The Heritage Society Presents in Celebration of Women’s History Month
How Las Rancheras Helped the American Revolution
Thursday, March 26 • 6:00 PM
1100 Bagby Street, HTX 77002
(Free parking at 212 Dallas Street)
In honor of Women’s History Month, The Heritage Society presents an Evening Speaker Series event featuring historian Dr. Erika Arredondo‑Haskins, whose research brings long‑overlooked Tejana women to the forefront of early American history. Her work on Spanish Texas women—las rancheras—reveals how their leadership, resilience, and cultural influence shaped the political and social landscape during the era of the American Revolution.
This program draws from Dr. Arredondo‑Haskins’ extensive scholarship and public history work, including her exhibitions and invited presentations on Spanish Texas women (“Rancheras: Spanish Texas Women and their Contributions to American Independence” and multiple invited talks on the same theme).
Tickets are $10. Wine and cheese will be served. Tickets and more information - Evening Speaker Wine Reception Series — The Heritage Society
“It’s important that we expand the story of the American Revolution through women’s voices,” says Jill Brooks, an America 250 leader, board member, and exhibit co-curator at The Heritage Society.
Program Overview
How Las Rancheras Helped the American Revolution explores the vital contributions of Tejana women who lived along the northern frontier of New Spain. These women—landowners, cultural stewards, community leaders, and political actors—played essential roles in stabilizing frontier settlements, sustaining local economies, and shaping diplomatic relationships that influenced the broader struggle for independence in North America.
Guests will discover how ranchera women:
Exercised authority through landownership, ranching operations, and family networks
Preserved cultural and religious traditions that anchored frontier communities
Influenced political alliances among Spanish officials, Indigenous groups, and settlers
Contributed indirectly yet powerfully to the conditions that supported the American cause
By centering women’s experiences, this program reframes the American Revolution as a hemispheric story—one in which the contributions of Spanish Texas women are indispensable.
Why This Matters for Women’s History Month
Dr. Arredondo‑Haskins’ work directly aligns with the mission of Women’s History Month: to recover, honor, and elevate the stories of women whose impact has shaped our shared history. Her research restores visibility to Tejana women whose leadership has long been overshadowed, offering a richer and more inclusive understanding of the American past.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Erika Arredondo‑Haskins
Dr. Erika Arredondo‑Haskins is a historian, educator, and public humanities scholar whose work centers on the lives, leadership, and cultural impact of women in Spanish Texas and early Texas history. She holds a Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word, where her dissertation examined high school girls’ experiences in a global leadership program (“Examining High School Girls’ Experiences in a Global Leadership Program” ).
Her extensive public history work includes consulting for the City of San Antonio’s Municipal Archives Museum, the National Museum of the American Latino, the Bexar County Historical Commission, and the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution (“historical consultant/editor for inaugural Municipal Archives Museum… historical consultant/research on Tejanas in the Alamo” ).
Dr. Arredondo‑Haskins has authored numerous entries for the Handbook of Texas Online and contributed to exhibitions, documentaries, and historical publications that highlight Tejana narratives and women’s leadership in early Texas. Her forthcoming exhibition, Rancheras: Spanish Texas Women and Their Contributions to American Independence, will open in 2026 as part of the U.S. Semiquincentennial (“Historian, Curator, and Lead Developer… 2026” ).
