The Tejano Day celebration, organized by TAMACC, will take place on May 3rd at the South Steps of the Texas State Capitol between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. The event will feature Mariachi, Ballet Folklorico, speakers, and other festivities, followed by refreshments on the Capitol lawn next to the Tejano monument. Although the celebration was initially scheduled for April 6th, it has been rescheduled to May 3rd, 2023, due to severe weather conditions. This is a free event that is open to the public.

For more than three centuries, Tejanos of Spanish, Mexican, African, and indigenous descent have been essential to the history and heritage of the state of Texas. From founding its earliest permanent settlements, including cities such as San Antonio, Nacogdoches, Victoria, Goliad, and El Paso, to being the first to name many of Texas’s waterways and natural features, the contributions of Tejanos have been significant.

Two hundred and ten years ago, on April 6, 1813, Tejanos were the first residents to declare for an independent Texas, and at the Battle of Medina that same year, they gave their lives in a bloody engagement with a Spanish royalist army that remains the deadliest clash in the history of Texas.

It is fitting that Tejano men and women be officially honored for their contributions to the Lone Star State throughout its history. They have been champions of social and political progress and have exerted a tremendous influence on our way of life, despite facing injustice and discrimination. Their devotion to Texas has been instrumental in the epic saga of the state.

Last session, the 87th Legislature, the State of Texas passed Texas House Concurrent Resolution 67, designating April 6 as Tejano Day. This observance marks the date in 1813 when Tejano leaders issued the first declaration of Texas independence.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to sponsor, please contact Pauline Anton, TAMACC President & CEO, at (512) 444-5727 or president@TAMACC.org.