Affidavit sworn by Ramón Treviño and José López, Jr. to Alonso S. Perales
Item
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
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
Collection
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 April 27, 2024, http://usldhrecovery.uh.edu/items/show/5.