To mark our country’s 250th Anniversary, Henry Rivera, will present a talk on Bernardo de Gálvez—a Spanish military leader whose actions on behalf of the American colonies were vital during the American Revolution. Few appreciate that Spain provided significant support to the colonies in their fight for independence. Galvez’s victories along the Gulf Coast and the banks of the Mississippi River eliminated British control there, greatly facilitating the flow of vital military supplies to American rebel forces. In 2014, Congress awarded Galvez honorary citizenship for his contributions to our War of Independence. This rare honor is the greatest the United States can bestow on a non-citizen. Despite his impact on our Revolution and on the history of both Spain and the United States, Galvez and his achievements remain largely unrecognized.
Henry is the immediate past chair of the board of directors at El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, a Golondrinas Ambassador, and an Insider. He has been a member of the Golondrinas Board since 2015 and is a frequent speaker at Las Golondrinas. He is an attorney, a former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, a native New Mexican, an amateur historian, a member of the Civil War Roundtable of the District of Columbia, and a former director of the Foundation for the National Archives. He received both a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Albuquerque. He is a Viet Nam Veteran and was awarded a Bronze Star for his service there.