Emma TenayucaLa Pasionara de Texas

Painting by Robert Shetterly

Early Life

Family’s residence in Texas predated both Mexican Independence from Spain and the Mexico-U.S. War

One of eleven children, Emma moved in with Grandparents to ease the financial burden on her family.

At age 7, she began visiting Plaza del Zacate in downtown San Antonio with her grandfather to hear speaches made by Magonistas

Getting Involved

Early 1930’s: Read Leo Tolstoy and Karl Marx while attending Brackenridge High School in San Antonio

In 1932-1933, at the age of 16 she is arrested for joining picket line to protest the working conditions of the mostly female employees at Finck Cigar Company

Founded Two International Ladies’ Garment workers unions

In her words:

"I was arrested a number of times. I

never thought in terms of fear. I thought in terms of justice.”

She was arrested 3 times!

Photo from Zinn Education Project Website

The Event that Changed Her Life

In 1938, Emma lead a strike on behalf of pecan shellers in a Texas food processing plant. This is known as the Pecan Shellers’ Strike

Source:

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

Texas Pecan

s50%

Rest of

U.S.50%

U.S. Pecan Pro-duction in 1938

San An-

tonio Area50%

Rest of Texas50%

Texas Pecan Pro-duction in 1938

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

Thousands of employees at hundreds of plants suffered:

Inadequate sanitary conditions (no indoor toilets or sinks)Crowded ConditionsPoor ventilationPoor illuminationBrown Dust caused high rates of tuberculosis

148/100,000 in San Antonio54/100,000 in the Rest of the U.S.

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

Reduction in Wages for Shellers was the final straw

Pre-1938 Wages:Pickers: $.06-.07/lb for pieces and halvesShellers: $.50/100 lbs

1938 Wages:Pickers: $.05-.06/lb for pieces and halvesShellers: $.40/100 lbs

Wages After the Strike was Settled:

Pickers: $.07-.08/lb for pieces and halvesShellers: $.25/hour of work

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

Reaction to the Strike:Strikers were gassed, arrested, and jailed

More than 700 arrests were made by City Officials

Strike Duration:37 Days

Pecan Shellers’

Strike, 1938• After the Strike,

mechanized shelling became the norm as unskilled labor became too expensive.

• Historians consider the Pecan Shellers’ Strike to be the first significant victory in the Mexican-American struggle for political and economic equality in this country.

Pecan Shellers’ Strike, 1938

1937 1938 1941 19480

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000Unskilled Workers Employed as Shellers and Crackers by Southern Pecan Shelling Company in San Antonio

“Unintended Consequences: The San Antonio Pecan Shellers Strike of 1938.” Patricia E. Gower. Web. 30 June 2014. http://www.uiw.edu/sanantonio/gower.html

In her words:

"What started out as an organization for equal

wages turned into a mass movement against

starvation, for a minimum-wage law, and it changed the character of West Side

San Antonio.”

Life After the Strike

Joined Communist Party because it advocated her passion for minority rights

Became Chairperson of Texas Communist Party in 1939

In San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium, a small meeting of the Texas Communist Party was attacked by 5,000 people who were “huntin’ Communists”

Escaped through a tunnel with the aid of city police

Blacklisted in San Antonio.

Mayor of San Antonio’s political career ended

Emma Tenayuca: Teacher

Communist Party Member, 1937-1946

Moved to Los Angeles after San Antonio and was Hounded by the FBI

Moved to San Francisco and majored in Education at San Francisco State College, earning a degree in 1952

Returned to San Antonio in 1960 and earned Masters in Education from Our Lady of the Lake University in 1974

Taught in Harlandale School District in San Antonio until she retired in 1982

Children’s Books Teach the Young

Image of Book Cover from Zinn Project Website

Murals Teach Us All

"Líderes de La Comunidad" Mural. 200 S. Colorado St., San Antonio, TX

Murals Teach Us All

Photo Credit: The Daily Chalupa Blog

Carmen Tafolla, San Antonio Poet Laureate,

writes:"La Pasionaria, we called her, because she was our passion, because she was our heart --

defendiendo a los pobres, speaking out at a time when

neither Mexicans nor women were expected to speak at all."

December 21, 1916 – July 23, 1999

Photo taken from Wikipedia article on Emma Tenayuca.

Annotated Bibliography