Pancho Medrano
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Francisco F. Medrano (August 2, 1920 ā April 4, 2002) was an American labor rights and civil rights activist. His work extended throughout the state of Texas and the country, and his family became prominent Dallas civic leaders. He is known for his motto: "In America, everything is politics, from the day you are born, until the day you die."[1]
Pancho Medrano | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Francisco F. Medrano (1920-08-02)August 2, 1920 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Died | April 4, 2002(2002-04-04) (aged 81) Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Spouse | Esperanza Jimenez |
Children | Francisco Jr., Roberto, Ricardo, Rolando, and Pauline |
Occupation | Activist |
Known for | Civil rights movement Labor rights |
Medrano rejected contemporary views of Mexican-American social and legal whiteness, in part because of the treatment he received because of his physical appearance: he was rejected from a work position because he looked "too much like a Negro to be hired". He expressed frustration with Mexican-American leadership, such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the American GI Forum, for being unwilling to organize protests. Medrano had no interest in identifying as Latino, and instead embraced the label of Chicano.[2]