Goliad in Goliad County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
William Rubio Carbajal
Photographed By James Hulse, February 17, 2022
1. William Rubio Carbajal Marker
Inscription.
William Rubio Carbajal. . The first Mexican American to attend and graduate from Goliad High School was William Rubio Carbajal. The effort to get him admitted to the high school and receive the same education as Anglo Americans was an important struggle for Mexican Americans in Goliad County and in Texas. William was born in May of 1915, and was the ninth generation of his family to be born in Texas. His ancestors had served the U.S. military in the American Revolution, Texas Revolution, Civil War, Indian Wars and World War I. William attended a segregated public school in the city of Goliad. The Mexican school ended with the seventh grade and consisted of a small 20 x 30 foot room with up to sixty children in attendance. William's principal, Frank Wallace, believed he should go on to the high school even though it was for whites only., With the support of Wallace, William asked permission from the school board to attend the high school. His request was denied. The family continued to fight and asked for assistance from the San Antonio Chapter of the League of United Latin American citizens (LULAC). In 1932 LULAC responded by forming the Goliad Chapter which still exists today. The LULAC Council, Frank Wallace and the Carbajal family brought the fight to the Texas Board of Education in Austin which granted him the right to attend Goliad High School. Three days of waiting on the steps of the school passed before they finally allowed him to enter. William excelled in his studies, participated in school plays and made all-district on the football team. In 1935, William became the first Mexican American to earn a high school diploma from the Goliad High School.
The first Mexican American to attend and graduate from Goliad High School was William Rubio Carbajal. The effort to get him admitted to the high school and receive the same education as Anglo Americans was an important struggle for Mexican Americans in Goliad County and in Texas. William was born in May of 1915, and was the ninth generation of his family to be born in Texas. His ancestors had served the U.S. military in the American Revolution, Texas Revolution, Civil War, Indian Wars and World War I. William attended a segregated public school in the city of Goliad. The Mexican school ended with the seventh grade and consisted of a small 20 x 30 foot room with up to sixty children in attendance. William's principal, Frank Wallace, believed he should go on to the high school even though it was for whites only.
With the support of Wallace, William asked permission from the school board to attend the high school. His request was denied. The family continued to fight and asked for assistance from the San Antonio Chapter of the League of United Latin American citizens (LULAC). In 1932 LULAC responded by forming the Goliad Chapter which still exists today. The LULAC Council, Frank Wallace and the Carbajal family brought the fight to the Texas Board of Education in Austin which granted him the right to attend Goliad High School.
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Three days of waiting on the steps of the school passed before they finally allowed him to enter. William excelled in his studies, participated in school plays and made all-district on the football team. In 1935, William became the first Mexican American to earn a high school diploma from the Goliad High School.
Erected 2012 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17201.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Education • Hispanic Americans. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1915.
Location. 28° 40.586′ N, 97° 23.68′ W. Marker is in Goliad, Texas, in Goliad County. Marker is on North Church Street, 0.2 miles south of West Ward Street, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located at the front entrance to the Goliad Event Center near the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 749 North Church Street, Goliad TX 77963, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Anglo-Americans began extending segregation to Mexican Americans after the Texas Revolution as a social custom. Tejanos formed a suspect class during and after the revolution, and that fact led to a general aversion of them. After the Civil War, segregation developed as a method of group control. For both minority groups, segregation existed in schools, churches, residential districts, and most public places such as restaurants, theaters, and barber shops. Source: The Handbook of Texas
(Submitted on February 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, February 17, 2022
3. The view of the William Rubio Carbajal Marker from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on February 18, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 399 times since then and 93 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
