Vicente T. Ximenes

Ximenes was born in 1919[1] and raised in the town of Floresville, Texas, where he, along with the Mexican American community, were subjected to racial segregation.

After graduating from Floresville High School in 1939, Ximenes became a chief clerk in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

During the war, Ximenes flew 50 missions as a lead bombardier in North Africa and was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross[5] for bravery under fire.

Today, he achieves another high honor as he becomes a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States Government.

"[6] Ximenes directed the historic El Paso hearings in October 1967, which were the turning point in the goal for Hispanics to become part of the mainstream of the United States.

In 1967, Ximenes was also selected as the chairman of President Johnson's new Cabinet Committee on Mexican American Affairs, a position he held until 1972.

Ximenes' tenure at this position produced changes in federal legislation and regulation that affected the entire nation.

Michelle Hall Kells, Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing in the English Department of the University of New Mexico has written about Vicente's political efforts in a book: Vicente Ximenes and LBJ's Great Society: The Rhetoric of Mexican American Civil Rights Reform.

[13][14][15] This documentary, written and directed by John J. Valadez, describes how Mexican-American Rights progressed after a World War II Veteran, Felix Longoria, was refused burial in his home town of Three Rivers Texas because of his ethnicity.

[9] A chapter in the book, "Leaders of the Mexican American Generation", edited by Anthony Quiroz and published in 2015 featured Vicente Ximenes and his work in Civil Rights.

Unlike many other well known members of the Mexican-American rights movement in the U.S., Ximenes' legacy is one in which systemic change was attempted from within the government, through years of civil service.