Born on January 18, 1904, Jovita Gonzalez was a remarkable female folklorist, author, and educator whose civic activities and writings powerfully contributed to the Rio Grande Valley. As an influential member of the Texas Folklore Society in 1946, Gonzalez directed pastorelas, pageants, and posadas, with local Mexican children playing the parts of pilgrims with a mostly Anglo audience. These events importantly brought the richness of Mexican culture that was previously confined to private spaces to the public eye.