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• Cecil Gomez

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Cecil Gomez
Author Email - Link to Publisher
West Tulsa Oklahoma 1939 Before and After The Greatest Little American Town That Once Was
(Non Fiction: History)
ISBN 0-944619-90-8/978-0-944619-90-2 238 pages - $35.00 (softcover)
Cecil Gomez PR

Sand Springs, Oklahoma author Cecil Gomez has released of his third book. "West Tulsa, Oklahoma 1939, Before and After" - a historical volume about the early days in a small town on the west bank of the Arkansas River in the shadow of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cecil explores life and times of the community through the eyes of early residents as they share stories of places that dotted the landscape. Their recollections, like the book’s cover, are gradually fading away. The author captures the memories of actual events as they affected individuals and families in an easy reading text. He has collected some wonderful photos from original sources for first time publication and posted them with others from the outstanding Beryl Ford Collection in the hands of the Rotary Club of Tulsa.

You will want to have this book on your shelf if you have lived in West Tulsa or the Southwest Tulsa area. You will probably be interested, even if you lived on the east bank of the river and looked west at times, wondering what it was like living in the heart of Historic Route 66, alongside the Frisco/BNSF Cherokee Railroad Yard, between the refineries, and at the west end of the 11th Street Bridge the City of Tulsa dedicated as the Cyrus Avery Bridge in his honor.

Mexican Twilight - an iUniverse publication

Mama and Papa's Twelve Children And the 'Y' (Out of Print): A biography of my parents which was basically a documentary of the Gomez family and the little suburban town of West Tulsa, Oklahoma. The book, exclusively a true story, was entitled “Mama and Papa’s Twelve Children and the Y”, and published only for family enjoyment. Because of the historical significance that my book contained about West Tulsa back in the 30’s and 40’s, it received an overwhelming response. It was the fantastic response I received from numerous friends and readers, other than family, that inspired the rewriting of the first edition, into a sequel titled “A Mexican Twilight”.

This, my first publication, was about the migration of Juan and Edelia Gomez from deep in the heart of Mexico – Villa de Reyes, San Luís Potosi – right after the turn of the twentieth century. They settled in the outskirts of West Tulsa, a unique little settlement of other Mexican immigrants on railroad property called the Y. The Y was merely a convergence of railroad tracks that formed a 3-acre triangle, restricting the movement of its occupants within it. The technical term of the low-lying triangle is called “Wye”, but the engineers and other railroad officials simply called it the “Y”. The “Y” to this day, still remains, but all the residents who lived there, have scattered far and near.

“Mama and Papa’s Twelve Children and the Y” – a 1996 publication – is out of print, but the memories of the many immigrants who were mentioned in it, still linger Those who have read the book, warmly relate to the characters, the places mentioned, and most certainly, the times of that era.

I, Cecil Gomez, am a native son of Oklahoma, born in the little town of Sapulpa, five miles south of Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am the 2nd offspring of Juan and Edelia Gomez’s twelve children. I was raised in the little town of West Tulsa in a forlorn barrio of other Mexican immigrants – all railroad workers – none of whom could speak English. Our little colony of eleven families, called the Y, was comprised of two-room shacks and was completely surrounded by railroad tracks.

I attended the Catholic schools of St. Catherine and Holy Family High School. When I enrolled in school at the age of seven, I could not speak English. At the age of eight, I became bilingual and soon thereafter, I became an interpreter for many Mexican families, assisting them in business and personal matters requiring English attention.

I served three years in the United States Navy in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. I am married to my wonderful wife Josephine and have four beautiful children – eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

On returning home from the war, I built my parents a new 7-room home away from the “Y” into a dignified residential part of town. Also, I enrolled in Oklahoma School of Accountancy in Tulsa, and graduated with a BCS. Bachelor of Commercial Science Degree. Pursuing my accounting profession, I later established a very successful accounting Practice. In 1992, I sold my practice and retired.

In 1996, I wrote my first book entitled “Mama and Papa’s Twelve Children and the Y, a documentation of the life and times of my parents and family. That book was written solely for family reading and enjoyment. My latest book, “A Mexican Twilight”, was written for purpose of dramatizing the true and complete life-long journey of my parents and other immigrants to the United States in search of a better life. Both of my books include important historic data relative to early Mexican immigration, and their assimilation with American culture

Where the status of the Mexican immigrant in America is concerned, it is not my purpose nor intent to dilute or glorify their unique, but unfortunate circumstances in the United States. Instead, my only intent is to document the reality of their existence and their dream of a better life. Personally, I view all immigrants in America, whether legal or illegal, as our duty and obligation to openly and legally deal with their dire existence in a compassionate and humanitarian way. History has recorded much bigotry, racism, and discrimination in our country – all of it unnecessary and undeserving, but nevertheless, painful. Many of my readers, including immigrants from countries other than Mexico, have expressed their dislike of the attitude of bigots and would very much like to see a greater respect and acceptance of their life among us.

Since the publication of “A Mexican Twilight”, I have gladly donated many books to our schools and libraries and other non-profit historical associations. I have become involved with the Latinos Presentes! Project, an agency dedicated to demonstrating the presence and the contributions of the Hispanic community. This is a project of the Hispanic Resource Center of the Tulsa-City, County library, and in cooperation with Oklahoma University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, the Tulsa Community College, and professor Rodger Randle who is with the University of Oklahoma Center for Studies of Democracy and culture.

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Limited Space - Author exhibits by reservation only

October  9, 2010
Embassy Suites Hotel
Embassy Ballroom
3332 S 79th E Ave. (I-44)
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145

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