26 March 2018
Julie Victoire Daubié's 194th Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates Julie-Victoire Daubié: journalist, activist, and the first woman to obtain a bachelor's degree in France.

When Daubié was born, in 1824, the law didn't explicitly ban women from getting college degrees, but prevailing cultural norms and a lack of resources made it almost impossible. With her brother’s help, she studied Latin, Greek, history, geography, and German, and was eventually able to become a governess. Her frustrations with sexism and inequality motivated her to write the essay "The Poor Women of the 19th century", and its success propelled Daubié to register for and gain admittance to the Baccalauréat in Letters.

Daubié went on to fight for women's rights throughout the rest of her life. Today we celebrate her courage and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Bonne Fête, Julie Victoire Daubié!