Irma Cortes Nicolas and Emilio Nicolas

Recorded February 7, 2008 Archived February 7, 2008 37:25 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id: MBY003600

Description

Irma Cortes Nicolas and Emilio Nicolas discuss their family, their marriage, the milestones of the local Hispanic community in the field of broadcast communication.

Subject Log / Time Code

Irma discusses her parents’ marriage and family and describes their crossing the Mexican border in 1930s Laredo, TX.
Emilio describes life with his family during the Depression, known in Mexico as the Crisis.
Irma and Emilio share their favorite and least favorite childhood memories.
Irma remembers her father, who began the country’s first Spanish-speaking radio and television stations. “He always thought big,” says Irma.
The couple discusses Emilio’s impact on the television industry.

Participants

  • Irma Cortes Nicolas
  • Emilio Nicolas

Transcript

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00:05 My name is Emilio Nikolas. I'm 77 years old today is the second forgive me. It's February 7.

00:19 2008 we are in San Antonio, Texas and the husband of ear Matt Nicolas my partner.

00:34 My name is is my Cortes de Nicolas Cage is 74 today's date is February 7th of 2008 San Antonio Texas my relationship to my partner is his wife.

00:52 Yeah, I am going to start by asking you a question or other by asking you to to tell us how we met back in 1948.

01:12 Immediately mint in 1948 late 48

01:18 I think it was like a December. So it was almost 49 at the black and white ball where I was a Debbie ton.

01:28 And we you were there.

01:32 I've danced you asked me to dance I dance with you. But first I told you I have to dance the first dance with my father.

01:40 The second dance with my escort and third I accepted your dancing and we danced to the rest of the night and I remember so well, where you sang to me in French La Vie En Rose boy. I'm telling you. I really fell for you. I fell in love and to this day after 55 years. I'm still in love with you. Well, thank you very much. You're not very kind of you. Of course. I'm still in love with you and

02:14 Why don't you tell us?

02:18 When and where you were born?

02:22 Well, I was born here in San Antonio one of three children. And the first one to be born here in San Antonio since my parents came from Mexico.

02:34 My great-grandparents came from Spain Dad was born in xalapa Veracruz Mexico and mother was born in theaters negras coahuila.

02:46 My mother's father was in the military back then.

02:51 And he used to travel from City to City from state to state in Mexico. And finally he got retired in Nuevo Laredo Mexico Tamaulipas, and that's where Mother and Dad met.

03:04 And they fell in love and got married in those days. It was very hard for them. That was working in Mexico. Nobody though selling eggs fruits, whatever he could to support his wife.

03:19 Then he decided Well, they had worker to have a child, which was my brothers are older.

03:26 Junior that was born there in with autism and then my sister Rosemary that was also born there in with autism.

03:36 So they decided to come to the United cross the border and come to the United States, which was Laredo, Texas or dad started working there as a window dresser.

03:49 Made a little money and hear what they came on to San Antonio. It was in the middle thirties.

03:57 Then when he got to San Antonio, he work for the Pearl Brewery a security police.

04:04 And then I was born in 33.

04:09 And I was the first one born here in first one born in a hospital, which was Santa Rosa Hospital. It was existing then very new small hospital, but it was very new and then we just continued.

04:26 Well, let me say that I was born in from thetic while we love Mexico in October of 1930 and my parents were Constantino and Maria Nicolas. They were lovingly known as Dona Maria and down Coaster by the townspeople.

04:49 I have an older brother Guillermo in Three Sisters, Julia Nina in Virginia. We were loving to each other and we looked after another I actually was during the Depression known which which which which was known in Mexico is the crisis. So times were tough for everyone my parents were retailers. And so you can imagine the struggles that they had at that time.

05:31 But

05:34 Tell me one thing. You're not tell me about your you're

05:40 Best memory of childhood

05:45 One of the best memories of my childhood was I look forward in the Summers to go and visit my grandparents on my mother's side to a little town named Bo neon four-wheeler Mexico. I love spending all summers there.

06:01 With my mother and my grandparents my brother and sister we would go to their Ranch.

06:07 We would get in there on their horses and we go in the horse-and-buggy to visit the town. I played with all my cousins.

06:17 Rode horses swam all summer, and that was happy times for me.

06:22 And what was your first memory memory was going to boarding school having to be in it because mother was ill and Daddy had to be put Daddy has to be put in in the boarding school cuz she was

06:42 Are most of the time in until she did better. But until we were in boarding school. Did we get till I graduated high school?

06:59 Do just do it to give you my memories of childhood. My favorite memory is very similar to some of the of your experiences it is he's going with dr. And Mrs. Michael long to their Ranch rocking l in the mountains of muskies in staying there for days riding a paint horse with Rafael or shy kikapu, India.

