Margaret Cruz was active professionally with the Mexican American Political Association and the Margaret Cruz Latina Breast Cancer Foundation (MCLBCF). She was a lawyer, businesswoman, political activist and educator. She served on numerous boards of civic organizations, particularly in San Francisco's mission district.

Born in Nogales, Arizona in 1920, Margaret Cruz (nee Herrera) had her birth registered in Sonora, Mexico, and was naturalized as a United States citizen when she turned 21. She was very active with the Latin American and Mexican American communities in San Francisco, especially the Mission District. She co-founded MAPA (Mexican American Political Association) in 1960 and became its first female president in 1973, and was involved in many related organizations throughout her life, such as LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), the NWPC (National Women's Political Caucus) and the Chicana Caucus. When Cruz was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, she founded the Latina Breast Cancer Foundation to work on improving education and understanding of breast cancer for Latinas.

37 Linear Feet (57 manuscript boxes, 9 cartons, 4 flat boxes)

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