The Ricardo Rodríquez historic marker. Photo by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone.
On October 4, County Judge Nelson Wolff, members of the Bexar County Historical Commission and U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez will officially dedicate a historical marker at the Hipolito Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse. The marker recognizes Ricardo Rodríguez, a Mexican immigrant whose quest for American citizenship went to federal court in 1896. Federal District Judge Thomas S. Maxey in 1897 ruled that citizens of Mexico were eligible for naturalization regardless of questions of race and granted Rodríguez’s application. The ruling affirmed that immigrants could not be denied naturalization because of lack of education.