Dr. Hector P. Garcia Digital Exhibit

Items

• Viva Kennedy Clubs Deliver Biggest Texas Demo Gains
  Dr. Garcia’s efforts to get Mexican American voters to the polls, including the Viva Kennedy clubs he helped organize, made a difference in the outcomes of national elections.
• Veterans to Air Problems at Lamar School Meeting Tonite
  This newspaper article announces the March 26, 1948 meeting for veterans that resulted in the creation of the AGIF.
• Charge of Discrimination, EEOC
  The EEOC fielded discrimination complaints like this one, in which Daniel Acuna alleges that his employer paid him a lower hourly rate because of his Latino heritage.
• Igualdad de Oportunidad de Empleo [Equal Employment Opportunity] Flyer, EEOC
  This EEOC flyer informs Spanish speakers of their rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 11246, which prohibited discriminatory employment practices among government contractors.
• Military Training Certificate, Citizens' Military Training Camps
  Dr. Garcia’s commitment to military service began in 1929 when he joined the CMTC, predecessor to the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). He received several such training certificates.
• Letter from Rebecca Salinas to Dr. Hector P. Garcia
  In an exchange that exemplifies his approach to practicing medicine, Dr. Garcia urges Rebecca Salinas to visit him at his office regardless of her ability to pay for treatment.
• Texas' Latins Bid for Better Lot with Ballots
  This Fort Worth Star-Telegram article describes PASO’s aim to demand civil rights through political participation.
• Mass Meeting Flyer, PASO of Harris County
  This flyer advertises a PASO meeting and describes the organization’s objectives, stating that “now is the time to unite and become better informed to vote intelligently.”
• Letter from Rudy L. Ramos, American GI Forum, Washington D.C. Office, to Humberto Aguirre, American GI Forum, Department of Texas
  The AGIF encouraged voters to pay their poll taxes so they could vote, but the organization simultaneously fought to outlaw the discriminatory practice, as evidenced by this 1965 lawsuit.
• Register to Vote Flyer, PASO
  PASO sought to build political power by encouraging Latinos to vote.
• Letter from Dr. Hector P. Garcia to Jose Garcia
  In this 1942 letter to his family, Dr. Garcia discusses life in the military and promises to send money soon.
• Certificate of Naturalization
  Like many immigrants during World War II, Dr. Garcia served his country valiantly before becoming a U.S. citizen. His received this certificate of naturalization in 1946.
• Mercedes High School Graduation Announcement
  This 1932 document announces Dr. Garcia’s graduation from Mercedes High School. One high school teacher told him that because he was Mexican she would not give him an A.
• Master Plan for the Campaign, Dr. Hector P. Garcia
  Dr. Garcia had a detailed plan to make Mexican American voices heard in the 1952 election, including the distribution of sample ballots to inform voting decisions.
• Back to School Rally Flyer, American GI Forum
  This AGIF flyer advertises a rally to address the fact that over 110,000 Latino children in Texas were not enrolled in school.
• Special Notice, American GI Forum
  In 1962, Dr. Garcia’s 13-year-old son, Hector Jr., died of an injury he sustained while on a trip to Mexico. The AGIF circulated this notice to inform members of the family’s tragic loss.
• Letter from Rafael Coronado and Norma Coronado, Junior GI Forum, to Dr. Hector P. Garcia
  After the AGIF helped put an end to discrimination at their Texas high school, two members of the Junior GI Forum sent this letter of thanks to Dr. Garcia.
• Letter from Dr. Hector P. Garcia to President-Elect John F. Kennedy
  In this letter to President Kennedy, Dr. Garcia advises him to appoint more Mexican Americans to government positions, mentioning AGIF leader Vicente Ximenes in particular.
• Reconocimiento Ohtli [Ohtli Recognition]
  Dr. Garcia received this commendation from Mexico for his distinguished service to the Mexican American community. Dr. Garcia also received the Aguila Azteca, the highest honor Mexico awards to foreigners.
• Presidential Medal of Freedom
  Dr. Garcia’s Presidential Medal of Freedom citation references his community-building endeavors, his work with the AGIF, and his faithful representation of the government.
• The Bronze Star Medal
  For his admirable service during World War II, Dr. Garcia received the Bronze Star Medal. The citation for the medal recognized his “outstanding diligence and loyalty to duty.”
• Medical License, Dr. Hector P. Garcia
  Dr. Garcia was licensed to practice medicine in Texas in 1940. In his early years as a doctor, he sought to improve living conditions in Mexican barrios and migrant labor camps.
• The American GI Forum of the USA
  AGIF chapters reached the east and west coasts by 1974.
• Medical Diploma, Dr. Hector P. Garcia
  This diploma marks Dr. Garcia’s graduation from the University of Texas at Galveston with a doctorate in medicine in 1940.
• Education was his Freedom Poster, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Bell Library
  This poster advertises the formal dedication of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Papers and an exhibit of Dr. Garcia’s papers on display at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Bell Library.