Time Line: 1950's

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1950

Edna Ferber visits Hector P. Garcia with the intention of assessing his character, and capturing the Mexican-American experience in South Texas for her upcoming novel Giant.

1951

Look Magazine is published with an article entitled: "Texas Forgotten People." The widespread diseases of diphtheria, infant diarrhea and tuberculosis ravaging many Mexican-Americans in Texas are written about, as is the work of Dr. Hector P. Garcia.

1952

Garcia daughter Adriana Cecelia born.

1953

Dwight Eisenhower becomes President.

Senator Lyndon Johnson accepts an invitation to speak before the GI Forum Texas State convention.

The American GI Forum publishes "What Price Wetbacks," a report on agricultural labor in South Texas.

1954

The American GI Forum begins holding National conventions.

Dr. Garcia selected as a participant to the Democratic National Committee.

GI Forum and LULAC attorneys argue and win the Hernandez v. State of Texas case before the United States Supreme Court. Chief Justice Earl Warren writes that Hernandez was denied his rights to a fair trial since the county in which he lived did not allow Mexican-Americans to serve on juries. Two weeks later, the Court rules segregation in schools unconstitutional with Brown v. Board of Education.

"Operation Wetback," a repatriation program, is initiated, beginning the process of sending thousands of documented migrants, & some Mexican-American citizens "back" to Mexico.

1955

January - GI Forum and LULAC attorneys win a suit against the Driscoll, Texas Independent School District. Federal Court Judge James Allred ruled that grouping Mexican-American students as a separate class from Anglo students was arbitrary and unreasonable.

Dr. Garcia is awarded a Bronze Plaque "Democracy Forward" from the Texas Council Negro Organization.

GI Forum enters into desegregation battle, bringing lawsuits against the Carrizo Springs and Kingsville independent school districts.

1956

Daughter Susana Patricia is born.

1957

Jose Garcia, Dr. Hector Garcia's father dies in Corpus Christi.

1958

Garcia begins receiving death threats, cryptic phone messages that an assassin would come to his office at 5:30 p.m. one day, or 6:30 p.m. the next. He never worried about the calls much, saying, "Who can stop a murderer?" But not willing to tempt fate, he was careful not to return home from his travels the way he had come.

1959

The Garcia family moves into a new house in an upscale all-Anglo neighborhood. The welcome is not friendly.