Time Line: 1960's
Back to Menu1960
Dr. Hector P. Garcia becomes National Coordinator of the Viva Kennedy Clubs. As a result, Kennedy receives 85% of the Mexican-American vote in a close election against Richard Nixon.
1961
John F. Kennedy becomes President.
Vietnam War begins.
1962
Dr. Hector P. Garcia is assigned by President Kennedy to help create a mutual defense treaty with the Federation of West Indies Islands. With this appointment he became the first Mexican-American to represent a U.S. President.
Son Hector Garcia, Jr. dies in a Mexico hospital after falling while running down steps at a mountain home he was visiting.
1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. marches to Washington, giving his famous "I Have A Dream" speech.
Lyndon Johnson takes the office of the Presidency after the assassination of JFK.
1964
March 6 - Dr. Garcia appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as Presidential Representative with rank of Special Ambassador to the inauguration ceremonies of Dr. Raul Leoni, President of Venezuela.
President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
1965
Bracero Program ends.
1966
Through the efforts of Dr. Hector P. Garcia and others, the Texas Poll Tax is repealed.
Cesar Chavez and California agricultural workers march to the state capital of California, Sacramento.
National GI Forum leaders walk out of a regional meeting of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, protesting that President Johnson had not appointed a single Mexican-American to the EEOC.
Dr. Garcia and GI Forum members participate in a 500-mile march to the Texas State Capitol to protest low wages for Mexican-American farm workers.
President Johnson invites Dr. Garcia and other Mexican-American leaders to the White House. This time the meeting has an effect. Johnson orders the immediate funding of the Service Employment Redevelopment project to help Mexican-Americans improve their communities.
1967
At Dr. Garcia's urging, longtime American GI Forum member Vicente Ximenes is appointed by President Johnson to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In a surprise, the President also names Ximenes to head a special cabinet level committee on Mexican-American affairs.
President Johnson appoints Dr. Hector P. Garcia alternate ambassador to the United Nations. He is the first Mexican-American to represent the United States at the UN. In October, speaking in Spanish he makes the first speech before the UN by an American in a language other than English.
Vicente Ximenes coordinates Cabinet Hearings on Mexican-American affairs in El Paso, Texas. Five cabinet members and Vice President Hubert Humphrey listened for two days to the concerns of Mexican-Americans gathered from across the country.
1968
Dr. Garcia and the GI Forum pay tribute to hundreds of returning Vietnam casualties by attending funerals and supporting the families.
Before leaving office, President Johnson appoints Dr. Garcia to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He is the first Mexican-American appointed to serve on the commission.
1969
Richard Nixon becomes President.