During the first three quarters of the twentieth century, Jose Thomas Canales was a significant force in the fight for Latino civil rights. Functioning primarily in Texas, but having influence in Washington, D.C. as well, Judge Canales impacted politics, historical analysis, civil rights legislation, public law, philanthropy, and other aspects of society. He accomplished this while remaining an intensely private man, who shunned public acclaim. Judge Canales was a renaissance man who functioned in stealth to produce public and individual good while remaining generally unknown to the public and a puzzle to his family and personal acquaintances. This work is a portrait, both public and personal, of Jose Tomas Canales, a powerful and influential twentieth century Latino Civil Rights leader. Meant for academics and interested non-academics alike, this book illuminates hidden aspects of a fascinating character and true hero in the civil rights movement and modern Texas history.