José & Linda García: Guardians of Latino Memory in the Heart of Omaha
José Garcia and his wife Linda García-Perez have long stood as cultural stewards in Omaha’s Latino community. Together, they cofounded the Mexican-American Historical Society of the Midlands and the South Omaha Museum of Immigrant History, institutions that anchor their life’s work in preserving history, advocacy, and cultural memory.
José, a third-generation descendant of a Mexican family that settled in Kansas City in the early 20th century, is a retired Union Pacific employee and longtime Chicano activist. He has spent decades studying migration, the settlement of Mexican Americans in the Plains, and how cultural identity adapts and endures in new environments.
Linda brings a complementary strength and artistry. A 1971 graduate of the College of Saint Mary, she has worked as an educator, children’s librarian, artist, and storyteller of Latino traditions and history.
Together, the couple has built one of the region’s most comprehensive archival collections of Mexican American life, spanning from documents, photographs, folk art, and oral histories. Their work grew from nearly 30 years of informal community archiving before MAHSM’s official founding in 2009. Today, the Society operates from historic South Omaha, making the neighborhood both canvas and cornerstone for Latino heritage in Nebraska. In parallel, the South Omaha Museum of Immigrant History serves as a gathering space for exhibitions, storytelling events, and shared remembrance.
Linda has remained active in Omaha’s cultural ecosystem: serving on the Nebraska Arts Council’s roster, the Nebraska Humanities Council as a speaker, acting as Public Art Commissioner for the City of Omaha, and as a docent at the Joslyn Museum. The Garcías also lead the MAHSM Speakers Bureau, offering workshops on topics ranging from “The Spanish presence in the Midlands” to Dia de Muertos traditions.
Their influence reaches classrooms, civic spaces, local libraries, and cultural centers. MAHSM’s programs include family history workshops, youth “History Explorers” partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs, and public exhibitions that center on Latino narratives often missing from mainstream archives.
Do you know someone whose story should be told — a mentor, educator, entrepreneur, veteran, artist, or advocate who has made a lasting difference in the Latino community? Please share their name and a little about their journey with us.
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