Hispanic American Institute

The Hispanic American Institute (HAI), founded in 1965 at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, served as a pioneering ecumenical center promoting Hispanic American ministry, theological education, and social justice within the Presbyterian Church and beyond. Under the leadership of founding director Rev. Dr. Jorge Lara‑Braud, HAI bridged communities across Texas and Latin America, addressing institutional racism and supporting Chicano rights during the civil rights era. From workshops and advocacy to publications like Our Claim on the Future (1970), the institute advanced cultural understanding and church reform. Though it formally closed in 1976, its records are preserved at the Austin Seminary Archives. For more information, visit their official website: Hispanic American Institute Archives at Austin Seminary.