142:, celebrating the cultural diversity of the city by embracing education, technology, shared ties, and cultural advancement. He coined the name 'Hemisfair' and the event materialized in 1968, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of San Antonio. His idea, supported by local leaders, was officially sanctioned by the Bureau of International Expositions in 1965. Despite challenges, the fair drew over 6 million visitors and left a lasting legacy on the city.
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HemisFair '68, themed "The
Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas," was a transformative event for San Antonio, showcasing over thirty nations and fifteen corporations. Harris's concept celebrated the shared cultures of San Antonio and emphasized the city's commitment to cultural inclusion and
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Harris was married to
Gertrude Louise Harris, with whom he had two children, Marjory Jean Harris and Jerome Kling Harris Jr. Both children would follow in his legacy of civic duty and business leadership, building a retail business together in San Antonio and regularly participating in city
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Born in
Minnesota, Harris graduated from the old Main High School and began his career at Frank Bros., a downtown San Antonio men's store, where he eventually rose from an entry-level position to vice president.
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Harris died in 1984 in San
Antonio, Texas. In 1993, the San Antonio City Council posthumously recognized his contributions to the city's development through HemisFair '68. A plate was erected in his honor.
146:, otherwise known as Hemisfair Tower, was one of the many lasting monuments and pieces of architecture that were erected for the fair and remain iconic to the city to this day.
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engagements. Both Harris and his son would serve as president of the Fiesta
Commission in San Antonio and as leading members of many other civic organizations.
117:, Texas. Harris notably coined the name 'Hemisfair' and was the originator of the idea, formally given the honorary title 'Father of Hemisfair' in 1993 by the
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In addition to his executive role at Frank Bros., Harris served in many civic leadership positions such as director of the San
Antonio
109:(October 11, 1899 – 1984) was an American businessman and civic leader, celebrated for his key role in the creation and development of
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Tower of the
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278:"Viva Hemisfair exhibit celebrates 50 years of park's history, evolution"
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Harris' vision for San
Antonio, Texas was to have its own
582:. University of Texas at San Antonio Digital Collections
512:"2021 Fiesta San Antonio by Traveling Blender – Issuu"
417:"2021 Fiesta San Antonio by Traveling Blender - Issuu"
369:"History | Tower of the Americas in San Antonio, TX"
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567:. University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries
580:"Jerome K. Harris Sr. Oral History Interview"
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320:"Our City, Our History: 1968 World's Fair"
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393:"Interview with Jerome K. Harris, 1979"
253:"Interview with Jerome K. Harris, 1979"
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614:Businesspeople from Minneapolis
487:"Hemisfair: A New World's Fair"
463:"A Confluence of civilisations"
318:Antonio, SBG San (2018-05-21).
209:"HemisFair put city on the map"
207:Olivo, Benjamin (2015-06-19).
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302:"Texas Observer Article 1966"
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144:The Tower of the Americas
70:Businessman, civic leader
213:San Antonio Express-News
119:San Antonio City Council
97:Marjory Jean Harris and
565:"HemisFair '68 History"
89:Gertrude Louise Harris
467:www.logohistories.com
153:and president of the
491:San Antonio Magazine
107:Jerome K. Harris Sr.
99:Jerome K. Harris Jr.
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140:World's Fair
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56:(1984-10-18)
609:1984 deaths
604:1899 births
115:San Antonio
43:Minneapolis
598:Categories
586:2023-12-12
571:2023-12-12
546:2023-12-13
522:2023-12-13
497:2023-12-13
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194:References
125:Early life
35:1899-10-11
516:issuu.com
421:issuu.com
78:Founding
94:Children
558:Sources
134:Career
86:Spouse
305:(PDF)
239:(PDF)
324:WOAI
282:KSAT
51:Died
29:Born
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