Robert Benitez Robles papers

Robert Benitez Robles was born in 1908 in Clifton, Arizona to Mariano Robles and Aurelia Benitez, both first-generation Mexican immigrants from Zacatecas. During much of his life, Robles was treated as a second class citizen due to his Mexican heritage, but, as he wrote in his autobiography, was “never discouraged” and he set attending college as a goal. After a short time working in a mine in Clifton, he enrolled at Arizona State Teachers College (later Northern Arizona University) in Flagstaff, Arizona. For a while, Robles taught, specializing in teaching bilingual students. In 1944, though he was over the draft age and a father and husband, Robles volunteered to join the war effort as a transport airman for the Navy until he sustained a back injury and was honorably discharged in 1945. After the war, Robles became an insurance agent for New York Life until his retirement in 1973.

Starting in the early 1960s, after switching his voter registration from Democrat to Republican, Robles became very active in Arizona politics, with the intention of reaching the Hispanic community that he saw as neglected by both the Democratic and Republican parties. As Chairman of the Yuma County Republican committee, Robles was charged with garnering support for the Republican candidates in elections. In 1961, he campaigned for Mac Matheson, who was running against Democrat Morris K. Udall for a seat in Congress, by visiting small towns and cold calling voters. Robles translated pamphlets, speeches, and other materials to Spanish to reach Hispanic voters. Despite being overwhelmingly Democrat, Yuma voted Republican due to Robles’ work. Incumbent Republican Governor Fannin rewarded Robles with a seat on the state employment security commission, though he had to decline the offer because of a conflict with his position at New York Life. Robles further used his expertise and connections to help a prominent Mexican American attorney, Larry Huerta, in his race for a seat on the State Industrial Commission in 1961. However, Larry Huerta still lost to Colonel Hugh Belden. His tireless efforts were also recognized by Barry Goldwater, who solicited Robles’s help to reach Hispanic voters in the Southwest and appointed him Field Representative, Western states for his 1964 presidential campaign.

Robles was active in community service beyond politics, as well. He was a member of American Legion for over 40 years, the Optimist club for 20 years, and was also a charter member of the Vesta club, a group of Hispanic professionals who were able to attend college through the GI Bill. Robles volunteered as a speech coach for several young men, many of whom became very successful later in their careers. From 1967-1969, while a member of the Yuma Chamber of Commerce, Robert Robles also worked to extend the hours at the Andrade/Algodones border crossing from ten to 18 hours daily, which helped boost the economies of both towns. Robles was also a scoutmaster and a 4-H leader.

Robles also put much of his time into writing, and he published several poems and a book, called Goodbye Garcia, Adios, about the life of a little-known Mexican hero, Jesus Garcia, who sacrificed his life by steering a wayward train out of the way of his town. Robles also wrote an essay titled, The Great Fraud, about the highly contested 1893 agreement between the Yuma (Quechan) Tribe and the United States government, which transferred ownership of much of the Quechan land to the government. Robles interviewed several Quechan tribal members, including Henry Montague, head of the Quechan Tribal Council at Ft. Yuma at the time, to expose the conditions of the agreement and to show the Quechan side of the story.