Cruz Reynoso, the first Latino on the California Supreme Court.

Cruz Reynoso: Sowing the Seeds of Justice is a compelling portrait of former California Supreme Court Justice and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Abby Ginzberg produced the documentary film.

Reynoso personifies the Mexican American generation in California. A former farm worker, he served in the military and then went to college and law school at UC Berkeley. After graduation, Reynoso moved to El Centro, a small agricultural community not far from the California-Mexican border.

While in Imperial County in the 1950s and early 1960s, Reynoso became a leader in the Latino community, first in the Community Services Organization (CSO), and then in the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA).

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The state of Florida has a long tradition of Spanish-speaking elected officials that goes back to the founding of St. Augustine, the U.S.’s oldest city, in 1565.

Joseph Marion Hernández entered Congress from the Florida Territory in 1822. He was a Spanish American and the first Hispanic to serve in Congress.

In the modern era, Robert Martínez served as mayor of Tampa from 1979 to 1986, and then governor from 1987 to 1991. Mel Martínez served as U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2009. Both men were moderate Republicans.

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The palm card is one of the political communication tools that has been lost as voters bought automobiles and stopped commuting to work on streetcars.

The palm card is a 2 x 3 inch mini-leaflet that literally fit into the palm of your hand.

This two-sided palm card was distributed as part of Richard Ibañez’s campaign for judge in Los Angeles in 1948. It is packed with information.

The front side of the card included the candidate’s name, photo, office sought, and campaign theme.

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