Time Line: 1972-1989

1972

Dr. Hector P. Garcia is arrested at a sit-in protesting the lack of cooperation of the Corpus Christi School Board in eradicating de facto segregation in the school district. After 5 years battling in and out of the courts, an integration plan is produced.

1974

Gerald Ford becomes President.

1977

Jimmy Carter becomes President.

Dr. Garcia is appointed by President Jimmy Carter as member of U.S. Circuit Judge Nominating Commission for the Western Fifth Circuit Panel.

1978

President Carter asks Dr. Garcia to the White House for a high level briefing on the President's Tax & Economic Program.

1980

Dr. Garcia attends President Carter's High Level Briefing on Iran, Afghanistan and the Pakistan crisis.

1981

Ronald Reagan becomes President.

1983

At the request of the Mexican government, Dr. Hector P. Garcia and his brothers & sisters donate 6 blocks of land in downtown Llera in Tamaulipas state, Mexico, that they had inherited as part of a matriarchal Spanish land grant. All they asked was that it be used for schools & libraries.

1984

Reagan presents Hector P. Garcia with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive in the United States.

1985

Dr. Garcia undergoes a quadruple coronary.

1986

Immigration Control and Reform Act is passed.

Dr. Garcia receives the Honor Al Merito Medalla Cura Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon A.D.P.E., D.F. Mexico City, Mexico.

1987

Dr. Garcia battles against efforts to make English the "official" language of the United States.

The GI Forum has evolved from a veterans rights group into a civil rights organization with more than 160,000 members in 500 chapters in 24 states and Puerto Rico.

1988

Forty years after he had worked to improve conditions at the Mathis labor camps, Dr. Garcia launches a similar battle. This time he fights for better living standards in the colonias along the U.S./Mexican border. The efforts of Garcia and others led the State of Texas to allocate funds for badly needed improvements.

U.S. Postal Service renames the Main Post Office in Corpus Christi in honor of Dr. Hector Perez Garcia.

1989

George Bush becomes President.

Texas State Senator Carlos Truan passes a Texas State Senate resolution honoring Dr. Garcia.

"Hispanic Heritage Award" presented to Dr. Garcia from the National Hispanic Leadership Conference.

"Matt Garcia Public Service Award" from the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF) presented to Dr. Garcia.

"Distinguished Alumnus Award" from the University of Texas Ex-Students Association presented to Dr. Garcia.

"National Hispanic Hero Award" from the Midwest/Northeast Voter Registration Project presented to Dr. Garcia.