SAN ANTONIO -- The newly formed Mexican-American Civil Rights Institute is ready to begin a mission to preserve history.

• Mexican-American Civil Rights Institute received $500K
• Works to document people and historical events
• Will be housed at Our Lady of the Lake University

Last week the San Antonio City Council approved $500,000 in startup money for the Mexican-American Civil Rights Institute.

“Finally. We’re there and now it’s on us, to honor the council, honor the city, honor the taxpayers and put together a great a great historical institution,” said Paul Ruiz, Mexican-American Civil Rights Institute president.

Emma Tenayuca led workers in protest on the steps of City Hall in 1937. 

Voter rights activist and Chicano movement organizer Willie Valasquez stirred a political rally in the 1960s. And in 1968 San Antonio High School students shared stories of injustice in front of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. All of these historic events will housed by the Mexican-American Civil Rights Institute.

It is Ruiz’s vision to launch the institute in a city known for being deep-rooted in civil rights.

“That’s why we have the emergence of LULAC, GI Forum. Our uncles come back from World War I and World War II and the say this has to change,” said Ruiz.

The institute's board is made up of academics, civic advocates, activists, lawyers and a retired firefighter. The objective of the Civil Rights Institute is collect and document people and historical events, as it relates to political, social and labor struggles of Mexican-Americans.

Institute co-chair Gloria Rodriquez said the board is ready to reach into the not-well-documented storied past of Mexican-Americans who worked to achieve greater equality at a time many Anglo-Texans refused to acknowledge brown-skinned people as equals.

“This is our opportunity to research, chronicle, showcase, promote these leaders,” said Rodriquez. 

Board member and Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies & Research at Our Lady of the Lake University Ezequiel Pena said struggle for Mexican-Americans is evident today and will continue as the institute labors to forge its place in history.

“The success of this institute as successful as it can be, there’s still going to be swimming upstream. We know that. But we need a place like this to institutionalize our stories,” said Pena.  

The institute is looking to be housed at Our Lady of the Lake University. Once established in San Antonio, the Civil Rights organization plans to launch a National Advisory Board.