department at St. Mary's University, and director of IDRA.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is one of the oldest, largest, and most influential organizations representing the voice of Hispanics. LULAC was formed in 1929 in Corpus Christi, Texas, by the merger of three Mexican American civic organizations: the Corpus Christi chapter of the Order Sons of America, the Order Knights of America of San Antonio, Texas, and the League of Latin American Citizens of South Texas. LULAC has worked consistently and effectively in advocating equality.

The organization focuses on Latino/a civil rights with regards to immigration, voting, education, employment, and political representation.

The Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) was established in 1972 in San Antonio as an advocacy group for "the rights of language minority children," particularly Spanish-speaking students. Affiliated with the National Association of Bilingual Education, with regional Associations of Bilingual Education throughout Texas, and with the Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO).

TACHE was conceived in 1974, and founded in 1975 by members of the Chicano Faculty Association at the University of Texas at Austin. Several other organizations were involved in creating and supporting TACHE’s founding, including The Mexican American School Board Members Association, the Texas Association of Mexican American Educators, and the Texas Association of Bilingual Education. The constitution was approved on August 9, 1975 in San Antonio, TX.

Archival collections related to the history of the University of Texas at San Antonio.