07:38 And he still used bow and arrow and and he will take me riding around the ranch. When was that? What years are the ocean? That must have been when I wash maybe like 11 years old. So it said maybe in 1941 or so it wouldn't be there in the world is when yes, it was perhaps a bit about that time. And of course, I was the first time that I saw a deer in black bear.

08:23 In the my worst memory of childhood is is being in the hospital for several days suffering from a serious infection in my lung cavity.

08:38 A matter which was a great concerned. But of course I had dr. Long and and he's wife in the cell is at the nursing after me. Yes. She wash your remember. I remember her wonderful got to meet him in 4950 and the Inn in those days as I say that it was a matter of grave concern because we did not have any ceiling in in those years and my worst moment was seeing my dear Mother and realizing the pain in the suffering that my illness was causing her. Yeah all mothers we suffer with our children. Yeah. Yeah. Well imagine that we have never had a thank God. I took an extreme experience like that how we had one when Emilio?

09:37 Junior

09:40 After he was born if he was about like eight and a half months of my fat heat are eight months. He got the rubella remember that the rubella is measles and I was expecting Miriam our second child. Thank God that I didn't get he didn't get the rubella at my first early months of pregnancy, or she would to this day be have been affected.

10:04 Buy some way or another speech eyes limbs, who knows but we were very blessed with the grace of God when you mentioned that need u i e i remember very vividly in and I also it's always in my mind the first time that he had revolted against us and that was when he was just a little kid have four and three or four years old and he and he was so upset that a toss that he picked up his yes, and he was leaving home and he took all his toys put them in a grocery bag and started the walking out and went on the street and I eat I was just another half an hour. Yeah. We were we just walk right behind him and he was very upset.

11:04 And finally what I just grabbed him and brought him home, but it is quite a wonderful memory at any rate. Thank God, we had three children and ten years after Miriam was born Guillermo when we caught him our Christmas baby cuz he was born in December 25th, and we've had many many happy days with him and with Emilio and Miriam

11:34 Making sure they would get educated and they got married and think we have.

11:41 Three grandchildren by brand children two boys from a meteor and Terry media be Daniel in from Marion. We have Brooke Jolie and Morgan & Morgan and the two boys already are lawyers in which we are very proud of to know that they followed education in our heritage our customs and of course at the home, we always spoke Spanish and that's why the three of our children are able to speak Spanish very attic and we just make sure that the that they learned Spanish at home with us. We just figure that the television set and it does it the time we did not have Spanish language television in San Antonio that that they

12:42 That they would learn English from the TV set. We never let him see or one, of course you into and when they went to school, they would have to learn English so that the but one thing I want to point out these that the Emilio and Miriam our oldest son and our girls are only girl. They were only a little over a year apart in so when no no no, no, no mistake. Remember me, Leo had the the rubella measles she was born.

13:20 Ahead of time I was she was upstairs and pediatric that I was delivering her when it was about eight months. That was was was so dangerous. But thank God we she was saying was about 11 11 months. So so that the Wendy and Emma was born and years after Nerium. Yeah, we all know the two of us only about it. The other two kids had a great fun with a baby in the house. I'm my worst time was when I lost both my parents.

14:01 And later my brother and the last my sister so ready. I have been without a family of brother and sisters for 20 years or thing. I do been lucky you've only lost one which is Nana and thank God that they're all doing well or emergency in Mexico and we continue going on in here. We are the only person left in your family's app for my one and my mother don't know nobody coming from from from his family or the only one in the in the we just came back from from Saltillo where we visited your only person from your mother. Emily who was a hundred and three years old 8400 birthday or 1st 2nd, and we celebrated her third hundred.

15:01 3 and she still worries about her dress and the shoes that have to have a little hairs are healed.

15:12 Why don't you why don't you I'm just thinking of something to go to why don't you talk about the your father and your mother?

15:29 Well

15:34 I got my father was a very busy man. He worked very hard. I know that he was Pioneer of radio station in first Spanish radio station k c o r and then he got his license to for his k'cor television Spanish language television to but I think you should say that it was back in 1946. We landed he had gotten his license, but he could not start the business because of

16:07 I don't know if it was the war or or what was going on that he is going to wait a year, but in 1945-46 the new radio station was the only one of its kind is it in this country, but I didn't think about history. I knew he was.

16:31 A real entrepreneur he thought big and if he had any ideas he made up that he made in reality. He had everything.

16:45 From the bowling alley

16:48 To restaurants to nightclubs to the radio station and the television station. He always thought big and I was very proud of him when

17:01 And of course he opened up the first Spanish language TV station riding the country in 1955 a c o r t v ride and let me tell you that.

