One-Act Play Set to Debut on Founding of American Legion Post 41

Playwright James García combed through records, archives, historical documents and oral histories to craft his one-act play on the Legion, with hopes of it turning into a full-length play in 2027.

James García, playwright/journalist.

One recurring theme playwright James García kept returning to when researching his upcoming one-act play on the founding of the Phoenix-based American Legion Post 41was that the founders and the community that supported their efforts were after equality.

They returned from World War II after shedding blood for the U.S. and felt they deserved a measure of respect that a city rife with racial segregation and discrimination wasn't ready to offer. So with the single-mindedness of dedicated advocates such as Ray Martínez, Tony Soza, and their families and community and a surprising benefactor, the Ray Martínez/Tony Soza American Legion Post 41 opened in 1948 and remains a cultural touchstone of Phoenix's Latino/a community to this day.

García spoke with ImpactoAZ about the play and his main characters, along with other plays he's written, many of which document Arizona history.