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211:. The oldest of all siblings (Felisa, Josefina, Cecilia, Esilda, Ramón, Rafael, Enrique and Rita), she was politically influenced by her father, attorney Enrique Rincón Plumey, family of an earlier Mayor of Yabucoa. Her mother, teacher Rita Marrero Rivera, died when she was around 11 years old. However, her father was determined to give her the best education possible. She went to school in
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310:- the first woman mayor of a capital city in the Americas. Under her leadership, San Juan was transformed into a Latin-American urban center. Rincón de Gautier designed innovative public services and established the first preschool centers called "Las Escuelas Maternales", which would eventually become the model for the
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Upon her return to San Juan, she entered the wholesale/retail business and opened Felisa's Style Shop on Calle
Fortaleza in Old San Juan. She also managed a flower shop called Miles de Flores. Throughout her lifetime, she remained closely tied to the Roman Catholic Church as she directed her efforts
387:
On May 29, 2014, The
Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico honored 12 illustrious women with plaques in the "La Plaza en Honor a la Mujer Puertorriqueña" (Plaza in Honor of Puerto Rican Women) in San Juan. According to the plaques the 12 women, who by virtue of their merits and legacies, stand out in
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for four United States
Presidents. She served in Latin America, Asia, and Europe promoting friendship between those regions and the United States. When Felisa Rincón de Gautier died in San Juan, aged 97, on September 16, 1994, she was given the burial honors of a head of state. Dignitaries from all
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In the early 20th
Century, "there was no welfare on the island; no social department to provide money or clothing or food for the poor (but) no jíbaro would let another jíbaro starve. This was the most important truth she learned. The jíbaros were a people steeped in tradition, the noblest of which
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In both Puerto Rico and the United States, numerous public structures and avenues have been named in honor of Rincón de
Gautier. There is a Felisa Rincón de Gautier Museum and a parking lot with the name of Doña Fela on Calle Recinto Sur in Old San Juan. In New York City, both the Felisa Rincón de
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An expert seamstress, Felisa set herself the goal of creating employment in Puerto Rico by launching a local clothing factory. In order to master necessary skills she worked for two years in New York City during the Great
Depression, living with relatives, including her sister Josefina.
350:), celebrated on January 6, she would bring gifts and treats to the poor and needy children. In 1952, 1953 and 1954, she had plane loads of snow delivered to San Juan so that the children who had never seen or played in snow would be able to do so.
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movement, motivating many women to register. When the law allowing women to vote was passed, Rincón de
Gautier was the fifth woman to officially register. In 1932, she joined the
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After her mother died, her father married
Mercedes Acha, the mother of her half brother Manuel. Felisa ran the household and raised her younger brothers and sisters.
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Dona Felisa received recognition from multiple governments such as France (Medal of Joan of Arc), Spain (Gold Medal of Honor), and
Ecuador (Gold Medal of Honor).
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programs in the United States. She also renovated the public health system and was responsible for the establishment of the School of
Medicine in San Juan.
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In 2019, Felisa Rincón de Gautier was highlighted by MSNBC for her outstanding political and humanitarian accomplishments as a notable American.
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although she did not graduate from high school; in the summers she visited her uncle in San Lorenzo where she learned how to prepare medications
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333:. She often opened City Hall to the public and listened to concerns of the residents of the city. In 1959, San Juan was awarded the
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On March 14, 2019, The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) honored Felisa Rincón de Gautier with the Distinguished Woman award.
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Rincón de Gautier started a Christmas tradition, which would be continued every year by the governors of Puerto Rico. On the
956:
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era, she ordered the establishment of the island's first Civil Defense system which was under the directorship of Colonel
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over the world attended her funeral service. Felisa Rincón de Gautier was buried at the Capital Municipal Cemetery in
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187:; January 9, 1897 – September 16, 1994) was a Puerto Rican politician who served as the mayor of the city of
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Rincón was mayor of San Juan for 22 years, from 1946 to 1968. Upon retiring, she served as the American
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Rincón de Gautier was a firm believer in the women's right to vote and was an active participant in the
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In 1940, Rincón de Gautier married the San Juan lawyer Genaro A. Gautier, who served as the Assistant
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231:. Of Spanish descent; her direct paternal grandfather Francisco Rincón Martín came from
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was their hospitality" (Ruth Gruber, Felisa Rincon de Gautier: The Mayor of San Juan).
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This name uses Spanish marriage naming customs; the first is the maiden family name
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and provided housing and basic services to thousands of people. In 1951, during the
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1084:(shows grandparents names) - mentioned in the record of María Esilda Rincón Marrero
843:(shows grandparents names) - mentioned in the record of Maria Esilda Rincon Marrero
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1063:"Felisa Rincón De Gautier Distinguished Woman Award – Puerto Rican Arts Alliance"
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the history of Puerto Rico. Rincón de Gautier was among those who were honored.
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998:"Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum, San Juan - By Puerto Rico Channel"
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957:"Fundación Felisa Rincón de Gautier Casa Museo San Juan Puerto Rico"
919:"Fundación Felisa Rincón de Gautier Casa Museo San Juan Puerto Rico"
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to raising the standards of living for impoverished Puerto Ricans.
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274:, she left the Liberal Party and in 1938 helped organize the
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1120:- mentioned in the record of Rita María Rincón y Marrero
1096:- mentioned in the record of Rita María Rincón y Marrero
942:"heroe del 65 Satisfecho de Haber Cumplido su Deber";
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Gautier Institute for Law & Public Policy in the
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to restore and conserve the historical structures of
669:
1183:Popular Democratic Party (Puerto Rico) politicians
207:Rincón de Gautier was born on January 9, 1897, in
1135:"Felisa Rincon de Gautier, 97, Mayor of San Juan"
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1039:"#MonumentalAmerican: Felisa Rincón de Gautier"
861:"Felisa Rincón de Gautier: Official Biography"
803:
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771:and the second or matrimonial family name is
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191:. She was the first woman to be elected as
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60:January 2, 1947 – January 2, 1969
1223:20th-century Puerto Rican businesspeople
1243:20th-century American women politicians
702:List of mayors of San Juan, Puerto Rico
276:Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
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270:. Motivated by the political ideas of
1218:Women mayors of places in Puerto Rico
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409:Ancestors of Felisa Rincón de Gautier
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1228:20th-century American businesspeople
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808:Pérez, Jorge (September 16, 2012).
524:1. Felisa Rincón Marrero de Gautier
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13:
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306:In 1946, she was elected mayor of
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1238:20th-century American politicians
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810:"La alcaldesa que trajo la nieve"
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380:and a public school (PS 376) in
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1188:Mayors of San Juan, Puerto Rico
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712:History of women in Puerto Rico
1208:Puerto Rican women in politics
1178:People from Ceiba, Puerto Rico
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49:Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico
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1213:Puerto Rican Roman Catholics
1203:Puerto Rican women activists
1108:- United States Census, 1910
1027:La Mujer en nuestra historia
264:Liberal Party of Puerto Rico
7:
665:
400:
10:
1259:
894:"Felisa Rincon de Gautier"
428:4. Francisco Rincón Martín
384:, are named in her honor.
986:Estacionamiento Doña Fela
961:www.museofelisarincon.com
923:www.museofelisarincon.com
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1193:Puerto Rican suffragists
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458:2. Enrique Rincón Plumey
365:Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
298:. They had no children.
296:Popular Democratic Party
171:Felisa Rincón de Gautier
141:Popular Democratic Party
23:Felisa Rincón de Gautier
1106:Enrique Rincón y Plumey
728:Roberto Sánchez Vilella
335:All American City Award
254:Women's rights activist
71:Roberto Sánchez Vilella
1233:Puerto Rican feminists
1198:Puerto Rican activists
591:3. Rita Marrero Rivera
331:Gilberto José Marxuach
1141:. September 19, 1994.
1118:Enrique Rincón Plumey
1082:Enrique Rincón Plumey
841:Enrique Rincon Plumey
745:Carlos Romero Barceló
707:List of Puerto Ricans
594:b. Ceiba, Puerto Rico
560:6. José Rámon Marrero
463:Patillas, Puerto Rico
189:San Juan, Puerto Rico
131:San Juan, Puerto Rico
102:Felisa Rincón Marrero
83:Carlos Romero Barceló
1094:Rita Marrero Rivera
1008:on 9 September 2018
822:on December 2, 2013
624:7. Felícitas Rivera
360:Goodwill Ambassador
317:Rincón worked with
290:of Puerto Rico and
282:Marriage and family
1002:www.puertorico.com
967:on 2 November 2020
720:Political offices
680:Puerto Rico portal
528:Ceiba, Puerto Rico
499:Lares, Puerto Rico
382:Brooklyn, New York
268:Antonio R. Barceló
209:Ceiba, Puerto Rico
124:September 16, 1994
115:Ceiba, Puerto Rico
16:Puerto Rican mayor
898:www.prboriken.com
751:
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742:Succeeded by
735:Mayor of San Juan
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292:Secretary General
183:); also known as
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343:Día de los Reyes
302:Political career
288:Attorney General
272:Luis Muñoz Marín
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180:Rincón y Marrero
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93:Personal details
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1153:El Nuevo Dia
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815:El Nuevo Día
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126:(1994-09-16)
78:Succeeded by
55:
1173:1994 deaths
1168:1897 births
354:Later years
203:Early years
66:Preceded by
1162:Categories
1068:2019-04-03
1048:2019-04-01
784:References
739:1947–1968
312:Head Start
260:suffragist
229:pharmacist
159:Pharmacist
155:Profession
108:1897-01-09
1043:MSNBC.com
774:"Gautier"
235:, Spain.
233:Salamanca
185:Doña Fela
56:In office
1012:7 August
971:7 August
944:El Mundo
928:7 August
903:7 August
870:7 August
768:"Rincón"
666:See also
565:San Juan
401:Ancestry
327:Cold War
308:San Juan
225:pharmacy
221:Santurce
197:Americas
294:of the
217:Humacao
213:Fajardo
371:Honors
178:
147:Spouse
754:Notes
378:Bronx
193:mayor
1014:2017
973:2017
930:2017
905:2017
872:2017
828:2012
219:and
121:Died
98:Born
563:b.
526:b.
497:b.
461:b.
431:b.
176:née
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
