Raymond L. Telles
Raymond L. Telles
Raymond L. Telles
Raymond L. Telles (1915-2013) was the first Mexican-American elected mayor of El Paso. He was known as a pioneer in El Paso politics, a friend and close adviser of President John F. Kennedy and a former ambassador to Costa Rica. Telles devoted his life to public service, serving four times as El Paso County clerk and twice as El Paso mayor (1957-1961). He also devoted more than 30 years of service in the military and as a civilian troubleshooter and adviser for the federal government. Over the years, Telles was widely applauded for challenging the political circles dominated by whites in El Paso in the 1940s and 1950s and for disproving the notion that Mexican-Americans could not be elected to public office or effectively run a city. A symbol of dignity, Telles has been most applauded as the leader who gave Mexican-Americans a voice in El Paso politics. Telles received numerous recognitions in his lifetime, including recognition in 2006 as Mayor Emeritus of El Paso. He died in 2013 at an age of 97.
Report this entry
More from the same community-collection
William Lee Petroff - 1965 - El Paso, Texas
Bill Petroff - police officer who retired in 1977 - rank was ...
Lulac Sweetheart Charity Ball - 1971
Adela (Lily) Lerma - Mercado contestant for Lulac Sweetheart ...
Wedding - El Camino Real Hotel - 2000 - El Paso, Texas
Wedding at the El Camino Real Hotel - left to right - Pedro ...
"Classic" by Alejandro Briseño - El Paso, Texas
The Consulate General of Mexico and Centro Cultural Mexicano ...
Edward J. McVay and worker - Paving the Roads of El Paso, Texas
Edward J. McVay spent his life working in many different ...
Edward J. McVay Paving the Roads of El Paso, Texas
Edward J. McVay spent his life working in many different ...
Edward J. McVay Paving the Roads of El Paso, Texas
Edward J. McVay spent his life working in many different ...
San Jacinto Plaza Opening - 2016 - El Paso, Texas
San Jacinto Plaza Opening - 2016 Photograph during the San ...
San Jacinto Plaza Opening - 2016
The mascot for the El Paso Public Library - celebrating opening ...
San Jacinto Plaza Opening - 2016
Mascot for the El Paso Public Library -- celebrating the opening ...
San Jacinto Plaza Opening - 2016 - El Paso, Texas
Photograph of the statue in the center of the plaza.