[Biographical Article on John J. Herrera] Part: 1 of 2

                                
Secretary to a Unit of the Army of
Occupation in Germany after the First
World War, a civic-minded, public-spirit-
ed citizen who is an asset to this country?
In conclusion, a bit of advice, Mr.
Brown. Do not fall into the so common
and prevalent error of mistaking SOCIAL
EQUALITY for EQUAL RIGHTS. Let us
state here and now, as we have done
countless other times that we, the Tex-
as Mexicans, DO NOT WANT ANY
"SPECIAL PRIVILEGES", that we are
not looking for any "CODDLING", wit-
ness the way our boys are being deco-
rated every day for valor, bravery and
gallantry under fire on all the battle-
fronts of the world, that we are NOT
looking for Social EQUALITY, seeking to
be taken into the hearts and homes of
our fellow-citizens who may not con-
sider us their social equals, THAT ALL
WE WANT FROM OUR FE'LLOW-iCI-
TIZENS, IS THE RIGHT TO ENJOY
THE EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES,
H E ECONOMIC PRIVILEGES, AND
" POLITICAL PREROGATIVES
ANTEED TO ALL UNDER THE
TITUTION AND LAWS OF THE
D STATES AND OF OUR NA-
oTATE OF TEXAS!
JACOB I. RODRIGUEZ
Hon. John J. Herrera
THE PAN-AMERICAN is justly proud
in presenting on its pages another up-
and-coming citizen of Houston, Texas, a
former San Antonian.
Johnny, as he is affectionately called
by his friends, was born in the Free
State of Bexar, on or about the 12th day
LA FERIA
La Tienda de la Novia"
TODO LO QUE LA NOVIA NECESITA PARA
SU ENLACE AQUI LO ENCUENTRA.
802 W. Commerce St. San Antonio
TEATRO AZTECA
Exhibimos las Mejores Cintas Mexicanas
FRANCISCO TORRES, Prop.
B. 3-4315
1809V2 Congress Ave.
Houston, Texas
A HAPPY NEW YEAR
NEW YEAR
RED'S LIQUOR STORE
The Best Liquors and Barbecue
in Town"
Cor. Laredo at Houston St. San Antonio, Texas
of April, 1910, and just as soon as he
had sense enough he married a San An-
tonio girl, then, Miss Olivia Cisneros.
This ambitious citizen, ambitious to be
a Lawyer that is, attended Night Law
School, while raising a family, working
for the City of Houston as a laborer,
and then as a Cab Driver. He has: tv/o
lovely children, John Michael, aged nine,
and Douglas McArthur, aged two, so
named because he was born Mar *
1942, when our own General Mc
escaped to Australia, and he his
great-grandson of Bias Herrera, 7
War Scout, and the great-great-grandson
of Col. Francisco Ruiz, who was one of
the Texas-Mexican patriots who signed
the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Just for the fun of it, he says, hp
sold newspapers and shined shoes, as a
boy, in San Antonio, Galveston, and
Houston, Texas.
He also says he wanted to be a Lawyer
since he was seven years old. He went
back to finish High School when he was
21 because Law School required a High
School Diploma for entrance. He en-
tered the South Texas School of Law in
1935 and graduated in 1940. He missed
a year of this while the wife was hav-
ing her first baby, and had to go before
the Bar no less than five times before
he finally passed in September of 1943.
His proudest days: When the Latin
American people of Houston gave him a
testimonial dance sponsored by the
Houston Lulac Council No. 60, when he
became a Lawj^er, and when he saw the
U. S. S. "BENITO JUAREZ" ior the
firs ttime on the ways of the Houston
Shipbuilding Corporation.
His pet pevee: So called "superior"
people; and the "Mexican School".
His main ambition: to erase that
"Mexican school" from the Texas scene
forever, and to see a Lulac Council in
every city in Texas.
His hobby: Collecting war stories of
Americans of Mexican descent, and work-
ing with boys. He is Scoutmaster of
Houston Troop No. 426, and Cubmaster
for Pack No. 426.
He likes football, tennis, baseball, and
above all he loves to dance, of all things,
the RUMBA.
In his declining years he longs to
come back to the land of his fathers,
the Free State of Bexar, and have a
farm, he calls it "ranch", (or maybe just
an acre of land) close to El Paso de
Los Garzas (Garza's Crossing) where all
his folks are ^aried, arid live out
last years of his life.
The PAN - AMERICAN hopes
someday Johnny will have his wish
that he will come back to San An
not to "live out the last years o?
life" as he says, but as he is nc
Houston, a civic-minded, public-sp
useful citizen of, and a real ass
his community.
J
r
j
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