H.R. No. 705
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia was posthumously
recognized by the Austin History Center in conjunction with its
exhibit Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis
County; and
WHEREAS, Honoring the important contributions made by
Mexican Americans to Central Texas, the Austin History Center and
its association joined with the Austin Public Library to organize
the show, which ran from August 21, 2010, through January 16, 2011;
Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County
celebrated the pioneering achievements of 32 remarkable men and
women and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more
about their lives; and
WHEREAS, One such individual, Dr. Alberto Gonzalo Garcia, was
honored for his achievements in public health; a graduate of the
American Medical Missionary College in Battle Creek, Michigan, he
earned a second medical degree from Tulane University School of
Medicine in New Orleans and went on to become the first Mexican
American physician to establish a practice in Austin; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Garcia joined the staff of Brackenridge
Hospital, and he worked to ensure that Mexican Americans received
medical services; active in a number of community organizations, he
helped to establish a workers' group, Obreros Mexicanos, and the
local chapter of the Comision Honorifica Mexicana, which
represented Mexican nationals in the United States; he encouraged
others to acquire citizenship and exercise the right to vote, and
along with his wife, he published the town's first Spanish-language
newspaper, La Vanguardia; and
WHEREAS, Before his passing in 1962, Dr. Garcia also
benefited his fellow residents by supporting the Austin Public
Library and advocating for better educational opportunities for
Mexican Americans; and
WHEREAS, Through his outstanding accomplishments, Dr.
Alberto Garcia made a positive difference in his community, and his
legacy is a source of pride and inspiration to many people; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Alberto Gonzalo
Garcia, a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis County.
Rodriguez
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 705 was adopted by the House on March
17, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House