17:18 When Daddy was

17:21 Started, you know, he would he would bring being an entrepreneur key and he would bring a lot of the Mexican composers singers actors and they all very interesting and exciting. I loved and admired the famous Mexican composer. I will Steve Latta you remember him or he remember my geography of course and I love Pedro Infante at the whole country Mexico and here we're just devastated that he was killed in an airplane and physical Vargas our greatest singer in Mexico together with Dona La Negra. Remember Sonya. Nicholas. Of course, you'll ever marry Elena Marquez, and I remember that they were all wonderful and I got to meet him.

18:12 When you mentioned Agustin Lara, and he was perhaps the greatest of all the popular Mexican composers, perhaps the most the greatest of all time.

18:30 Let me say something about my my

18:37 You know, but we were talking about that is a composition accomplishments. OK, you know, of course, my father would be very proud to know right now in here that he was be as part of history and a building something so deeply important for a Hispanic Community all over this great country in Mexico having the station's was a platform for all of us which to that helped our people it was and is an important tool in helping the effect of change.

19:17 From the braceros program remember that from the program between Mexico and the United States in the forties.

19:25 Do immigration reform today?

19:29 The Airways belong to all our people of this nation no matter what language they prefer to speak and it has been an honor to serve all of our public and I'm very proud to have been part of the radio and television pipe when dad was a pioneering and of course, you forget to mention something very important back then they cor was not only the station for the Mexican American people, but even Wash San Antonio, of course at the time that was no no network or anything like that, but he was also for that black people and he had a program in the fridge Phillips inside. My second dad would bring in the I don't know I wouldn't really say he died when breathing in

20:29 Every major black star that came into town he wouldn't be even if you would buy him and even in 1955 when we started the the TV station, I have the great honor of having Miriam Anderson, which was one of the greatest singers of all time airing out of here on on TV in the reason. She would come to watch was because scratch wood cross the hole from the radio program in bring them into the Federation schedule television station in we that was the only English language programming that we allowed on the station and I'm very proud of that. Organelle.

21:29 When I was growing up here in San Antonio.

21:35 We really didn't have it was a great City to grow up in but we didn't have what we have now. We didn't have the chain stores. We then just had like a boss Brothers.

21:50 The Bogue but you don't remember where we used to hang out that we used to get off the bus coming from school. You would come from. I think you were a third Central St. Mary's University and we would meet at the Summers drugstore is all our friends pass a little time there and

22:11 And then go home cuz we had to be home at a certain hour. But you know, what's more important to me was that?

22:20 When I was going and coming from my house.

22:26 That I we wrote the bus did I mention that about the bus?

22:31 No, I don't think so, but we weren't used to have to take the bus to go downtown to go shopping but

22:39 I has a Mexican American have to sit in the middle of the bus blacks in the back and the whites in the front. I went through a lot of bigotry and racism by teenager live, but thank God with that help and being twice elected to the Mexican-American.

23:06 Which was the the lulac the lulac national? Yeah, he was National president twice.

23:16 And he is at when he when he used his radio station as a tool to

23:27 Well radio and the television and that's when you know what I mean those days, of course, he was just the radio, but well, yeah, but he took his idea to expand it to include millions of Spanish-speaking people within our borders without your vision Amedeo attract a little amount because you know, he she did form the sombrero Network, right which was a chain of Spanish language radio stations. All of which of course is that looked after they see our TV and so he was reaching out then in the radio. Then of course on the TV, it was a bit of a different story because he was very successful when he opened it up and they had all these Caravans of actress and actor.

24:27 Is an orchestra and singers Etc calming over and going through that TV station and not putting the shows at the Municipal Auditorium at sit at the Alameda theater Etc. But the fact you said the TV station by itself could not survive chose to make things better for our people and being

25:00 Why is there a national president?

25:05 He works so hard with then President Truman and and Mexican president Miguel Aleman to better relationships between our two countries was he watched any rate?

25:23 A lot was accomplished by Jaheim alone in the state's shirt with a good relationship and she was so personally involved in we we kept on doing the same thing when we started the TV station in 1955, but it's I said, unfortunately that people would not respond. I mean the advertisers they we have we have problems that had to do with the fact that the i programs worried in Spanish are advertisers. Didn't know what this program program is where they could not understand them and show

26:11 The advertising agencies wouldn't buy us either because they have no no research that justify the buying us. We we had no audience research or view our research and the the American Research Bureau in Nielsen did not have methodologies nor even interview or so spoke Spanish. And so we we had a very hard time and that's why it's some point your father decided to sell the the TV station and I was I stayed with the group that bought it and I became a part of that original group and then of course

27:11 These group had a larger means and commitment to to make a network of Television Network. Do you remember though how hard have years those were for you and I usually worth being where we were about marriage. They say you're five years something like that and we had Hard Times To Wear then you decided to start all this with Dad, but the

27:43 The meaning of this whole thought is when our children were growing up. We emphasized education and we still do for all the people right now is a Hispanic Community Education. Don't leave your school's continue be proud of what you are your heritage don't be ashamed to speak your language and all this culture. We pin instill in our children, which now, of course their insulin in their children.

