#emmatenayuca

Ofrenda for Emma Tenayuca designed by Amalia Mesa-Bains, housed at the San Antonio Museum of Art, 2025.

"I was arrested a number of times, I never thought in terms of fear, I thought in terms of justice." - Emma Tenayuca, 1916-1999. Have I mentioned how much fun it is to have a button machine? This design is inspired by some research into the styles of buttons from the 1960s and 1970s. I used a portrait of the poderosa Chicana-Tejana Emma Tenayuca that I drew two years ago. "As a 16-year old high school student, Emma joined striking mexicanas at San Antoinio's FIncke Cigar Co. plant in 1934, and was arrested for picketing with them. She went on to become a leader in the Workers Alliance, an organization of the unemployed led by socialists and Communist Party members. In 1938, 2,000 pean shellers went on strike against a cut in pay. Mexicanas formed the majority of San Antonio's 20,000 pecan shellers and were paid less than in almost any other U.S. industry-about $2.50 a week. They made Emma their honorary strike chair. Less than five feet tall, she was a powerful speaker and excellent writer, lovingly called La Pasionaria. Thousands more joined the strike. Tear-gassed by police at least six times and with over 1,00 arrested, workers finally blocked half the pay cut and won free health exams. In 1939, Emma because chair of the Texas Community Party, then a strong voice for the opporessed. Forced to leave Texas because of Red-baiting she left her hometown" to attend San Francisco State College and study education. " She later returned to be a teacher and a beloved inspiration always." (Quote from Betita Martinez's 500 Years of Chicana (Women's) History.) #buttons #xicanxhistory #emmatenayuca

About 500 people came together at Travis Park in San Antonio, Tex., to celebrate International Women’s Day and the 70th anniversary of the pecan shellers strike led by Emma Tenayuca on Saturday, March 8, 2008.

Mural of Emma Tenayuca by Terry Ybañez in Southtown San Antonio.

Mural of Emma Tenayuca and other notable Tejanxs by Valerie Arranda  and others, 2006.

"Mis Palabras Mi Poder," at Burleson Elementary School, 2002.

Interview with Emma Tenayuca by Jerry Polo, 1987.

Many people were protesting the Communist Party meeting happening inside the Municipal Auditorium, at which Emma Tenayuca was present. Police officers confronted protesters trying to enter the auditorium, 1939.