Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War

Award-winning author Duncan Tonatiuh brings to life the story of a Mexican-American war hero



Jos. de la Luz S.enz (1888–1953)—or Luz—believed in fighting for what
was right. Although he was born in the United States, he and his family
experienced prejudice because of their Mexican heritage. When World War I
broke out, Luz volunteered to join the fight. Because of his ability to
quickly learn languages, he became part of the Intelligence Office in
Europe. However, despite his hard work and intellect, Luz often didn’t
receive credit for his contributions. Upon his return to the US, he
joined other Mexican-Americans whom he had met in the army to fight for
equality. His contribution, along with others, ultimately led to the
creation of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), which
is the oldest Latino civil rights organization. Soldier for Equality is
based in part on Luz’s diary during the war. It includes a biography of
Luz’s later years, an author’s note, a timeline, a bibliography, and an
index.