A little over a century ago the people of Mexico took up arms against the government of Porfirio Díaz and in favor of a more just and equal country. In that fight, the participation of women in the Mexican Revolution as soldiers and generals; journalists, nurses, activists and countless other activities, contributed to the triumph of the armed movement.
We tell you more about some of the protagonists of the Mexican Revolution, who despite having been relegated in history books, deserve to be recognized for their valuable contribution.
Women of the Mexican Revolution
Carmen Serdan
María del Carmen Serdán Alatriste He was born on November 11, 1875 in Puebla de Zaragoza. He went, along with his brothers Natalia, Achilles and Maximus, precursor of the revolutionary cause and supported the cause of Francisco I. Madero. Her life was linked to liberal causes since childhood, since her maternal grandfather, Miguel Cástulo Alatriste, participated prominently in the Reform War and was shot to death during the Second French Intervention.
Through the paternal line, Carmen Serdán and her brothers also received a strong ideological influence. Her father, Miguel Serdán Guanes, was the drafter of the People’s Law, the first agrarian reform in Mexico.
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Later, Carmen Serdán was in charge of the revolution in Puebla. To carry out her missions, she used the pseudonym “Marcos Serrato”, establishing communication with various newspapers. In addition, he participated in the making of bombs and managed the purchase of weapons for the revolutionaries.
On November 18, 1910, two days after the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution, the house of the Serdán brothers was attacked by the army. María del Carmen harangued the people from the roof of her house, where she was wounded and arrested. She was imprisoned in La Merced and, subsequently, she was admitted to the municipal hospital of San Pedro. Her brothers perished during the assault.
Carmen was one of the women in charge of spreading the Diaz-Creelman interview, where President Díaz made clear his position towards a democratic transition. Likewise, he was part of the Revolutionary Junta of Puebla and organized the reception of Madero in the state. In exchange, Madero promised to promote labor and salary equality for men and women.
After the fall of Victoriano Huerta, Carmen dedicated herself to working as a nurse in various hospitals and collaborated in some newspapers. She died on August 28, 1948.
Hermila Galindo Acosta (1886-1954)
She is considered the first revolutionary woman in Mexico. From a young age she contributed to the cause, she was Venustiano Carranza’s private secretary and later founded the newspaper Modern womanpromoting, among other things, women’s equality.
Likewise, in 1916 she participated in the First Feminist Congress of Yucatán. After years of struggle, in 1952 she was the first woman to occupy a seat in Congress and she would achieve, with many colleagues, that a year later the political rights of women were recognized in law.
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Carmen Velez, La Generala
One of the most identified female roles in the Mexican Revolution was that of the soldaderas, who accompanied the soldiers. However, it is little known that there were also women who led armies, such is the case of Carmen Vélez, alias La Generala, who supported the Maderista cause by commanding a battalion of 300 men in the state of Tlaxcala in 1911.
Elisa Acuña Rosseti (1872-1946)
She was a prominent journalist and ideologist of the Mexican Revolution, who also fought for women’s rights and freedom of expression. Likewise, she was a member of the Mexican Liberal Party and due to her criticism of Díaz in various newspapers, she was imprisoned.
He also founded the weekly Vesper and various organizations that advocated for better working conditions for women. Thanks to her struggle and that of other women, the 1917 Constitution incorporated new women’s rights.
Elisa Acuña Rosseti, an anarchofeminist in the Mexican Revolution
Juana Belén Gutiérrez de Mendoza (1875-1942)
Anarchist, anticlerical, feminist and journalist, Juana Gutiérrez collaborated and directed several newspapers between 1901 and until her death, in which she denounced social injustices and advocated for women’s rights. She was part of the group that developed the Ayala Plan and over the years she founded several feminist organizations.
Finally, there were many women who participated in the Mexican Revolution and it is impossible to mention them all. However, two names that we should not overlook are those of Carmen Serdán, disseminator of the Maderista struggle; and Sara Pérez Romero, who beyond her marriage to Francisco I. Madero, was a committed political activist; She organized troops and participated in many movements, such as the labor movement.
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