Mirabeau B. Lamar Heritage Education Award
RUDI RODRIGUEZ
San Antonio, Texas
2025
The Mirabeau B. Lamar Heritage Education Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to historic preservation education in Texas, through teaching, public programming, or community engagement, that deepens our understanding of the past.
The 2025 Mirabeau B. Lamar Heritage Education Award was presented to Rudi R. Rodriguez of San Antonio. Rudi is the founder and CEO of Texas Tejano, an organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and understanding of the stories and contributions of early Texas Tejano pioneers. Rudi has dedicated over 25 years to ensuring that the Tejano experience is not forgotten, but celebrated as a vital part of Texas history.
Through Texas Tejano, Rudi has led a range of educational and cultural initiatives — from documentaries and publications to traveling exhibits, theatrical productions, digital archives, and museum collaborations — all designed to bring Texas history to life for audiences of every age. He has delivered hundreds of presentations, from 4th-grade classrooms to college-level seminars, and has trained Texas educators on how to integrate Tejano history into their curricula. His work has reached millions of people across Central and South Texas.
Additionally, Rudi’s leadership was instrumental in the creation of Tejano Heritage Month in 2008, and the founding of the Hispanic Heritage Center of Texas in 2016. He has also built enduring partnerships with the Smithsonian Institution, the National Park Service, the Texas Historical Commission, the General Land Office, and the Texas State Historical Association — connecting local history to national conversations about heritage and identity.
Today, Texas Tejano’s collections include thousands of historic documents, photographs, and artifacts, along with an extensive research library — a legacy that will continue to serve educators, scholars, and communities for years to come. Rudi’s vision has brought history to life in classrooms, museums, and public spaces, and his commitment ensures that the Tejano story remains an essential part of the Texas story.
The award was presented at Preservation Texas’s 2025 Honor Award Ceremony in San Antonio on October 30, 2025.
