USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -García became known as the “doctor to the barrios, ” offering low-and no-cost treatment to impoverished patients. In 1948, García founded the American GI Forum, organizing veterans to fight for educational and medical benefits, and later, against poll taxes and school segregation.

Detailed explanation-2: -The American GI Forum was created by Dr. Hector P. Garcia because of the discrimination in South Texas towards the Mexican-American with employment, education, and Veteran hospital treatment. Most of the discrimination was towards Hispanics, but the American GI Forum was focused on the Mexican-American veteran.

Detailed explanation-3: -Origin. The organization was established in Corpus Christi, the seat of Nueces County, Texas, on March 26, 1948, by Dr. Hector P. Garcia to address the concerns of Mexican-American veterans, who were segregated from other veterans groups.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 1948, Dr. García founded the American G.I. Forum, a group aimed at promoting Hispanic veterans’ civil rights – an organization that still flourishes today. He cared for tens of thousands of soldiers as a doctor in the U.S. Army’s 307th Infantry Medical Corps.

Detailed explanation-5: -The G.I. Forum played a significant role in the application of Great Society programs in the barrios, and for the first time Latin Americans were appointed to influential positions and agencies.