The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García book signing
Before Héctor García founded the American G.I. Forum and became the first Mexican-American to earn a Presidential Medal of Freedom, he was the first Mexican to graduate from the University of Texas-Galveston, earning a doctorate in medicine in 1940. Later, as a second lieutenant serving in the United States Army, he received a Bronze Star Medal and a World War II Victory Medal. And he did all this without U.S. citizenship, something his daughter, Cecilia García Akers, didn’t know until years after her father’s 1996 passing. (He did become a U.S. citizen later in life and before receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.) “He was so brave and humble,” says the San Antonio-based Akers, author of The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García. “He never complained about his struggles.”
American GI Forum honors local leaders, awards scholarships
Cecilia Garcia Akers said she's always humbled by receiving any award, but her most recent one is especially important to her. On Thursday, she was recognized by the organization founded by her father.
The Dr. Hector P. Garcia American GI Forum Founders Chapter and Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Chapter recognized Akers and three other local leaders at the Fifth Annual Scholarship Awards at Holiday Inn Corpus Christi Airport. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi President Flavius Killebrew, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi Capt. Steve Banta and Chairman of Del Mar College Board of Regents Trey McCampbell also were recognized for standing up for veterans at the banquet.
Library of Congress to host Cecilia Garcia Akers this month
Photographs belonging to Dr. Hector P. Garcia will be added to a permanent collection at the Library of Congress, according to a news release from the library, the world's largest.
Cecilia Garcia Akers, his daughter, said the monumental admission was unfathomable months ago.
"This is wonderful exposure for my father," she said. "Because of the national political scene right now, all of us can turn to him as an example of an immigrant who made a real difference."
Cecilia García Akers Discusses Biography of Her Father, Héctor García
Cecilia García Akers shares her memories and discusses her father’s legacy in her new biography, "The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García" (The History Press, 2016), at the Library of Congress on Friday, May 20 at noon in the Whittall Pavilion, located on the ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.
The program, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Library’s Veterans History Project (VHP), in collaboration with the Library of Congress Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs.
A recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, along with several other distinctions and decorations, the Mexican-born American civil-rights pioneer Dr. Héctor P. García is remembered as a father, physician, surgeon and tireless champion for equality, education and voting rights. In 1948, García, a World War II veteran, founded the American G.I. Forum, a group initially aimed at promoting veterans’ rights. Under his leadership, it played a key role in the American civil-rights movement, resulting in important victories in Texas and throughout the nation. While leading the civil-rights struggle, García continued to serve as a medical doctor in Corpus Christi, providing care to those in greatest need.
The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García--A Book Talk by Cecilia García Akers
Save the Date: Friday, May 20, 2016 at 12:00 PM
The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García--A Book Talk by Cecilia García Akers
Venue: Whittall Pavilion, Jefferson Building, Library of Congress | 10 First Street, SE | Washington, D.C.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.
The Veterans History Project at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is pleased to collaborate with the Library’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity Programs and the Librarian’s Hispanic Initiative to host a book talk with Dr. Héctor P. García’s daughter, Cecilia García Akers, who will share her memories and discuss his legacy.
Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Mexican-born American civil rights pioneer Dr. Héctor P. García is remembered as a father, physician, surgeon and tireless champion for equality, education and voting rights. In 1948, García, a World War II veteran, founded the American G.I. Forum, a group aimed at promoting veterans’ rights. His role in the American civil rights movement resulted in important victories in Texas and throughout the nation.
For event info, please contact Christy Chason at 202-707-4916 or [email protected].
Request ADA accommodations five days in advance at: 202-707-6362 or [email protected].