Born: 11 October 1885, United Kingdom
Died: 12 May 1986
Country most active: Argentina
Also known as: Alicia Moreau
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Alicia Moreau de Justo was a prominent Argentine physician and politician known for her contributions to feminism and socialism.
In the early 20th century, she actively championed women’s rights, co-founding the Feminist Socialist Center and the Women’s Guild Union in 1902. She played a crucial role in organizing conferences at the Sociedad Luz, helped establish the Ateneo Popular with her father, and served as an editorial secretary at the newspaper Humanidad Nueva while also directing Nuestra causa.
In 1914, Alicia became a qualified doctor and subsequently joined the Socialist Party. She later married politician Juan B. Justo and had three children.
By 1918, she had founded the National Feminist Union. After her husband’s death in 1928, she continued her political activism, focusing on women’s suffrage, labor rights, employee welfare, healthcare, and public education. In 1932, she drafted a bill advocating for women’s suffrage.
Alicia Moreau de Justo supported the Second Spanish Republic during the civil war and was a vocal critic of Peronism, which she considered undemocratic. In 1958, she played a pivotal role in the division of the Socialist Party and the establishment of the Argentine Socialist Party, where she led the newspaper La Vanguardia until 1960.
Her active participation in political and social issues continued until her death in 1986 at the age of 100. Throughout her life, she was involved in efforts against the military dictatorship through the APDH, advocated for women’s rights, and contributed to her political party’s causes.