Margaret Cousins facts for kids
Margaret Elizabeth Cousins (born Gillespie, also known as Gretta Cousins; 7 November 1878 – 11 March 1954) was an important Irish-Indian woman. She was an educator, a suffragist (meaning she fought for women's right to vote), and a Theosophist (someone interested in spiritual ideas).
Margaret Cousins started the All India Women's Conference (AIWC) in 1927. She was married to the poet and writer James Cousins. They moved to India in 1915. She is also known for helping to save the music notes for India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. This happened in 1919 when Rabindranath Tagore visited Madanapalle College.
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Early Life and Activism
Margaret Gillespie was born into an Irish Protestant family in Boyle, County Roscommon. She went to school locally and in Derry. She studied music at the Royal University of Ireland in Dublin and became a teacher in 1902.
While studying, she met James Cousins, a poet and literary critic. They married in 1903. Together, they explored new ideas like socialism (a system where everyone shares resources fairly) and vegetarianism (not eating meat).
In 1906, Margaret joined the Irish branch of the National Conference of Women. In 1907, she and James went to a meeting of the Theosophical Society in London. There, she met many people who were fighting for women's rights.
Fighting for Women's Vote
In 1908, Margaret Cousins helped start the Irish Women's Franchise League with Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington. This group worked hard to get women the right to vote. Margaret was the group's first treasurer.
In 1910, she was one of six women from Dublin who went to the Parliament of Women. They tried to march to the House of Commons to give a message to the Prime Minister. Many women were arrested. Margaret was arrested too and spent a month in Holloway Prison.
In 1913, Margaret and other suffragists broke windows at Dublin Castle to protest. They were arrested again and sent to Tullamore Jail. The women demanded to be treated as political prisoners. They went on a hunger strike (refusing to eat) to get released.
Moving to India
In 1913, Margaret and James moved to Liverpool, England. Then, in 1915, they moved to India. James first worked for a newspaper called New India. Later, he became Vice-Principal of the new Madanapalle College, where Margaret taught English.
In India, Margaret continued her work for women's rights and education. In 1916, she became the first non-Indian member of the Indian Women's University in Poona.
Women's Rights in India
In 1917, Margaret Cousins helped start the Women's Indian Association with Annie Besant and Dorothy Jinarajadasa. She also edited the association's magazine, Stri Dharma.
From 1919 to 1920, Margaret was the first Head of the National Girls' School in Mangalore. In 1922, she made history again by becoming the first woman magistrate (a type of judge) in India.
In 1927, she helped create the All India Women's Conference (AIWC). This organization brought together women from all over India to work for their rights. Margaret served as its President in 1936.
In 1932, Margaret was arrested and jailed for speaking out against certain government rules. By the late 1930s, she felt it was time for Indian women leaders to take the lead. She believed her direct involvement was no longer needed as much.
Margaret Cousins became paralyzed after a stroke in 1944. She received financial help from the Madras government and later from Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. This was to thank her for her important work in India. She passed away in 1954.
Her Books
Margaret Cousins wrote several books, sharing her ideas and experiences:
- The Awakening of Asian Womanhood, 1922
- The music of Orient and Occident; essays towards mutual understandings, 1935
- Indian womanhood today, 1941
- (with James Cousins) We Two Together, 1950
See also
In Spanish: Margaret Cousins para niños
