Placida Garcia Smith 1896-1981

Placida Elvira Garcia Smith became a teacher in 1915 and taught for most of her life. In 1931 she became director of the Friendly House which taught immigrants about their new country. She helped these immigrants learn English and skills that would ultimately help them find jobs. She helped 1,400 people become citizens of the United States. She wanted Mexican-American immigrants to be proud of their heritage while adopting a new life; she organized the first Spanish-American Boy Scout troop, the Mexican Dance Project and the Mexican Orchestra. In her spare time she did social work for other cultural groups.

Learn more about Garcia Smith's life in the Arizona Latina Trailblazers collection on the Arizona Memory Project: http://azmemory.lib.az.us/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/rhcalt&CISOPTR=53&CISOBOX=1&REC=6 and http://azmemory.lib.az.us/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/rhcalt&CISOPTR=59&CISOBOX=1&REC=7