Teresa valcarce
Bernardo de Galvez
“The lady of the portrait”
How I knew Bernado de Galvez
In April 2013, my mother sent me a newspaper article from Spain, written by Manuel Olmedo, in this article I read that Bernardo de Gálvez, one of the Spanish heroes of the American War of Independence, he had not been recognized as the parents founders of the country had determined more than 200 years ago: The promise was that his portrait should be hang in the Capitol in Washington DC.
From that very first moment, my goal was rescue the Spanish hero on both sides of the ocean, I want to achieve that the US Senate accept the portrait of the soldier from Malaga and at the end they could hang it on the walls of the Capitol closed to the rest of the US history heroes.
In my commitment, I mobilized many people and institutions during almost two years, for “the Bernardo de Gálvez cause”.
Finally, and thanks to many people involved, we achieved that this decisive and relevant person had his place in the history of this country, and not just in American history but also in the capitol, such as the Continental Congress promised in 1783.
“Gálvez’s portrait in the Capitol is my humble gift to Spain and the Hispanic people”.
In this amazing documentary, which was a Winner of an Emy Award, you will learn more about Bernardo de Gálvez story, and you will know how his portrait cames to the Capitol and finally how Teresa grow into “The Lady of the Portrait”.
Award ceremony of Bernardo de Gálvez portrait. The Diputación de Málaga president Elías Bendodo in Ramon Gil Casares office, Spanish Ambassador in Washington DC. June 2014.
Without the help of Bernardo de Association I could not have been able to achieve it.
Bernardo de Gálvez awards. Teresa with Miguel Ángel Gálvez the association president.
WHO WAS BERNARDO DE GÁLVEZ
(Macharaviaya, Spain, 1746 – Tacubaya, nowadays Mexico, 1786) Spanish military officer and administrator, he participated in different campaigns in Portugal, France and in the USA. Bernardo de Gálvez fighted against the English army, close to the North American soldiers, and in 1779 he won several British forts (Manchac, Baton Rouge and Paumure de Natchez), then he attacked the British army in Florida, and he won them in Mobile (1780) and Pensacola (1781), culminating the conquest of West Florida. For these victories, Carlos III of Spain granted him the captaincy general of Louisiana and Florida and the title of Count of Gálvez (on whose shield, at the royal request, a brigantine and the legend “Yo solo” appeared on it).
After his designation as Cuba General Captain, in 1784, he succeeded his father as New Spain Viceroy, at this position he had to suffer the effects of a serious famine in the country, he fought against the famine promoting important public works and urbanism. Bernardo de Gálvez was a Viceroy very popular. During a series of harsh frosts that hit the viceroyalty, he paid for the purchase of beans and corn for the poor people of his own money. He began the public lighting installations and the construction of Cathedral of Mexico towers, he ordered the reconstruction of the Chapultepec castle and he continued with the construction of the Acapulco highway.
Information sources: Fernández, Tomás and Tamaro, Elena. Biography of Bernardo de Gálvez. In Biographies and Lives. The biographical encyclopedia online [Internet]. Barcelona, Spain, 2004
Person venerated and very loved by the people of these countries for his bravery, courage and charity.
Spain in the American Independence war.
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He is an honorary citizen of the United States for his contribution to the British defeat and his active participation on behalf of the Continental Army. Today, he is considered one of the founding fathers of the United States and his portrait appears in the Founding Fathers of the United States hall, thanks to the tenacity of an Spanish lady: “TERESA VALCARCE GRACIANI”.
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