Unladylike2020: Unsung Women Who Changed America Season 1 Episode 23 Jovita Idar: Mexican American Educator, Journalist, Suffragist & Civil Rights Activist

Jovita Idar: Mexican American Educator, Journalist, Suffragist & Civil Rights Activist is the 23rd episode of Unladylike2020: Unsung Women Who Changed America season 1. The episode explores the life and legacy of Jovita Idar, a Mexican American woman who fought for education, civil rights, and suffrage for people of color in the early 1900s.

Born in 1885 in Laredo, Texas, Jovita Idar came from a family of activists and educators. Her father was a journalist, and her brother was a lawyer and civil rights activist. From a young age, Jovita was inspired by her family's commitment to social justice and began working as a teacher to help educate Mexican American children who were denied access to public schools.

In addition to her work as an educator, Jovita also became a journalist and founded the newspaper La Crónica in 1911, which focused on the concerns of Mexican Americans. She used her platform to advocate for civil rights, writing articles on issues such as lynching, police brutality, and discrimination in the workplace. Her work as a journalist made her a target of the Texas Rangers, who were known for their violence toward Mexican Americans and often targeted her newspaper.

Jovita was also a suffragist and worked to secure the right to vote for women in Texas. She helped organize the Primer Congreso Mexicanista in 1911, which brought together Mexican Americans to discuss issues such as suffrage and education. She also led the Sociedad de Hijas de México, a women's group that worked for social and political equality for Mexican women.

In 1916, Jovita and her family were involved in the Plan de San Diego, a revolutionary movement that aimed to liberate Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and California from U.S. control and establish a new country called the Republic of the Rio Grande. Though Jovita did not play a direct role in the plan, her brothers and father were among its leaders, and the family's newspaper supported the movement. As a result, Jovita was forced to flee to San Antonio for her safety.

After the Plan de San Diego, Jovita continued to work as a journalist and activist, but she faced increasing pressure from the government and white supremacist groups. In 1920, she moved to San Antonio and founded a new newspaper, El Progreso, which focused on the concerns of Mexican Americans and advocated for social justice.

Jovita Idar's legacy as a social justice warrior and trailblazer for Mexican American women is often overlooked in history, but her work paved the way for future generations of activists. In this episode, Unladylike2020 sheds light on her story and explores the impact she had on civil rights, education, and suffrage in America.