María Gutiérrez Spencer

María Gutiérrez Spencer was born in Las Cruces on December 17, 1919. Her BOLD program grew from a classroom at the Sixth Street School in Silver City, with a federally funded demonstration center where teachers came to watch her work for up to two weeks; she also wrote a bilingual guide for parents, Ayudele, in 1973. Her daughter later recalled that she won three national awards for excellence in education and was fired by the Silver City district the same day. The marker was placed on the New Mexico State University campus in 2015.

What the plaque says

Official Scenic Historic Marker María Gutiérrez Spencer Advocate for Social Justice (1919-1992) Punished for not speaking English in school, María Gutiérrez Spencer devoted her life to validating the Indo-Hispano experience. A graduate of University of California, Berkeley and New Mexico State University, she pio- neered bilingual and bicultural education in New Mexico, founding BOLD: Bicultural Orientation and Language Development in Silver City. Maria battled cancer for 50 years, but traveled worldwide to train teachers. She was honored by the Wonder Woman Founda- tion with Rosa Parks in 1981. Official Scenic Historic Marker New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative The New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative was founded in 2005 by members of the New Mexico Women's Forum in a statewide effort to recognize women's contributions to New Mexico history on the state's Official Scenic Historic Markers. The Initiative ensures that women's diverse histories will be remembered and told, and will inspire and provide a guide for future generations. The 2006 Legislature funded the project.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Mesilla Plaza — 2.3 mi
  A plaza laid out in 1848 by people who meant to stay in Mexico, American six years later, a stage stop and Civil War headquarters, and scene of a deadly political riot in 1871.

More markers nearby

• Doña Ana County Courthouse — 2.2 mi
• La Mesilla — 2.4 mi
• La Mesilla — 2.4 mi
• Rio Grande — 4.6 mi