Dr. Hector P. Garcia believed in the American dream and lived it. He was a man who passionately quoted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and applied such texts to the outcast minorities of society.

He inspired Mexican Americans to educate themselves in democratic principles, then worked to apply those principles to all people through his organization, The American GI Forum.

Dr. Hector P. Garcia saw the flagrant deprivation of rights of Mexican Americans and spent his life

Dr. Hector Continues the battle...

The American GI Forum is a, national veteran's family organization, composed primarily of Mexican American veterans, (but it has become diverse with new membership from other ethnic groups). The Forum was initially a group of interested persons from Corpus Christi, Texas, who formed after World War II to issue complaints to the proper authorities at various levels of our government and specifically to the agencies involved in discriminating practices. In spite of protective legislation that had been passed by our government guaranteeing all veterans certain rights and privileges, the Mexican American veterans were being subjected to certain discriminatory practices in the areas of Education,

Employment, Medical Attention and Housing. This group was led by a young doctor named Hector P. Garcia, who had served during WW II in the United States Armed Forces in combat as a Platoon Leader with the Infantry, a combat engineer and as a Major in the Medical Corps. His dynamic leadership incited these Americans to action and they were successful in correcting the discriminatory practices in the Corpus Christi area.

Dr. Hector P. Garcia, founder of the American GI Forum was bron on January 17, 1928, found the American GI Forum on March 26, 1948, and died July 26, 1996 in Corpus Christi, Texas