Anita Martinez ( Nanez; December 8, 1925 – April 10, 2026) was an American politician who was the first Mexican-American member of the City Council of Dallas, Texas."City Secretary's Office, Dallas Municipal Archives - City Firsts", Dallas City Secretary's Office, (accessed January 21, 2016). Elected in 1969, she served on the City Council for four yearsU. S. Department of Transportation, Advisory Committee Candidate Biographical Information Request Form DOT F 1120.1, 2006. [Anita N. Martinez papers, A1195.2006], Degolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. and continued to promote Hispanic pride and knowledge in youth throughout the United States, most notably through the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico.
Life and career Anita Nanez was born on December 8, 1925,Profile, blog.smu.edu. Accessed April 3, 2026. in a poor area of Dallas, populated heavily enough with Mexican nationals to earn the sobriquet "Little Mexico"."Anita Martinez Collection", Dallas Public Library. Accessed September 26, 2010. After completing high school, she married Alfred Martinez and raised four children, while volunteering for organizations such as the Dallas Metropolis YWCA and the Jesuit Parents' Club.“Women News-Shapers For 1968”], The Dallas Time Herald, February 5, 1969. [Anita N. Martinez papers, A1195.2006x], Degolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. At the same time, she supported her husband's restaurant business, El Fenix, by joining, and eventually becoming the program director of, the Dallas Restaurant Association Auxiliary.Maggie Kennedy, “Women Also Feed Mind”, The Dallas Time Herald, June 11, 1967. [Anita N. Martinez papers, A1195.2006x]
From 1969 to 1973, Martinez served as West Dallas' Republican City Council Woman. In 1969, she ran for City Council as a candidate for the Citizen's Charter Association, a largely white male establishment that had strong influence over city government, and won 52 percent of the vote, making her the first Mexican-American to hold an elected government position in the city of Dallas.
In 1975, she began the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico as a volunteer program aimed at connecting Hispanic youths to their native culture. She assisted in the opening of the Anita Martinez Recreation Center in 1976 as a haven for children in West Dallas, an establishment she advocated for while on the City Council.Irasema Coronado and Patricia A. Jaramillo and Patricia Madrid and Sonia R. Garcia and Valerie Martinez-Ebers, Politicas: Latina Public Officials in Texas (Texas: University of Texas Press, 2008), p. 123.
Martinez died on April 10, 2026, at the age of 100.
Accomplishments Martinez began her role as a councilwoman with the goal of using politics to correct faults and vices she saw within her community, namely "crime, narcotics, and misfit teenagers"."Mrs. Martinez Earns Worthy Woman Award", Oak Cliff Tribune, July 23, 1969. [Anita N. Martinez papers, A1195.2006x], Degolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. However, her accomplishments in this area formed only a part of her agenda while serving as a member of the City Council. Martinez's other efforts included the implementation of streetlights, paved roads, and sidewalks in her constituents' neighborhoods.
After her service as councilwoman ended, she successfully established institutions whose stated aim was to "remove adolescents from the influences of corruption on the streets", including the Ballet Folklorico and her Recreation Center. In addition to employing youths in Dallas, the Ballet Folklorico has inspired more Folkloricos to form, spreading Hispanic pride and culture throughout the country. She received numerous awards for her volunteer efforts, including the Zonta Award for Constructive Voluntary Contribution to Community and Civic Affairs, and the JCPenney Golden Rule Award for Volunteer Service.
References
External links Anita Martinez Collection, dallaslibrary2.org. Accessed April 3, 2026.