Outline History of The Good Neighbor Commission of Texas

Outline History of The Good Neighbor Commission of Texas

Mexican-American Activism

This source details the evidences of progress and problems still without a remedy in attacking discrimination against Spanish-speakers in Texas, as assessed by the Texas Good Neighbor Commission. In this source, economic inequality and poorer life conditions for Mexican Americans are pinpointed as the next steps for activists to take towards racial equality. Still, the council generally agreed that improved relations between Mexico and the United States and the general attitudes of all attendees made the council productive and effective in its mission.

Texas Good Neighbor Commission members

Dolph Briscoe Center for American History

1949-1950

Open for research and limited publication use

Manuscript

English

20th Century Activism Against Discrimination Towards Spanish Speaking People in America

EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS OF GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY IN TEXAS. It is not possible to measure social change or improvement without more funds than the Commission has available. However, there is easily observable evidence of the following favorable trends: a growing Latin and Anglo-Texan leadership working along lines of sane and constructive civic action; improved relations with Mexico as indicated by friendly attitudes of officials, increased travel and retail buying between Texas and Mexico, and the bracero agreement which allows contracting of Mexican workers for areas of Texas where officials maintain a friendly and sympathetic attitude toward the human relations of the workers; relatively improved economic conditions of the Spanish-speaking people of Texas, as indicated by interest of business in this group as a retail market; growing activity of the State government, as represented by creation of a Council for the Study of Human Relations. PROBLEMS AFFECTING INTERAMERICAN RELATIONS STILL WITHOUT A REMEDY. Aspects of the still unsolved problems of inter-American relations are: a large migrant group of poor people in Texas, who are isolated by their conditions of life, from government, education, and economic security; a similar group of people in Mexico, pressing for seasonal jobs in the United States; national prejudices among the ignorant and thoughtless of both nations, which are exploited by anti-patriotic agents on both side of our border.

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