PUENTE, Carlos (b. 1944) | Oral History

PUENTE, Carlos (b. 1944)

Profession: Political Activist

Oral Histories

Political activist. His involvement in the Mexican-American community of Fort Worth, Texas, 1970-2003. His family’s migration from Mexico to Texas in the 1920s; his youth in Galveston; his decision to quit school in the ninth grade; his earning a GED; business school at Galveston Business College and subsequent employment in the Galveston County tax assessor-collector’s office; his marriage; his being drafted into the Marine Corps, 1966; service in Vietnam for thirteen months; graduation from North Texas State University, 1971, with a degree in political science; the Chicano movement and involvement with student politics at NTSU; master’s degree studies at the University of Texas at Arlington in urban affairs; employment with the City of Fort Worth in the Planning Department; city manager internship, Weatherford, Texas, 1973-74; employment with the North Central Texas Council of Governments administering the Comprehensive Employment Training Act program, 1974-78; involvement with the Raza Unida party and the Ramsey Muñiz gubernatorial campaign; his founding and operation of the Northside Fort Worth newspaper El Reporter, 1976-78; his election to the Fort Worth School Board, 1978-84, and his role in instituting new programs for Northside High School; his successful campaign for county commissioner; his joining the Republican Party, 1991; community issues in the Northside area; his decision to become a public school teacher and administrator in the Arlington Independent School District; his becoming a born-again Christian; his activities with the Republican National Hispanic Assembly; the assistance of his wife in his political career.
Date of Interview: March 11, 2003

More Info