Marguerite Durand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marguerite Durand
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Durand in 1910
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| Born | 24 January 1864 Paris, France
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| Died | 16 March 1936 (aged 72) Paris, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Known for | leading feminist, newspaper and library founder |
| Spouse(s) |
Georges Laguerre
(m. 1888) |
Marguerite Durand (born January 24, 1864 – died March 16, 1936) was a French actress and journalist. She was a very important leader for women's rights. She started her own newspaper and even tried to run for election. She was also famous for having a pet lion! Because of all her work for women's rights in France, a special library was named after her: the Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand.
Early Life and Career
Marguerite Durand was born into a regular family in Paris. She went to study at a Catholic school. After finishing her basic education, she joined the Conservatoire de Paris. This is a famous school for music and drama. In 1881, she became an actress at the Comédie-Française, a well-known French theater.
In 1888, she stopped acting to marry Georges Laguerre. He was a young lawyer who was becoming very successful. Her husband was friends with a powerful army general named Georges Boulanger. He introduced Marguerite to the world of politics. She even helped write flyers for his political group. However, her marriage did not last long. In 1891, she and her husband separated.
A Voice for Women's Rights
After her marriage ended, Durand started writing for Le Figaro. This was a very popular newspaper at the time. In 1896, the newspaper sent her to cover an important meeting. It was called the International Feminist Congress. She was supposed to write a funny article about it.
But the meeting changed her mind completely! She was so inspired that she decided to do something big. On December 9, 1897, she started her own daily newspaper. It was called La Fronde. She wanted to continue the work of another women's rights newspaper, La Citoyenne.
Marguerite Durand's newspaper was special because only women worked there. It fought for many women's rights. For example, it wanted women to be allowed to become lawyers. It also wanted them to study at the famous art school, the École des Beaux-Arts. The newspaper also demanded that women could receive the Legion of Honour. This is a very high award in France. It also wanted women to be part of government discussions.
In 1910, Durand even tried to get women to run for elections. She also organized a big meeting for women's rights. This happened at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris. She also created a summer home for female journalists. It was in a town called Pierrefonds, Oise. Durand also helped working women. She helped them create several trade unions.
Marguerite Durand was very passionate about women being equal. She was also known for her elegant style. She was famous for walking around Paris with her pet lion, named "Tiger." She even helped create a special animal cemetery. It was called the Cimetière des Chiens. Her lion was buried there later. Her actions helped make the idea of feminism in France more respected.
The Marguerite Durand Library
Throughout her life, Marguerite Durand collected many important papers. These papers were all about women's history and rights. In 1931, she gave this huge collection to the French government.
The next year, in 1932, the Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand opened in Paris. This library is still open today! It is a special public library run by the city of Paris. Researchers can go there to study women's history. They can even work under a portrait of Marguerite Durand herself.
See also
In Spanish: Marguerite Durand para niños
