The American G.I. Forum

World War II provided Latino and Latina Americans with opportunities to fight for freedom around the world. Hundreds of thousands served in the U.S. Armed Forces, returning with hope and renewed idealism but often facing entrenched prejudice. While treating servicemen for the Veterans Administration in Corpus Christi, Texas-raised Dr. Hector Perez Garcia personally encountered discrimination against Mexican Americans. A decorated veteran who served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Europe, Garcia vowed to improve conditions for the Mexican American community and its veterans. On March 26, 1948, approximately 700 Mexican American veterans met at the Mirabeau B. Lamar Elementary School auditorium and organized The American G.I. Forum. Later, the membership formed a women's auxiliary and a Junior G.I. Forum, reinforcing emphasis on the involvement of the entire family as an important concept in the group. A 1949 event raised the American G.I. Forum into the national consciousness. Private Felix Longoria served during the war and was killed in action in the Pacific. When the military repatriated his remains to Three Rivers (Live Oak Co.), a local funeral home denied his widow the use of its chapel for the wake. Dr. Garcia agreed to intercede on behalf of the family, and the "Longoria Affair" established the American G.I. Forum as a key Latino civil rights advocate. Founded to guarantee benefits for Mexican American veterans returning to Texas and help protect their rights, the organization grew to become a national leader in education, voting, and civil rights advocacy. Today, the forum continues to champion civil rights and provide Latinos with education, employment and housing assistance. Texas in World War II - 2008

The American G.I. Forum is a historical marker in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, dedicated in 2008. It is one of 105 historical markers documented in Nueces County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 147 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 27.7845, -97.4139 near Corpus Christi. The nearest cataloged historic site is Hebrew Rest Cemetery (historical marker), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Temple Beth El, Rose Hill, and Rose Hill Memorial Park and Chapel Garden Mausoleum.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507014665. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.