Jovita Idar is a name to remember. Born on September 7, 1885, in Laredo, Texas, the Mexican-American journalist, teacher, political activist, and civil rights worker left a profound legacy. Although her life was cut short at 60, Idar remains one of the most outstanding Latino activists today.
Honoring Jovita Idar
When you think of chingona women, Idar should be on your top list. That’s because she was a fearless guerrera who knew she had to stand up for her Mexican-American community. And she didn’t just excel in one single profession. She was a multi-faceted woman who would write and vouch for her community in Texas, and also serve as a nurse during the Mexican Revolution.
To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, and to celebrate Idar's birthday, on September 7, let's remember three impacting ways she served her community.
Jovita Idar’s Journalism
Idar was a resilient journalist. She followed her father Nicasio’s footsteps as a newspaper editor and civil rights activist. Working for her father at his newspaper La Crónica, she would write about women’s rights and Mexican-American rights.
During this time, she would write under multiple monikers. She’d write under names like Ave Negra, and Astrea, per Women & the American Story.
After working at La Crónica, she continued her journalism career by writing for El Progreso, where she showed her community how resilient she could be.
At El Progreso, Idar would write about the nation’s border climate. “While she was there, she wrote an article protesting President Woodrow Wilson’s decision to send Unites States troops to the border,” her biography at the National Women's History Museum notes. “The United States Army and the Texas Rangers did not like that she spoke out, so they went to the offices of El Progreso to shut it down.”
Although the newspaper did shut down, she’s still pursued her passion for fighting for fair Mexican-American treatment in other mediums. In her lifetime, she would continue to write for other newspapers like El Eco del Golfo, La Luz, La Prensa, and Evolución.
Leading the “La Liga Feminil Mexicaista”
Not only was she a writer, but she founded the “La Liga Feminil Mexicaista” (the League of Mexican Women) in 1911. She was chosen as the first president of the organization. Multiple reports reiterate she was a huge voice for women and would say: “Educate a woman, and you educate a family.”
The League of Mexican Women later would help her provide education for Mexican-American students who needed it the most. It became a known political and overall charitable organization. “The Liga promoted financial independence for women workers and encouraged those workers to join the movimiento feminista (the feminist movement),” Women & the American Story reports.
Helping Out During the Mexican Revolution
In 1913, Idar also helped her community as a nurse. During the Mexican Revolution, she helped find La Cruz Blanca, alongside her friend Leonor Villegas de Magnón, to aid the revolutionary army.
Although there’s not much information on her time as a nurse, it’s important to know that Idar was multifaceted and did what she could in her power to help her community through action.
Her later years
Later, she became involved in politics alongside her husband Bartolo Juárez in San Antonio. Reports indicate that she joined the Democratic Party to continue her fight for women's equality, and better education, and even served as a Spanish translator at a local hospital.
That’s why Idar’s name should be echoed for years. Though she passed away on June 3, 1946, her efforts to better her community will never be forgotten. In fact, in 2023, the United States added her image to the nation’s quarter. The Jovita Idar Quarter is the ninth coin in the American Women Quarters™ Program, and it’s selling for as high as $800 on eBay.
