Liga Femenil Mexicanista

The Liga Femenil Mexicanista was a social, cultural, political, and charitable organization for Mexican-American women, founded in Laredo in 1911 by Jovita Idar. It was modeled on the recently established Congreso Mexicanista. Several of the women operated their own schools and allowed the children of the poor to attend free of charge. The organization also provided food and clothing to the needy of the community. The liga's members came predominantly from the working class. Meetings were sometimes held at the home of Idar's parents, Jovita and Nicasio Idar. Nicasio Idar published news of the organization's activities in La Crónica. The liga also sponsored literary readings and theatrical productions to raise funds for its charities. Jovita Idar served as the organization's first president; other members included María de Jesús De León, Soledad Flores de Peña, María Rentería, and María Villarreal. The league is one of the first-known attempts by Mexican-American women to unite for a social and political cause, and it attracted the most educated women of the community.