Maria Anastasia de Cavalcanti Borges

Brazilian educator who established the first girls' school in Rio de Janeiro and promoted women's literacy in the 1800s.

Maria Anastasia de Cavalcanti Borges (1810–1885) was a Brazilian educator and social reformer who championed women's education during Brazil's Empire era. Born into a modest family in Bahia, she moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1830 and founded the Escola de Meninas do Rio in 1842, the first institution in the city dedicated to girls' education. Her curriculum emphasized science, mathematics, and civic responsibility, countering the era's belief that women needed only domestic training. Borges collaborated with abolitionist groups to integrate formerly enslaved girls into her schools, a radical move that challenged racial hierarchies. She authored A Educação como Liberdade (1855), a textbook that argued for education as a tool for social mobility. Her work inspired later educators like Nísia Floresta, and her legacy is commemorated in Museu da História de Ceará. Despite her impact, Borges' contributions were overshadowed by male-dominated historical accounts. Modern scholars like Dr. Ana Lúcia Araújo have revived interest in her advocacy through works like The Silent Reformers: Women in Brazilian Education.