© Latinas in History 2008 |
GONZÁLEZ MIRELES, JOVITA (19041983)
The
educator and folklorist, Jovita González, dedicated her life to bringing
the legends and stories of Tejanos into the broader American narrative. Born into
a ranching family in Roma, Texas, the family moved to San Antonio so that the
children could receive an education in English. Jovita excelled in her studies
earning a teaching certificate by the age of twenty. An association with the Texas
Folklore Society led to her serving as vice president and president of the organization
from 1928-1932. An American Association of University Women fellowship paved the
way for González Mireles to earn a masters degree in history at the University
of Texas. This gave her the opportunity to write a thesis, Social Life in
Starr, and Zapata Counties in 1930. Her most important contributions to
the literature on Tejanos are her historical novels, The Dew in the Thorn and
Caballero. Unpublished throughout her lifetime, the manuscripts were discovered
among her papers and published by the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literature
project.
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