[Letter from Ralph Guzman to Ben C. Connally - 1955-08-12] Page: 1 of 4
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12 August 1955
Hon. Ben C. Connally
U.S. District Judge
Southern District of Texas
Houston 2, Texas
In ret Civil Action Ho. 9009
HIos et al v. Ellis et al.
Dear Judge Connallys
I have seen a copy of a letter addressed by you
to Mr. Herrera under date of August 1, 1955. Because I
am familiar with some of the matters referred to in your
letter, I submit a statement. If the Court desires that
the statement submitted should be in an affidavit, I
shall be glad to forward such an affidavit.
I am presently the field representative of the
civil liberties department of the Allanza, having had
that employment since February of this year. It is part-
time employment, for I am completing my studies at the
University of California, majoring in political science.
I was requested by Mr. Wirin to go to Austin,
Texas in April of this year for the purpose of making a
study of, and s report to him on, alleged segregation of
Americans of Mexican descent in the Texas prisons.
In Austin I met with Mr. Herrera on Sunday, April
24, 1955 and conferred generally with hi® on Monday,
April 25, 1955. I accompanied him to Harlem Prison Farm
No. 2 and then Harlem Prison Farm Mo. 1. At Harlem Prison
Farm No. 2 he conferred with, in my presence, four of the
plaintiffs in the case; and at Harlem Prison Farm Ho. 1,
he conferred with the fifth, namely Ernesto Longeria.
At Harlem Prison Farm No. 2 Mr. Herrera, In my presence,
stated to the plaintiffs that as their attorney he would
do what he could In connection with their sentences. He
asked them whether they would like to file a court suit
to stop segregation of Mexican prisoners, stating to them
that If such a suit were filed they would be parties to
It and it would be for the benefit of ail Americans of
Mexican descent who were prisoners in the Texas prison
system. Each of then: stated that he would like to parti-
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Guzman, Ralph. [Letter from Ralph Guzman to Ben C. Connally - 1955-08-12], letter, August 12, 1955; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth249473/m1/1/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hoston History Research Center at Houston Public Library.