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Ohio
Civil Rights Hall of Fame established, honors Ruth González de
García
Columbus: On September 10, 2009, the Ohio Civil Rights
Commission—in conjunction with cosponsors Wright State
University, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center,
and Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc.—hosted a ceremony at
the Ohio Statehouse Atrium, honoring ten citizens, who have made
significant contributions to the progress of the civil rights
and equal justice in the State of Ohio—including Ruth
González de García of Toledo, the first Latina to de
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Ruth González de García
honored by Ohio Civil Rights
Commission. Mrs. González de García shown in 2008
La Prensa
photo with
Sonia Troche
of Adelante; |
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This program served to establish Ohio’s Civil Rights Hall of
Fame, which will continue on an annual basis. Through the
collective efforts of these organizations, the program assisted
Ohio as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the enactment of
the Ohio Civil Rights Act and establishment of the Ohio Civil
Rights Commission.
Ruth González de García honored
Ruth González de García was born in Toledo, Ohio. She currently
resides in nearby Oregon, Ohio. She and her sisters rallied to
establish the Guadalupe Mission Church for
Spanish-speaking residents in 1942. She continued to volunteer
and devote herself to helping a host of Mexican immigrants, who
moved to Toledo after World War II. |
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Mrs. González de García helped immigrants find housing,
employment, and loans. Additionally, she helped new residents
with medical needs, legal court interpretation, income tax
filing, and several other citizenship related issues. She was
very supportive of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee,
based in Toledo, and attended many of its rallies and marches.
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Marcy Kaptur and
Ruth González de García
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She encouraged voter registration and civic participation, and
successfully lobbied to erect “El Centro Unico,” a
community center for neighborhood children and senior citizens.
The site was later re-named for her sister, the late Aurora
González, who was also very active in the Latino community in
the Toledo. She and her sister also circulated a neighborhood
newsletter called “La Voz del Barrio.”
She was nominated by the
Ohio Commission on
Hispanic/Latino Affairs.
Mrs. González de García was previously honored on March 27, 2008
by Adelante, Inc. and U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur
in Toledo, receiving the César E. Chávez Humanitarian Award.
See La Prensa story at:
http://www.laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2008/040408/Adelante.htm
The other 9 individuals honored can be found by visiting the
Ohio Civil Rights Website at:
http://www.crc.ohio.gov/HallofFame.htm
The program can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://www.ohiochannel.org/multimedia/media.cfm?file_id=122084
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