"Learning from the War: Mexican Americans and Their Fight" Topic

… for Equality after World War II

"In September 1945, Macario García returned to Sugar Land, Texas after serving as a sergeant in the US Army during World War II. The month before, President Harry Truman presented García with the Medal of Honor for his actions on November 27, 1944 near Grosshau, Germany. García singlehandedly attacked German machine-gun emplacements that were hindering his company's advance. Although wounded during the attack, García crawled to the machine-gun nests, destroyed them, and captured four German soldiers. Only after his company advanced did García agree to medical treatment.

He became a hero in his hometown. In fact, the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) organized a party in his honor at the nearby Richmond City Hall. On the way to the celebration García entered the Oasis Café when, as the story goes, the waitress told García that they do not serve Mexicans. García commented that "if he was good enough to fight in the war he was good enough for a cup of coffee." A fight broke out, and the owner and a patron beat García with a baseball bat. Police arrived and arrested García. His case was well publicized, and LULAC and the Comité Patriótico Mexicano (Mexican Patriotic Committee) raised funds for his legal defense. The case was repeatedly postponed, and the charges were finally dropped in 1946…"

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Armand

I presume that this chap was a US, not a Mexican, citizen, so is the terminology "Mexican American" correct? Would he not be termed "Hispanic" (if any such distinction is deemed necessary of course)?

No country has avoided such practices, but the UK was very welcoming to black GIs in WWII. Alas, that soon changed with West Indian and then Indian sub-continent immigration in the 50s and 60s, but things are improving now, as a more enlightened generation grows up.

Thanks my good friend…

Armand