Américo Paredes

Americo Paredes (September 3, 1915 - May 5, 1999) was a Mexican-American author born in Brownsville, Texas who authored several texts focusing on the border life that existed between the United States and Mexico, particularly around the Rio Grande region of South Texas.

With His Pistol in His Hand (ISBN 978-0-292-70128-1), published in 1958 told the story of the legendary Gregorio Cortez and his conflict with the Texas Rangers. The text portrayed the famed Texas Rangers in a negative fashion, which was unheard of in the history of that organization. There was a suggestion, jokingly perhaps, by some Texas Rangers that Paredes should be shot in retaliation for his blemishing of the reputation of the Texas Rangers in that book. With His Pistol in His Hand was actually Paredes' dissertation and was published as a book by the University of Texas at Austin.

Paredes' most well known work is George Washington Gomez (ISBN 978-1558850125). The book tells the story of a young man growing up in Jonesville on the River (a fictional city Paredes used to represent the city of Brownsville) in the early 1900s. In the work, George Washington Gomez reveals the conflict in identity (as the title name suggests) the young man experiences growing up in an Anglo-Texan environment, particularly with regards to the educational system.

While stationed in Japan during the occupation, Paredes completed coursework at the Tokyo Army College. In 1951 Paredes received his B.A. in English and Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin where he later received an M.A. in 1953. In 1956 he received his Doctorate in English and Spanish. Paredes later joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin in 1957.

Paredes has the distinction of being one of the few scholars "to ever have a corrido...composed in his honor".