Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez

Hello, my name is Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, but many people know me by my nickname, 'La Corregidora.' My story begins on September 8th, 1768, in a city called Valladolid in New Spain, which is now known as Morelia, Mexico. Sadly, my parents passed away when I was just a little girl. I was sent to be raised at a special school for girls called the Colegio de las Vizcaínas. It was there that I learned a great deal and grew into a young woman. A few years later, I met a kind man named Miguel Domínguez, and we were married in the year 1791. My husband later became the 'corregidor,' which is like a mayor, for the city of Querétaro. Because of his important job, people started calling me 'La Corregidora,' and the name stuck with me for the rest of my life.

During the early 1800s, many people in New Spain, including me, felt that it was time for us to be free and govern ourselves, independent from Spain. Our home in Querétaro became a very important place. Around the year 1810, brave men and women began to gather there to make secret plans for Mexico's freedom. To keep our mission a secret, we pretended our meetings were just a literary club where we discussed books. This disguise helped us avoid being caught by the Spanish authorities. Attending these secret meetings were some of the great leaders of our movement, like a priest named Miguel Hidalgo and a captain named Ignacio Allende. We all knew that we were in great danger. If our plans were discovered, we could be arrested and punished for treason.

Our worst fears came true in September of 1810 when someone told the Spanish authorities about our secret plans. Our conspiracy had been discovered. My husband, Miguel, was worried for my safety and tried to protect me by locking me in my room. He did not want me to get into trouble, but I knew I could not let our fight for freedom end there. I had to warn our friends. I refused to give up, so I stomped my foot on the floor three times. This was a secret signal to a trusted ally who was waiting outside. On the night of September 13th, 1810, I managed to pass him a secret written message. I told him to ride as fast as he could to warn Father Hidalgo and Captain Allende that their plan had been discovered and that soldiers were coming for them.

My warning worked. Because of the message I sent, Father Hidalgo and Captain Allende were able to escape just in time. A few days later, on the morning of September 16th, 1810, Father Hidalgo went to his church in the town of Dolores. He rang the church bells to gather the people and gave a powerful speech that is now famously known as the 'Grito de Dolores,' or the 'Cry of Dolores.' He called for everyone to fight for independence, and that very moment marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. For my part in the plan, I was arrested and sent to prison. I was finally released in 1817, but I never lost hope for a free Mexico.

I was filled with joy when I saw Mexico finally win its independence from Spain in 1821. All of our sacrifices had been worth it. I lived to be 60 years old and passed away on March 2nd, 1829. Today, I am remembered as a heroine of my country. People call me the 'Mother of the Mexican Homeland' because my small act of bravery in that locked room helped spark a revolution. My story shows that even one person's courage can help change the world.