Américo Paredes Remembered
This segment originally aired on Latino USA May 28, 1999.

Paredes Tribute (8:17)

It may have been fate that on Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, Dr. Américo Paredes, one of the country's most prominent and beloved of Latino scholars died at the age of 83.

SONG: Con su pluma en su mano

On May 23, 1999, Américo Paredes was honored at a memorial service held at the University of Texas at Austin where he was Professor Emeritus.

Singer Tish Hinojosa played homage to Paredes by singing her tribute Con Su Pluma En Su Mano, With a Pen In His Hand.

SONG: Con su pluma en su mano

Many spoke about Paredes, including former students, now scholars, who remembered how his teachings opened up their views about culture, the border and themselves.

TAPE COLLAGE: IN:"Dr. Paredes' work came from his life, and his life was about his work... OUT: ...and he taught me the importance of being a person of integrity, honor, respect, and principles."

He was born in Brownsville, Texas in 1915. For more than 40 years, Paredes wrote about the culture and folklore of the lower Rio Grande Valley, about the music, folk sayings and oral traditions of the people living along the Texas border with Mexico.

In 1994, Maria Martin interviewed Dr. Paredes and prepared this profile.

TAPE: IN:"It was in 1936 that I graduated from junior college in my hometown of Brownsville, Texas... OUT: ...For Latino USA, I'm Maria Martin reporting."

We end our remembrance of Américo Paredes with a poem he wrote when he was just 19 ... it speaks of the Rio Grande and the region he always loved ... the border ... it's read by his son, Vincent ...

TAPE: IN:"Muddy river, muddy river moving slowly down your track, with your swirls and counter currents ... OUT: ... and my soul will sleep forever by the margin of the sea."

Américo Paredes, died May 5th, 1999 ... que descanse en paz.