Date: 2006-04-05
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank Mr. TOM DAVIS and the ranking member. HENRY WAXMAN. of the House Government Reform Committee and also the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. WESTMORELAND. and the ranking member. Mr. DANNY DAVIS. for moving this important legislation through the committee. This resolution has been endorsed by every single Member from the Texas delegation. Francisco "Pancho" Medrano played an integral part in bringing Hispanics into the cultural and social mainstream in Dallas. He was a leader to his community in the struggle against discrimination. The son of a Mexican laborer. Pancho Medrano was born in Dallas in 1920. In his youth. in 1952. he was heavyweight boxing champion of Mexico. and grew up as a community activist in the fight for social and economic equality. He grew up in an area of Dallas called Little Mexico and he encountered much prejudice and segregation. But he never was considered violent. As a young man. he was banned from public swimming pools and all of the other things. and frequently said that he didnt see that he should be any different from any other black American becausehe was treated the same way. At the beginning of World War II. when unions began to form in the Dallas area. he was inspir~d by the political conditions around him. He was captivated by the political agenda of the United Auto Workers and he was then named by Walter Reuther to be organizer of the UAW Union in Dallas. His work had an immeasurable impact on the lives of thousands of working women and minorities. In 1960. when television began to change the visibility of the American civil rights movement. theUAW president commissioned him to be an international representative for civil rights. So he participated in all the landmark marches with Martin Luther King. He was probably one of the only Mexican Americans in the Montgomery boycott and in Selma along with Dr. King. He continued his organizing throughout the country. including Chicago. Detroit. Indianapolis. California and Arizona. He worked to help repeal the poll tax in 1964. and he really spoke all the time about understanding the struggle of all of the African Americans. because he fought the same battle for all. He was a father of five. Pancho. Jr.. had preceded him in death. He died in 2002 but continued to be active up to his death: His only daughter. Pauline. . is a member of the city council. his son Robert has been. and his son Ricardo has been on the school board. It is important I think for all young people to know that we have had leadership that came along and made things better for them and did not have to be violent. He was always a gentleman. but never silent when it came to rights. Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank Chairman TOM DAVIS and Ranking Member HENRY WAXMAN of the House Government Reform Committee for their leadership on moving this important resolution through the committee and to the House floor for is consideration today. "Pancho" Medrano played an integral part in bringing Hispanics into the cultural and social mainstream in Dallas. He was a leader to his community in the struggle against discrimination. The son of a Mexican laborer. Pancho Medrano was born in Dallas in 1920. PanchoMedrano. who in his youth was the 1952 Heavyweight Boxing Champion of Mexico. grew up to be a community activist in the fight for social and economic equality. Growing up in the Little Mexico area of Dallas. Medrano encountered prejudice and segregation. As a young man. he was banned from the public swimming pool as well as banned from watching movies within the public park in Little Mexico. Medrano attended St. Anns Catholic School and Dallas public schools through the eighth grade. At the beginning of 9th grade. his high school principal told him he could no longer attend classes and directed him to go to work at the local rock quarry. While working at the quarry. Medrano trained to become a riveter and eventually went to work at the North American Aviation Company. There were few skilled minority workers at the plant. and the majority of white workers refused to work with Medrano. Conditions at the plant were even worse for African Americans. as nearly all of them were assigned to cleaning restrooms. Medrano was surrounded by an environment where everything. even the punch clqcks. were segregated. At the beginning ot World War II. unions began forming in the Dallas area. Inspired by the political conditions around him Medrano was captivated by the political agenda of the United Auto. Workers. in particular the motto that there shall be no discrimination based upon race. color. or creed. and sex. Medrano played akey part in organizing the UAW union in Dallas. His work made an immeasurable impact in the lives of thousands of working women and minorities. In 1960. when television began to change the visibility of the American Civil Rights Movement. UAW President. Walter Reuther. commissioned Medrano as a special UAW International Representative for Civil Rights. Medrano went on to participate in virtually all of the landmark events of the civil rights movement. .Mr. Medrano integrated lunch counters in Dallas. and took part in civil rights marches in the Deep South. He organized demonstrations in Dallas and was involved in the integration in Little Rock. Often times there were no MexicanAmericans organizing these civil rights demonstrations. Medrano played a key part in organizing and energizing the MexicanAmerican bommunity throughout the South. Medrano participated as one of the only MexicanAmericans in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.. He also marched in Selma along with Dr. King. He continued his organizing throughout the country including: Chicago. Detroit. Indianapoils. California and Arizona. In addition. he organized farm workers in the Texas Valley alongside civil rights leader Cdsar Chavez. In 1967. Texas Rangers broke up a peaceful protest where Medrano and five women attempted to picket a train carrying melons picked by nonunion workers. The protest in Mission. Texas. was part of a yearlong effort by farm workers. During this time. Medrano and others were subjected to persistent harassment and violence from law enforcement officers for their unionorganizing protests. Medrano sued the Ranger who broke up the protest. He took his case all the way to the Supreme Courtoverturning the Texas laws that barred mass demonstrations. Medrano worked with the UAW to help repeal the poll tax in 1964. Mr. Medrano said. "I could understand the struggle of black people because my people were experiencing the tame sort of thing." Medrano was driven to fight for economic and social justice for all individualsHispanics. Blacks. Women. and others. Mr. Medranos work to end discrimination and prejudice has had a profound and lasting effect on myself and on the lives of millions of Americans. We must all work to carry on his remarkable legacy. Even when he retired in Dallas. Medrano continued to be an active member of UAW Local 848s retiree group. Mr. Medrano passed away in April of 2002. In addition to his daughter. Pauline. he is survived by three sons. Robert. Ricardo. and Rolando. There are many young people who may not know of. or did not experience Mr. Medranos battle towards equality. It is imperative we recognize and celebrate our civil rights leaders as a nation. Honoring leaders such as Pancho Medrano teaches our young people about the leaders who came before themand hopefully gives a new generation the inspiration to fight for change. I urge my colleagues to support.H.R. 4561. to name the postal facility at Ferguson Road in Dallas. Texas in honor of Pancho Medrano.