Soy de Duval

Changing Political Ideas Through Eras in Texas Alfredo E. Cárdenas Part 5 of a Series At the height of the Depression, Archie Parr began his downslide in politics, with his heir apparent being his son George. However, George seemed to have always been getting into trouble and was finally convicted of Federal income tax evasion, sent to Federal prison. Archie managed to get George out on parole within a year. But, as a convicted felon, the son had to give up his post as county judge and forfeited his right to hold office or vote. A decade later, President Harry Truman granted George a presidential pardon, and he reentered elective office for a few turbulent years. While the present scholarship maintains that the Parrs ruled as despots without restraint, the Parr hold on the politics of Duval County was intrinsically wedded to the Tejano community through friendship and mutual loyalty. After his father’s death, George took complete control of the county’s political apparatus and ambitiou...

  Changing Political Ideas Through Eras in Texas Alfredo E. Cárdenas Part 4 of a Series Tejanos made significant contributions to Duval County’s history and progress in fields beyond politics. While Tejano businesses multiplied during the Parr era from 1912 to 1975, they had always been part of the commercial establishment, operating mom-and-pop stores in the barrios. By the 1930s, they managed dealerships for some of the most prominent corporate brands in the country, such as Chevrolet, Ford, and Texaco. During the Great Depression (1929–1939), Tejanos held professional positions, including four doctors, three pharmacists, five school administrators, and a lawyer. They also held trade jobs, including 42 barbers, 21 mechanics, 20 butchers, eight bakers, and two printers. With 95 Tejano employees, they made up 94 percent of the county’s workforce. During the Archie Parr era, Tejanos also made their mark in education. In 1932, for example, every member of the San Diego school board w...

Changing Political Ideas Through Eras in Texas Alfredo E. Cárdenas Part 3 of a Series After dispatching his family to safety in Corpus Christi, Benavides County Commissioner Archie Parr went to San Diego and offered help to the Tejano community, counseling them to refrain from responding in kind; he advised vengeance would be a mistake. While an all-Americano jury in faraway East Texas acquitted the three Americano shooters, the history of Duval County changed forever. Tejanos finally began to take command of their political destiny. They shared power with Parr, but make no mistake, Parr would be a footnote in history had it not been for the overwhelming Tejano vote with which he partnered. Indeed, Tejanos were already marching towards the same disposition; it may have taken longer without the Parrs, but the trend and numbers indicate that Tejanos would soon dominate politics. “What can we expect from a political party that has its genesis in spilling Mexican blood?” La Libertad publ...