Emilia Schunior Ramirez
Edinburg, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Hidalgo County native Emilia Schunior (1902-1960) graduated from Edinburg High in 1919 and married Rafael Ramirez in 1921; the couple had four children. Emilia attended college and earned a B.A. in 1940, becoming a teacher and principal at several Rio Grande Valley schools. At the University of Texas at Austin, her 1950 master's thesis in education examined children of illegal Mexican immigrants in south Texas. Emilia later taught at Pan American College as an assistant professor of Spanish. She visited Spain and Mexico, and in 1960 represented the Pan American Round Table of Edinburg at the Inter-American Alliance Meeting in Guatemala City. As an eduator and historian, she was a role model for Hispanic women and others. (2007)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Hidalgo County native Emilia Schunior Ramirez graduated from Edinburg High in 1919, raised a family, and earned her degrees while building a career as a teacher and principal across Rio Grande Valley schools. Her 1950 master's thesis studied the children of Mexican immigrants in South Texas, and she went on to teach Spanish at Pan American College and to represent Edinburg at an inter-American meeting in Guatemala. She became a respected educator and historian.
Why it matters
She stands as a pioneering Mexican American woman scholar whose work and example opened doors for Hispanic women in Texas education.
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Related people
- · Emilia Schunior Ramirez
- · Rafael Ramirez
Themes & tags
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