From Hollywood icons, to musical divas, to authors to actresses, to activists to nurses, to military heroes to fighter pilots, to entrepreneurs and even queens--the women of the Rio Grande Valley of deep S. Texas have been movers and shakers from the beginning. Here's but a glimpse at a dozen.
1. *Capt. Rosemary Bryant Mariner (U.S. Navy)
Born: Harlingen, Texas
First Female Navy Fighter Jet Pilot/First Female Squadron Leader
2. *Rosa María Hinojosa de Balli (“La Patrona”)
a.k.a. The First Cattle Queen of Texas
Born: Reynosa, Tamaulipas
Owned: Most of the Rio Grande Valley
Headquarters (650,000 acres): La Feria, Texas
3. *Cleo Dawson
(1902—1990)
Born: Mission, Texas
Author, Actress, Psychologist
4. *Consuelo “Chelo” Silva
Born: Brownsville, Texas
5. *Fran Fullenwider
Born: Harlingen, Texas
Actress
6. *Gloria E. Anzaldúa
Born: Raymondville, Texas
Raised: Hargill, Texas
Poet, Artist, Activist, Chicana Scholar
7. *Jovita González
(1904--1983)
Born: Rancho Las Viboras
Near: Roma, Texas
Folklorist, Author, Activist, Teacher, Scholar
8. *Karen Kirschenbauer/Karen Kristofferson
(1938—2005)
Born: Brownsville, Texas
Actress
9. *Lieut. Dolly Vinsant: San Benito
(U.S. Army: Killed In Action)
Born: San Benito, Texas
U.S. Army Air Corps Nurse, WWII
10. *Lois January
(1912--2006)
Born: McAllen, Texas
Actress, Dancer, Singer
11. *Nancy Nash/Nancy Miller
(1897--1960s)
Born: McAllen, Texas
Actress, Silent Film Star, Flapper
12. *Emilia Wilhelmina Schunior Ramírez
(1902--1960)
Born: Sam Fordyce, Texas
Near: La Joya, Texas
Teacher, Lay Historian, Scholar, School Administrator, Professor
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