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Echoes of the Southwest

A scholarly exploration of Aurora Lucero-White Lea, a pioneering Nuevomexicana folklorist, writer, and suffragist.

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About Aurora Lucero-White Lea

Aurora Lucero-White Lea
Born
Aurora R. Lucero
February 8, 1894
Las Vegas, New Mexico, United States
Died 1965 (aged 70โ€“71)
New Mexico, United States
Nationality American
Spouse(s) George White (m. 1918)
Preston King Lea
Children 3

Aurora Lucero-White Lea (February 8, 1894 โ€“ 1965) was a distinguished American folklorist, writer, and suffragist. A proud Nuevomexicana, she dedicated significant effort to advocating for bilingual education in English and Spanish and was deeply committed to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic Southwest. Her seminal 1953 work, Literary Folklore of the Hispanic Southwest, stands as a testament to her dedication, compiling invaluable cultural traditions, songs, and stories gathered during her extensive travels throughout northern New Mexico.

Activism and Advocacy

Championing Bilingualism

Lucero's commitment to her cultural roots was evident early on. As a teenager in 1910, she delivered a powerful speech advocating for the use of Spanish in public schools during a persuasive speaking competition. This was a direct response to legislation requiring English fluency for public office, which many Nuevomexicanos perceived as discriminatory.

The Fight for Suffrage

In 1915, Aurora Lucero played a vital role in the women's suffrage movement in New Mexico. Alongside Nina Otero-Warren, she addressed Senator Thomas Benton Catron, urging support for the Susan B. Anthony Amendment. Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, Lucero and Otero-Warren insisted on bilingual access to suffrage materials, emphasizing their desire for equitable laws, particularly concerning home life. Their advocacy highlighted the unique perspective of Spanish-speaking women in the political landscape.

Public Service

Lucero served as the San Miguel County superintendent of schools from 1925 to 1927. In this capacity, she traveled extensively across the state, gaining firsthand knowledge of the cultural traditions she would later document. Later, she was appointed assistant superintendent of instruction for the New Mexico Department of Education in 1934, a position that enabled her to integrate traditional folklore into the state's educational curriculum.

Research and Writing

Documenting Cultural Heritage

During her tenure as county superintendent, Lucero began meticulously recording the rich tapestry of cultural folktales, songs, dances, and stories prevalent in the Hispanic villages of New Mexico. This foundational work laid the groundwork for her later literary contributions.

Academic Pursuits

Lucero-White pursued higher education at the New Mexico Normal University (now New Mexico Highlands University). She earned a teaching degree in 1915 and a bachelor's degree in 1925. She furthered her studies, receiving a master's degree in Spanish literature in 1932, with her thesis focusing on the traditional Christmas folk play, "Coloquios de los Pastores."

Historical Plays

Her literary output included several historical plays. Notably, Los Pastores (1936) adapted a traditional Spanish folk-drama, while Kearney Takes Las Vegas (1934) dramatized the historical U.S. occupation of New Mexico under General Stephen W. Kearny.

Selected Works

Literary Contributions

Aurora Lucero-White Lea authored several significant works that captured the essence of Hispanic culture in the Southwest. Her writings include:

  • The folklore of New Mexico : romances, corridos, cuentos, proverbios, dichos, adivinanzas (1941)
  • Los hispanos : five essays on the folkways of the hispanos as seen through the eyes of one of them (1947)
  • Literary folklore of the Hispanic Southwest (1953) - Her most renowned compilation, featuring dances, folk-plays, children's games, and ballads.
  • Juan Bobo : adapted from the Spanish folk tale Bertoldo (1962)
  • More About the Matachines - An article exploring the origins of the Matachines dance among both Hispano and Pueblo communities.

In 1935, alongside Cleofas Martรญnez Jaramillo, she co-founded La Sociedad Folklorica in Santa Fe, an organization dedicated to the preservation of colonial Spanish traditions and customs.

Enduring Legacy

Honoring Her Contributions

In February 2020, the New Mexico legislature passed a bill titled "Centennial Of 19th Amendment," commending six influential New Mexican women for their fight for women's suffrage. Aurora Lucero-White Lea was recognized among these notable figures, alongside Laura E. Frenger, Nina Otero-Warren, Ina Sizer Cassidy, and Julia Duncan Brown Asplund, acknowledging her significant role in the suffrage movement and her broader contributions to New Mexican society.

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References

References

A full list of references for this article are available at the Aurora Lucero-White Lea Wikipedia page

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