At almost 91,000 square feet, Henry B. Gonzalez Elementary School in southeast Dallas is designed to accommodate about 800 students. One of 12 new schools opened to students for the 2006-2007 school year, the school includes 41 core classrooms, as well as computer and science classrooms, art and music classrooms, a library/media center, an auditorium with seating for 395, a gymnasium, a kitchen, and a cafeteria. Outside, the school feature playfields, a playground, and a basketball court.
Biography of Henry B. Gonzalez
Henry B. Gonzalez was the first Mexican-American elected to the Texas Senate, the first to run for governor, and the first to be elected from Texas to the U.S. House of Representatives. Gonzalez was born to a middle-class family in San Antonio, Texas, on May 3, 1916. Despite having personal advantages thanks to his family's strong economic position, Gonzalez dealt with the many prejudices against Hispanics prevalent at the time. His personal experiences with bigotry and unfair laws inspired Gonzalez throughout his life and professional career to seek equality and fair treatment for all minorities.
During World War II, Gonzalez served his country in military and naval intelligence, utilizing his proficiency in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English. He pursued his educational goals at The University of Texas and at San Antonio College, and in 1943 was awarded his law degree by St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio. He immediately began working as a juvenile probation officer, eventually becoming chief probation officer of the Bexar County Juvenile Court.
In 1953, Gonzalez began his long political career by being elected to the San Antonio City Council, where he succeeded at repealing various segregation laws and other regulations unfair to minorities. He took an important step up the political ladder in 1956 when he became the first American of Mexican descent to gain a seat in the Texas Senate. Five years later, in 1961, he became the first Hispanic elected from Texas to the U.S. House of Representatives. His career in the U.S. Congress spanned 37 years until he retired in 1998 at the age of 82. He died just two years later on November 29, 2000.
Henry B. Gonzalez's political and personal accomplishments have left a lasting impression on Texas and the United States.
Biography of Henry B. Gonzalez