My father Dr. Hector P. Garcia will be receiving a new Texas Historical Marker at Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital We have Commissioner Mike Pusley and his assistant Jennifer to thank for their intervention. Dr. Nancy Vera was courageous enough to bring this to the publics attention. Now on to Mercedes, TX to correct that marker that also has several errors in it. I have included the text for the new marker. HECTOR PEREZ GARCIA (1914-1996) WAS A COURAGEOUS LEADER IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. HE ACHIEVED PROFOUND CHANGE IN THE TREATMENT OF FELLOW MEXICAN-AMERICANS THROUGH PEACEFUL PROTEST AND LEGAL RECOURSE. GARCIA WAS BORN IN MEXICO. IN 1917, WHEN THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION ENDANGERED HIS FAMILY, THEY FLED TO THE UNITED STATES, LEGALLY TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN MERCEDES. GARCIA WAS VALEDICTORIAN OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS AND GRADUATED WITH HONORS FROM THE UNIV. OF TEXAS (1936), EARNING A MEDICAL DEGREE FROM THE UT MEDICAL SCHOOL AT GALVESTON (1940). HE THEN COMPLETED A TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY IN NEBRASKA. DR. GARCIA SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY DURING WORLD WAR II AS AN OFFICER AND A MEDICAL CORPS SURGEON. WHEN DISCHARGED AS A MAJOR, HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH SIX BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL. IN 1946, GARCIA MOVED HIS YOUNG FAMILY TO CORPUS CHRISTI WHERE HE OPENED A PRIVATE PRACTICE WITH HIS BROTHER. MOST OF HIS PATIENTS WERE VETERANS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THE CARE THEY NEEDED OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. IN MARCH 1948, HE AND OTHERS FORMED THE AMERICAN G.I. FORUM. THROUGH THE INCIDENT, LATER NAMED THE LONGORIA AFFAIR, DR. GARCIA AND THE FORUM GARNERED NATIONAL ATTENTION. THE PUBLICITY BROUGHT AN EXPANSION TO FORUM ACTIVITIES INCLUDING EDUCATION REFORM, DESEGREGATION, FARM LABOR AND POLL TAX REPEAL. IN 1967, PRES. LYNDON JOHNSON APPOINTED GARCIA AS AN ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE 22ND SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. IN 1984, PRES. RONALD REAGAN AWARDED GARCIA THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM. AS A FIGURE OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE, HIS LEGACY CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE SOCIETY FROM THE POOREST OF BARRIOS TO THE HIGHEST ECHELONS OF GOVERNMENT.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 14:31:22 +0000
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