28:15 But you know when I remember very much so wouldn't

28:22 You took that ideas and expanded to include millions of Spanish-speaking people within our borders. Remember without your vision Don Emilio's Vision or your partner for an Anselmo or Danny Villanueva Univision now may not exist today and its is it did

28:48 It may never have Focus so much as on issues that matter to your viewers like registration voters registration the Social Security benefits are national televised Mass. Remember to comfort those who couldn't go to the church that they had to see it on television the telephone Aveda Daniel to raise money for the poor in our community and of course immigration reform fair and equal time for all opinions and entertainment to relax when you know, you know, you mentioned that immigration bill. I think it was around 1980 or 80. No, no, no, it was shot while he was in the 80s. But at any rate we defeated that deal we didn't even went to the church and

29:48 Mexican or Hispanic Bishops and I say Hispanic cuz I don't know how many we're from countries other than Mexico and and they finally supported us in the India and we were able to to stop that terrible deal similar to some of those that are being proposed today, which certainly don't reflect that kind of country that we have always being and that which are just terrible in but you know, I am human okay, we stopped business and we'll talk about you and I we have been married 55 years is coming.

30:40 February 15th, can you imagine how many years we have been in love and really of course it's not always love we have argued with we talked about part of life in part of love. We have to know marriage is in a bed of roses, but I think that ours is at least more than half bed of roses for 55 years Daddy. I want to tell you I got a hope we go to 60 or even up to 80. Hope to God when maybe maybe like you're maybe I'll get to be a hundred and three but she lost her husband when she was Lady. Okay, but I don't expect to lose you. So let's let's go out together and enjoy our children our grandchildren and let you know even at eighty she was so young that she was amazing amazing after this day. She wears a in an inch or 2 inch heel.

31:40 She won't go anywhere without her makeup her little girl.

31:45 They say that I kind of look like her. Of course. I don't wear a girdle, but I don't know how much more time we've got.

32:00 Is there anything else that you can you remind me to? You know, I'm going to tell you a very a very personal experience that had 3 years ago.

32:14 I was struck with cancer in the breast. I was very very lucky and I have been cancer-free for three years.

32:25 I get my test, you know, but let's not forget faith and prayer. Yes you going off course and we have always been very good for dinner. You devoted dedicated Christians and in the end, I think Tara and I believe our kids are grown up don't have to worry about it. But you and I are the worrywart lease on the basis of all our principles in the basis on which we which we run our lives and if we ever deviate we certainly get back in track pretty quick let you know we still continue being involved in community service, of course with a library.

33:13 Library Foundation, especially with a with a Palo Alto library that was named after that the library which is been a wonderful thing and we supported and I have a lot of good supporters, especially the Yen will be in the chairman of the foundation that has helped all

33:34 Library yes, and we just have to be very proud that we still live. When were asked to do something for our city for our church. We never say no and its course. We always keeping mind the very poor which is part of our religion and which one must have always seen mind. How would you like to be remembered when we go? Oh my goodness that my children remember me always is a lovable mean mama. Well, I really don't know maybe

34:20 Why would you like to be remembered when I hope I'm remembered?

34:27 By you and and the children and the grandchildren.

34:33 Is the man who?

34:37 Who who who who love them and yeah, I would like to be reminded by our television audiences across the nice remembered as one of the pioneer as if I hear of a man who told them in many television programs and editorials to always be proud of their origin and their culture though. That is under the false. Oh, well, maybe I'd like to be remembered as the daughter of the pioneer of radio and television that didn't quit I continued with you to fight for our people in people.

35:26 The poorest the homeless

35:31 In the children abused children

35:35 When you know when you say never to quit I I want to I I want to remind you when you know these.

35:47 Read the man that I most admired in my adult life. I mention him going to Media who was the pioneer of radio and television in America for that. Very good in the he she was very good to me. She was my mentor and he always treated me with respect.

36:24 And I learned through his example.

36:33 To be humbled to be there. No not combo Damaris, but has to be dedicated to never give up and most importantly he told me to always think of and help the poor.

36:51 Well, I think that be about all we just keep loving each other, especially next week. I'll wait from never want to get married and Valentine's Day cuz I want it double gift Valentine's cuz he loved me and the 15th because I've have been a good devoted wife you very much like my gift or this conversation.

37:18 When