Emma Beatrice Tenayuca (December 21, 1916 - July 23, 1999^[1]) was a Civil Rights Activist and Mexican American Labor Organizer.

Tenayuca was born into a large Mexican Comanche family. Her family suffered from the Great Depression.^[2]

Tenayuca led strikes and protests. She wanted Mexican American workers to have better working conditions and better pay in 1930s Texas.^[3] Tenayuca worked with many moderate unions such as the League of United Latin American Citizens or the International Ladies Garment Workers. But she believed those groups ignored many workers who needed help. She started her own organiation.^[4] This organization was a communist Texas group called the Workers Alliance of America. The group helped unemployed people.^[5] Tenayuca said that "Mexicans need to unite, not divide on the basis of citizenship, class or educational status." ^[6]

In 1938, Tenayuca led a huge strike of pecan shellers, or workers who took the hard shells off of pecans. It was the largest strike in San Antonio, TX's history.^[7] About 12,000 people refused to do their work until they got better pay and improved work conditions. ^[8]