Eduarda Mansilla de Diamante

A pioneering educator who established the first girls' school in Argentina, advocating for women's access to education in the 19th century.

Eduarda Mansilla de Diamante (1812–1892) was an Argentine educator and feminist who founded Argentina’s first girls’ school, the Colegio Nacional de Señoritas, in 1856. Born into a wealthy family, she used her privilege to challenge the era’s gendered educational segregation. Her school curriculum included mathematics, literature, and sciences—subjects then reserved for boys. Mansilla’s 1860 essay La mujer en la sociedad argued for women’s intellectual equality, influencing early feminist movements. She later co-founded the Sociedad Protectora de la Mujer y el Niño, addressing women’s welfare. Mansilla’s advocacy extended to rural education through traveling schools, impacting marginalized communities. Her life is documented on Wikipedia and in academic journals like The Hispanic American Historical Review.