Vicente T. Ximenes

Vicente T. Ximenes (born December 5, 1919) is a Mexican-American civil rights leader.

Early life

Ximenes was raised in the town of Floresville, Texas, where he, along with the Mexican American community, were subjected to racial segregation. After graduating from high school, Ximenes became a chief clerk in the Civilian Conservation Corps. Ximenes also enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin where he became friends with Dr. Hector P. Garcia, who would later organize the Mexican American civil rights organization the American GI Forum.

Career

When the US became involved in World War II in 1941, Ximenes volunteered to join the U.S. Air Force. During the war, Ximenes flew 50 missions as a lead bombardier in North Africa and was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery under fire. After serving in the war, he became an Air Force flying instructor and eventually retired with the rank of Major.

Upon returning home from service, he realized that racial segregation persisted in his hometown. He later became a member of the American GI Forum after meeting with his old friend Dr Garcia. In 1950, he received his Bachelor's degree in economics, and his Master's degree a year later. Ximenes worked at the Bureau of Business Research for the 10 following years. In 1961, the Kennedy administration selected Ximenes to serve as program officer and economist for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Ecuador, and in 1966, he was named deputy director of the Agency for International Development in Panama. Ximenes was also appointed as Assistant Inspector General for the War on Poverty.

The following year, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Ximenes as U.S. commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where he served for five years. Upon his appointment, President Johnson said, "Mr. Ximenes' life is a very vivid story of what we call American opportunity. He is a distinguished public servant, a teacher, a war hero, a leader of the Mexican-American community. Today, he achieves another high honor as he becomes a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States Government. And we -- as a Nation -- are honored by his achievement."

Ximenes was also selected as the chairman of President Johnson's new Cabinet Committee on Mexican American Affairs. He would later become the Vice-President for field operations of the National Urban Coalition. His tenure produced changes in Federal Legislation and regulation that affected the entire nation. Ximenes directed the historic El Paso hearings in October 1967 that were the turning point in the goal to become part of the mainstream of the United States for the Hispanics in the nation.

Honors and awards

In 2008, Ximenes was the Honorary Degree Recipient of "Doctor of Humane Letters" from University of New Mexico. Previously, Ximenes received an Honorary Ph.D. in Humane Letters from New Mexico Highlands University.

Vicente T. Ximenes is the recipient of numerous awards including: the Common Cause Public Service Achievement Award, the State of New Mexico Distinguished Service Award, the Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama's highest honor and awarded by the president of Panama; the Aztec award by the Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation; the Albuquerque Human Rights Bridge Award by the Albuquerque human rights board; and the De Colores Lifetime Achievement award by the De Colores Board of Directors.

Personal life

Vincente T. Ximenes was married to Maria who died in 2009. They have three children, Ricardo, Olivia and Ana Maria, a granddaughter, Theresa, and two great-granddaughters, Chloe and Madison.

Media coverage

Michelle Hall Kells, Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing in the English Department of the University of New Mexico is writing about Vicente's political efforts in a book titled Vicente Ximenes and LBJ's Great Society: The Rhetoric of Mexican American Civil Rights Reform.

Ximenes was featured in a PBS American Experience documentary called The Civilian Conservation Corps which premiered in 2009.

Ximenes was featured in a documentary called The Longoria Affair, which premiered in November 2010 on PBS. This documentary, written and directed by John J. Valadez, describes how Mexican-American Rights progressed after a World War II Veteran, Felix Longoria, was refused burial in his home town of Three Rivers Texas because of his ethnicity.

Sources

• Ximenes, Vicente at lib.utexas.edu
• Ximenes at silverhorizons.org
• Interview at justiceformypeople.org
• HM056 at the New Mexico legislature
• Vicente T. Ximenes at museumstuff.com
• Honorary Degrees at graduation.unm.edu
• Longoria Affair at pbs.org