El Paso Women’s History Timeline, One Version, March 1, 2021

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By Eva Ross

1889 Nelly Bly visits El Paso and Mexico writes pamphlet Six Months in Mexico.

1892 Sisters of St.Vicent de Paul purchase land for Hotel Dieu Hospital in El Paso, TX.

1894 Mary I. Stanton establishes first children’s library in the U.S in El Paso, TX.

1909 YWCA opened in El Paso, TX under leadership of Sarah Mott Rawlings.

1910 Radford School for Girls established in El Paso, TX.

1913 Lydia Patterson Institute opens in Segundo Barrio, El Paso, TX.

1916 El Paso Woman’s Club building constructed on Mesa St.

1918 Passage of suffrage amendment to US Constitution.

1919 League of Women Voters begins due to influence of women like Belle C. Critchett.

1921 Eugenia M. Schuster becomes first president of Pan American Club.

1924 Loretto Academy & Chapel under construction in El Paso, TX.

1931 El Paso Symphony Board established.

1937 Fanny Hutman Zlasbosky helps Jewish immigrants & others flee Nazis.

1937 Betty Mary Goetting works to establish Planned Parenthood in EP.

1938 Eleanor Roosevelt visits Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy.

1941 Women support war effort through Red Cross.

1943 Charlee Kelly, daughter of former mayor, is at work in Pentagon.

1952 Anita Lee Blair elected to Texas House of Representatives.

1955 Thelma White suit desegregates UT system.

1963 Women strike against Hilton Hotel in downtown El Paso.

1966 Maud Isaacks, former teacher El Paso High, is only woman in TX Legislature.

1971 UTEP purchases Hotel Dieu School of Nursing from Daughters of Charity.

1971 Chicano students, female and male, demand changes at UTEP.

1971 El Paso Women’s Bar Assn. created.

1972 Farah employees (mostly women) go on strike.

1980 Mujer Obrera group founded in El Paso, TX.

1981 Women’s Studies Program begins at UTEP.

1981 Sandra Day O’Connor, former Radford student, selected for US Supreme Court.

1984 Mc Call Neighborhood Center established by Leona Ford Washington in December.

1988 Diana Natalicio becomes president of UTEP. Serves nearly 30 years.

1989 Susie Azar sworn in as first female mayor of El Paso, TX.

1991 Margaret “Peggy” Rosson represents El Paso in Texas Senate.

2000’s UTEP Women’s Basketball wins under Keitha Adams.

2017 Maj. General Heidi Brown retires as commander of Ft. Bliss in March.

2018 Veronica Escobar elected representative to U. S. House.

2019 Heather Wilson becomes president of UTEP.

2020 Jennifer Han wins boxing title.

Eva Antone Ross is a native El Pasoan. After graduating with honors from UTEP with a degree in history, she worked for the Ysleta Independent School district as a teacher, administrator, grants administrator, and Equity Program Specialist. In the early 1990’s she developed El Paso Women’s History Coloring Book, Vol. 1. After retirement she has been an active volunteer. Her interest in borderlands politics, education, and history pervades her life.