Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Digital Collections

Affidavit sworn by Ramón Treviño and José López, Jr. to Alonso S. Perales

Item

pera0098.jpg

Dublin Core

Title

Affidavit sworn by Ramón Treviño and José López, Jr. to Alonso S. Perales

Subject

AFFIDAVITS
BARS (Drinking Establishments) --Texas
ETHNIC discrimination
DISCRIMINATION
MILITARY
MILITARY Personnel
RACE discrimination - public establishments
PERALES, Alonso S., 1898-1960
VETERAN

Description

Affidavit sworn by Ramón Treviño and José López, Jr. to Alonso S. Perales that states that Ramón Treviño, José López, JrJose Lopez, Jr., Reymundo Cruz, Celestino Cordova, Jr., and Leonardo Ortiz were told that the Oasis Beer Parlor and Recreation Hall (Jourdanton, Texas) did not allow people of Mexican descent to belong to the club.

Creator

Treviño, Ramón
López, Jr., José

Source

Date

1946-12-16

Contributor

Perales, Alonso S.

Rights

Content compilation of The Latino/Hispanic American Experience Leaders, Writers and Thinkers copyright 2012 by Arte Publico Historical Collections. All rights reserved.

Relation

Gauthereau, Lorena. "Are We Good Neighbors?: Mapping Discrimination Against Mexican Americans in 1940s Texas." https://arcg.is/1C1bbv.

Format

JPEG

Language

English

Type

Text

Identifier

pera0098

Scripto

Transcription

THE STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF BEXAR

BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority in and for said County, State of Texas, this day personally came and appeared Ramon Treviño, to me well known, and who, after being by me duly sworn, did depose and say:

My name is Ramon Treviño, I am a native born citizen of the United States and reside at Charlotte, Texas. I served three years, one month and ten days in the United States Army, fourteen months of which I spent serving overseas. I am 23 years of age.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, 1946, about 9:00 P.M., the following friends and I went into the "OASIS" Beer Parlor and Recreation Hall, in Jourdanton, Texas: Jose Lopez, Jr,, Reymundo Cruz, Celestino Cordova, Jr., and Leonardo Ortiz. We drank a bottle of beer each at the bar. Then we sat down at a table and drank another bottle each. Then I called Jim Ormond, the bartender and the owner of the place, and I asked him what were the requirements in order for one to become a member of the Club which they have there in the second section of the building. First they have the beer parlor and then in another section toward the rear they have a Club in which they have billiard tables and a dance hall. He told me that each member of the Club had to pay $200.00. Then I asked him what benefits a member could enjoy by belonging. I told him that I was willing to pay the $200.00, whereupon he said that he was just joking when he said $200.00, that what was required was that the member be "white", he said: "what you really need to be is a white boy". Then Jose Lopez, Jr., asked him in an American soldier in uniform, of Mexican descent wanted to belong to the Club, whether he would be admitted, and he replied in the negative. Then Lopez said to him: "That means, then, that as long as he is of Mexican descent he can not belong to the Club", and he replied: "That's right." Then I asked him why they did not accept persons of Mexican descent as members, and he said: "This is why" and he struck me on the left side of my head with a wooden club similar to those used by policemen. Jose Lopez, Jr., remained inside. The rest of us left the place. Lopez asked him whether persons of Mexican descent could continue to come into the beer parlor section to drink beer, and he said "Yes, but only in the front".

(At this point Mr. Jose Lopez, Jr., who is present states that he has read the foregoing statement made by Mr. Ramon Treviño, and that the same is true and correct.)

Further affiants sayeth not.
[signed] Ramon Treviño
[signed] Jose Lopez, Jr.

Sworn and subscribed before me, this the 16th day of December, A.D. 1946.

[signed] Alonso S. Perales
Notary Public, Bexar County, Texas

Text Item Type Metadata

Original Format

paper

Citation

Treviño, Ramón and López, Jr., José , “Affidavit sworn by Ramón Treviño and José López, Jr. to Alonso S. Perales,” Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Digital Collections, accessed November 21, 2024, http://usldhrecovery.uh.edu/items/show/5.