dr. hector p garcia founded the american g.i. forum, which advocates for equal treatment of hispanic veterans. posted by our time warner cable partners, we visited many sites showcasing the city's history. learn more about corpus christi all weekend here on american history tv. >> welcome to the acm of science and history. the museum was started in 1957. it operates as a public-private partnership. we started as a general museum. today, we have more detailed topics. we talk about the city of corpus christi, including major business developments that we have shared with the world. we are going to explore the corpus christie history gallery. this area of the museum discusses the native peoples. they did not have a written language. they were here and the 1850's. they made a fierce reputation for themselves and were a formidable foe to the white settlers who eventually drove them out that these lands. a were here and tell the 1850's. they interacted with a lot of early settlers. they built huts from branches. they were such time-con

dr. hector p. garcia called corpus christie home. he founded the american gi forum and became an advocate for mexican americans rights. we visited the mary and jeff l library in corpus christi to learn more about dr. garcia's work. >> we have a variety of materials illustrating different phases of his life and career. he is best known as the founder of the american gi forum. that was established in 18 48th, not too long after his return from his service in world war ii. it was created to assist mexican-american veterans in their struggle to return to normal life after their war service. he is recorded as having said that he felt especially suited to do that work because he had compassion for others as a physician. he had military training and service, which made him understand how to organize things. he also said that it lends itself to creating a national organization which started here in corpus christi because the people he was trying to help were military. they were accustomed to being grouped and organized in that fashion. the a

dr. hector p. garcia called corpus christie home. after serving in the u.s.rmy in world war ii, he founded the american gi forum and became an advocate for mexican americans rights. we visited the mary and jeff l library in corpus christi to learn more about dr. garcia's work. >> we have a variety of materials illustrating different phases of his life and career. he is best known as the founder of the american gi forum. that was established in 18 48th, -- in april 1948, not too long after his return from his service in world war ii. it was created to assist mexican-american veterans in their struggle to return to normal life after their war service. he is recorded as having said that he felt especially suited to do that work because he had compassion for others as a physician. he had military training and service, which made him understand how to organize things. he also said that it lends itself to creating a national organization which started here in corpus christi because the people he was trying to help were military. they were accustomed to being groupe

dr. hector p. garcia papers are the flagship collection. we have here. he made it his life to help local and beyond mexican-americans learn to be more civically active and to get the benefits that they had coming to them as veterans, which were sometimes very difficult for them to obtain. these three items here represent the case of private felix longoria which was an incident that occurred early in the history of the gi forum. private longoria served the united states during world war ii and was killed by a japanese sniper toward the end of the war. his widow arranged to have his funeral conducted by the only funeral home in her hometown of three rivers, texas which is near corpus christi. they were willing to conduct the funeral, but they were not willing to allow his body to remain in their funeral home overnight for fear of offending the white citizens of the area. she appealed to dr. garcia and he conducted a letter writing campaign to people with positions of influence. a response came from lyndon johnson, who had recently been elected senator. he

dr. hector p. garcia papers are the flagship collection we have here at a&m corpus. he made it his life to help local and beyond mexican americans learn to be more civically active and to get the benefits that they had coming to them as veterans which were sometimes very difficult for them to obtain. these three items here represent the case of private felix longoria which was an incident that occurred early in the history of the gi forum. private longoria served the united states in world war ii and was killed by a japanese sniper toward the end of the war. his widow arranged to have his funeral conducted by the only funeral home in her hometown of three rivers, texas which is near corpus christi. they were willing to conduct the funeral, but they were not willing to allow his body to remain in their funeral home overnight for fear of offending the white citizens of the area. she appealed to dr. garcia and he conducted a letter-writing campaign to people with positions of influence. a response came from lyndon johnson who had recently been elected senator. he states