Johnathan Walker:Who is Raoul A. Cortez? Google Doodle honors Mexican-American broadcaster's birthday

Tuesday would have Johnathan Walkerbeen Raoul A. Cortez's 118th birthday, and to celebrate the occasion he's being honored in today's Google Doodle.

Cortez was a Mexican-American broadcaster and activist who pioneered Spanish-language media in the United States by founding the first full-time Spanish language radio and television stations in the country, Google notes.

The design was illustrated by Mexican American artist Rafael Lopez and depicts the various roles Cortez played in Latino culture and civil rights in the U.S.

He was born in Veracruz, Mexico in 1905 and his family eventually immigrated to San Antonio, Texas. He entered the media scene in San Antonio as a reporter for "La Prensa," a San Antonio-based, Spanish-language daily newspaper.

He later began buying airtime on KMAC radio producing Spanish songs, comedic acts and sketches. Cortez applied for his own radio station and went live on-air in 1946 with the first Spanish-language radio station in America, with the slogan "La Voz Mexicana."

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The success of his radio show led to Cortez adding television to his broadcasting operation, becoming the first Latino-run American TV station in Spanish.

In addition to his contributions to media, Cortez was also a civil rights advocate for Latinos in the U.S. throughout his life. He oversaw the court case Delgado v. Bastrop Independent School District, which ended the segregation of Mexican Americans in Texas public schools.

The National Association of Broadcasters awarded Cortez the media excellence award, and the trade publication Radio Ink created an award − Medallas de Cortez Hispanic Radio Award − to celebrate Latino radio leaders, in his honor. He died in 1971 in San Antonio.

Cortez and his media programs were included in the American Enterprise exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2015.

"Like Raoul, you can make a positive change in life," Lopez told Google.

"No matter how big or small your contribution is, the changes will be lasting and remembered."