An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

Bienvenida Sarmiento Albarracín

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: White

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
Born in San Juan 30 October 1804, daughter of Paula Albarracín and Clemente Sarmiento, and sister of D.F. Sarmiento. She participated in his theatrical tertulias that he held during his first exile. On 9 July 1839 Sarmiento made her vice-director and teacher at the Colegio de Pensionistas, Santa Rosa. She was there for three years. On 1 January 1842 the family was no longer able to stay in the country and she crossed the Andes with her mother and sisters. They settled in San Felipe de Aconagua and organised, with her sister, Procesa, a college San Juan y Santa María, known by the Chileans as el Colegio de las Sarmiento. She returned to San Juan in 1848, but later returned to Chile. In 1852 they returned to San Juan where she opened a private school. Her brother was governor of San Juan in 1862 and she took charge of the newly founded Escuela Colegio Central de las Señoritas. In 1865 she was one of the founders of the Sociedad de Beneficencia and was elected president in 1867 and in 1881. She opened another school in 1868. She helped those suffering during the yellow fever epidemic in Buenos Aires. She painted and drew and was particularly skilled at embroidery. After her brother's death she wrote Algunos rasgos de la vida de Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. She died on 21 March 1900. (Sosa de Newton, 585-586)

References:

Sosa de Newton, Lily (1986) Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas