Pancha Carrasco

Infobox Person
name = Pancha Carrasco


image_size = 250px
caption = Painting of Francisca Carrasco Jiménez (Pancha Carrasco) around 1880.
birth_name = Francisca Carrasco Jiménez
birth_date = April 8, 1826
birth_place = Cartago, Costa Rica
death_date = December 31, 1890
death_place = San José, Costa Rica
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nationality = Costa Rican
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known_for = First Costa Rican woman in military
education = Never attended school but was literate
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religion = Catholic
spouse = Juan Solano, Gil Zúñiga
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parents = Jose Francisco and Maria Carrasco
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Pancha Carrasco, born Francisca Carrasco Jiménez (8 April 1826 – 31 December 1890) was Costa Rica's first woman in the military. Carrasco is most famous for joining the defending forces at the Battle of Rivas in 1856 with a rifle and bullets. Became a symbol of national pride, she was later honored with a Costa Rican postage stamp, a Coast Guard vessel, and the creation of the "Pancha Carrasco Police Women's Excellence Award".

Biography

In 1816, Francisca Carrasco Jiménez was born on 8 April in Cartago, Costa Rica, of mixed Indian, Black, and Spanish heritage, the daughter of Jose Francisco and Maria Carrasco. She was married three times, first in 1834 with Juan Solano, and the last one with Gil Zúñiga; however, none of them worked out.

In 1856 (age 40), when William Walker and his "filibusteros" invaded Costa Rica, Carrasco volunteered as a cook and a medic. She is most famous for filling her apron pockets with bullets, grabbing a rifle, and joining the defending forces at the Battle of Rivas, becoming Costa Rica's first woman in the military

Legacy

Her strength and determination became a symbol of national pride, and she was honored on a Costa Rican postage stamp in 1984.It was issued on 10 April 1984 as the 1.50 Colon value in a four value set honoring national heroes. "Costa Rica", "Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog", 1986, Vol 2, p. 687, column 4.

The Costa Rican Security Ministry established a "Pancha Carrasco Police Women's Excellence Award" in her honor. [http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2002-09/Week1/08-02-02.htm "Female Cop Awarded Excellence Award"] , "Tico Times", 2 September 2002. The former U.S. Coast Guard cutter "Point Bridge" was renamed "Pancha Carrasco" in her honor when it was turned over to the Costa Rican Coast Guard in 2001. [http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_view=keyalbum.KeywordAlbum&g2_keyword=BRIDGE&g2_itemId=78303 "Decommissioning Ceremony"] , U.S. Coast Guard, 28 September 2001.

References

; Sources consulted

* Boles, Janet K. and Hoeveler, Diane Long (2004) "Carrasco, Pancha (Francisca) 1826-1890" "Historical Dictionary of Feminism" (2^nd ed.) Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Md., p. 70, ISBN 0-8108-4946-1
* [http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/especiales/raices/2006/agosto/30/raices51.html "Genealogía de Francisca Carrasco Jiménez, heroína de la Campaña Nacional contra los filibusteros" "La Nacion: Raices" No. 51] (Genealogy of Francisca Carrasco Jiménez, Heroine of the National Campaign against the Filibusteros) in Spanish
*"Pancha Carrasco Jimenez", [http://www.inamu.go.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=483 Salón de Beneméritos de la Patria y Ciudadanos de Honor.]

; Endnotes