| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
|
|
memories of the Honorable Juan Cornejo, civil rights activist and |
|
|
former mayor of Crystal City, who died on January 20, 2021, at the |
|
|
age of 90; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Born in Crystal City to Espiridion and Ysidora |
|
|
Cornejo, Juan Cornejo grew up with nine siblings, Pedro, Sylvano, |
|
|
Jose, Francisco, Maria, Luis, Robert, Luz, and Christina; he was |
|
|
the proud father of a daughter, Olga, and he also took great pride |
|
|
in his nephew, Jim, and his nieces, Gabrielle and Melinda, whom he |
|
|
raised as his own; later in life, he was pleased to welcome into his |
|
|
family two grandchildren, Ricardo and Cassandra, and seven |
|
|
great-grandchildren, Julissa Brianne, Kalista, Brandon, Guadalupe, |
|
|
Rylee, Mazelle, and Miranda; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 1963, Mr. Cornejo played a leading role in the |
|
|
Crystal City Revolts, when Mexican Americans fought for their right |
|
|
to political representation in the city's government; serving at |
|
|
the time as a Teamster representative at the California Packing |
|
|
Corporation cannery, he and four other Mexican Americans ran for |
|
|
city council as "Los Cinco Candidatos" and won despite fierce |
|
|
resistance; Mr. Cornejo was selected from among the five to become |
|
|
the city's first Mexican American mayor, and he served until 1966; |
|
|
during the campaign that led to the famous March on Washington, he |
|
|
was a guest speaker alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before |
|
|
20,000 people at a Freedom Rally at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles in |
|
|
May 1963; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A true son of Crystal City, Juan Cornejo won the |
|
|
respect and affection of all who knew him, and he leaves behind a |
|
|
legacy of selflessness and dedication to social justice that will |
|
|
continue to resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Juan Cornejo and |
|
|
extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and many friends; and, be it |
|
|
further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Juan |
|
|
Cornejo. |
| |
|
|
King of Uvalde |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 528 was unanimously adopted by a |
|
|
rising vote of the House on April 9, 2021. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |