Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Dedicates Exhibit Honoring Dr. Hector P. Garcia in University's Downtown Building
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Dr. Hector P. Garcia Texas State Recognition Day, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi honored the legacy of Dr. Garcia with the dedication of a new exhibit inside the university’s Downtown Building. The Sept. 17 event drew a standing-room-only crowd of university officials, community leaders, and members of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation, all gathered to celebrate the life and impact of one of the state’s most influential civil rights figures.
University President and CEO Dr. Kelly M. Miller praised the Garcia family for their continued support of the university’s mission and emphasized the exhibit’s role in connecting history with the community.
“As we dedicate this exhibit, which was decades in the making, we celebrate not just history, but the legacy of Dr. Garcia. He showed us that one person’s courage can spark change for generations,” Miller said. “And with the transition of our Special Collections and Archives to this new space, we ensure that stories like Dr. Garcia’s are not only safeguarded but also brought to life through exhibits that are more easily accessible to the public.”
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi first received a portion of Dr. Garcia’s collection from him in 1982, which was later expanded and completed in 1999 through the generosity of his wife, Wanda Garcia. The full collection, which spans 360 linear feet — the length of a football field — details the doctor’s 50+ year career as a physician, soldier, founder of the GI Forum, family man, and community leader. Select items are now on display in the new Downtown Building exhibit, including his desk, typewriter, and medical bag; his American GI Forum vest and hat; interpretive panels curated by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Foundation; and archival interviews that allow visitors to hear his voice.
A large mural by artist Martha Oberle Rodriguez, titled “Barreras Rotas” (“Broken Barriers”), anchors the exhibit, depicting Garcia surrounded by the people and causes he championed. For the dedication ceremony, the foundation opted to loan Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Dr. Garcia’s Medal of Freedom, which is displayed alongside a photo of him receiving it from former President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Cecilia Garcia Akers, president of the Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation and Garcia’s daughter, shared heartfelt remarks on her father’s legacy.
“There was quite a bit of competition over who should have my father’s collection,” Garcia Akers said. “There was an inquiry from Yale and the University of Texas, but my father made the decision to donate his collection to what was then Corpus Christi State University. He wanted them to remain local, for the people he loved and served. This is the best outcome.”
Also in attendance at the dedication was Dr. Rebecca Palacios ’76, author of the newly released children’s book Dr. Hector P. Garcia: Education & Freedom, which is available both in English and Spanish. Palacious is a retired educator and bilingual education advocate who also delivered the university’s fall 2022 commencement address.
“The book’s main character is working through a history fair project that honors the legacy and life of Dr. Garcia,” Palacios said. “I hope children see that the work Dr. Garcia did can be replicated, if you speak up for what you believe is right and true.”
Following the program, guests explored the gallery and viewed the collection up close. The exhibit will serve as both a permanent and evolving space, with rotating displays designed to keep the narrative fresh and engaging.
The Downtown Building, purchased by A&M-Corpus Christi in 2019 from Ernest “Buz” and Janet Maxwell, will be the new home to the university’s Special Collections and Archives, which is currently housed in the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. The 77,000 square foot building, built in 1947, was made from poured concrete and has a history of withstanding six hurricanes. The building is temporarily closed for scaffolding reinforcement, a feature necessary to support the weight of high-density storage used for tightly packed archives. The building is expected to reopen in spring 2026.
