Knight without Armor

KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOR: Carlos Eduardo Castaneda, 1896-1958 is the definitive biography of one of the most substantial yet unknown historians of the twentieth century. No other historian of Hispanic descent has matched Castaneda's success, with eighteen books and nearly fifty articles published in three decades. He was one of the most distinguished historians of his time, having earned prestigious accolades such as knighthood in the Vatican's Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and in Spain's Order of Isabel la Catolica as praise for his contributions to the study of Catholicism and the history of the Spanish borderlands in North America.In his rise to prominence, Castaneda had to overcome the limitations of financial burdens and ethnic discrimination. Rising out of humble origins in South Texas, he fought to improve school conditions in the barrios of San Antonio and Del Rio and later served on Franklin D. Roosevelt's Committee on Fair Employment Practice during World War II. In 1939, he realized his dream of becoming a professor and historian. While teaching at the University of Texas, Castaneda specialized in Latin American history and focused on the history of Catholicism as the subject closest to his heart. His seven-volume study Our Catholic Heritage in Texas, 1519-1950 has been called the best work ever written on the Spanish colonial era in Texas.Until his death in 1958, Carlos E. Castaneda worked to educate others on the history of Hispanic Americans and their culture and courageously sought equality for his people. Author Felix Almaraz has compiled numerous writings, interviews, and photographs from private collections as well as extensive data from stateand national archives in this worthy tribute to an important historian.