Oscar M. Laurel
| Oscar M. Laurel | |
|---|---|
| Texas State Representative from District 80 (Webb County) | |
|
In office 1957–1961 |
|
| Preceded by | William W. "Bill" Allen |
| Succeeded by | Vidal M. Treviño |
| District Attorney of Webb, Zapata and Dimmit counties | |
|
In office 1961–1967 |
|
| President of the League of United Latin American Citizens | |
|
In office 1955–1956 |
|
| Preceded by | Frank Pinedo |
| Succeeded by | Felix Tijerina |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Oscar Manuel Laurel June 8, 1920 Laredo, Webb County Texas, USA |
| Died | March 29, 2001 (aged 80) Laredo, Texas |
| Resting place | Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Laredo, Texas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Elsa Gonzalez Laurel |
| Children | Oscar M. Laurel, Jr. |
| Residence | Laredo, Texas |
| Alma mater |
Martin High School |
| Occupation | Attorney; Banker; Rancher |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army Air Corps |
| Rank | Staff sergeant; airplane mechanic |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Martin High School
Loyola University New Orleans
University of Texas at Austin
Oscar Manuel Laurel, Sr. (June 8, 1920 – March 29, 2001), was an attorney, businessman, and Hispanic Democratic politician from Laredo, Texas, whose legendary oratory excited his party's faithful. "He had a great talent for words," said Hector Garcia, a former Laurel business partner. Vidal M. Treviño, late superintendent of the Laredo Independent School District, called Laurel "the best orator we have ever had." Laurel was one of five Laredoans to have served as president of the Hispanic interest group, the League of United Latin American Citizens, having been president of the organization for 1955–1956.
Laurel was born in heavily Hispanic and Democratic Laredo in south Texas. He graduated in 1937 from Martin High School. He married the former Elsa Gonzalez, who was a descendant from one of the founders of Laredo. The couple had a son and a daughter.
Laurel thereafter graduated from the Roman Catholic-affiliated Loyola University in New Orleans. He then entered the United States Army Air Corps, in which he served from 1941 to 1945. He was an airplane mechanic on B-17s and B29s and attained the rank of staff sergeant. After military service in World War II, Laurel enrolled in a pre-law curriculum at the University of Texas at Austin. He then completed his legal studies at the South Texas College of Law in Houston. He opened his law practice in Laredo in 1948.
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Wikipedia