Josefina Zoraida Vázquez is a noted Mexican historian, considered the Mexican expert on the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

Early life

Vázquez is the daughter of Modesto Vázquez. She was raised in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

, where she attended public schools. Her education was conducted entirely in Spanish; she did not study either English or French in school, as her counterparts in private schools did. As a teenager, she worked part-time for her father, clerking in his bookstore and correcting gallery proofs for books he was editing. After graduating from high school, Vázquez entered the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), studying philosophy and letters.Beezley (October 2010), p. 253. She received her degree in 1955.Paul (August 2012), p. 4. Although Vázquez says she originally wanted to be a scientist, her father influenced her love of history. She was also inspired by historian

Edmundo O'Gorman Edmundo O'Gorman (24 November 1906 in Mexico City – 28 September 1995 in Mexico City) was a Mexican writer, historian and philosopher. He is considered as being among the earlier and most influential applicants of historical revisionism to ...

and his teachings on the roles of history and historians. In 1958, Vázquez was awarded a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in American history form the

Central University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loca ...

. She received a degree in history from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

in 1962, and a Ph.D. in history from UNAM in 1968.

Career

Vázquez is a noted historian of

Mexican history The written history of Mexico spans more than three millennia. First populated more than 13,000 years ago, central and southern Mexico (termed Mesoamerica) saw the rise and fall of complex indigenous civilizations. Mexico would later develop ...

, and is considered the Mexican expert on the

.Van Wagenen, p 245. Her work has also included scholarly histories of the history of national education in Mexico, and the first few decades of Mexican independence (1821–1845). She has also written several official history textbooks used in schools throughout the country. Vázquez has served as a historical adviser to numerous documentaries, including one produced by

KERA-TV KERA-TV (channel 13) is a PBS member television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Owned by North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc., it is sister to National Public Radio (NPR) member stati ...

.Van Wagenen, p. 223. A member of the Congress of Mexican Historians from Mexico, the United States, and Canada, Vázquez organized the group's convention in 1977 and served as president in 2003. She was honored by the Fondo de Cultura Economica in 2012.

Bibliography

* ''The United States and Mexico'' (1982) with Lorenzo Meyer * ''Interpretaciones del siglo XVIII mexicano: el impacto de las reformas borbónicas'' (1992) * ''México al tiempo de su guerra con Estados Unidos, 1846-1848'' (1997) * ''México y el mundo. Historia de sus relaciones exteriores'' dos tomos (2000) * ''Tratados de México: soberanía y territorio, 1821-1910'' (2000) * ''El establecimiento del federalismo en México, 1821-1827'' (2003) * ''Juárez el republicano'' (2005)

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vazquez, Josefina Zoraida Living people 1932 births Historians of the Texas Revolution Mexican women historians National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni 20th-century Mexican historians 21st-century Mexican historians