1934-06: (Workshopping Feminist Theories — In June 1934 the LFAS Sponsoring Its First Major Event in a Four-Week Lecture Series on Haitian Feminism from June…

1934-06: (Workshopping Feminist Theories — In June 1934 the LFAS Sponsoring Its First Major Event in a Four-Week Lecture Series on Haitian Feminism from June 13 to July 14 at the Port-au-Prince Union Club, Workshops Designed to Bring Social and Cultural Awareness and Promote Discussion on Current Events — Seeking to Take the Most Pressing Philosophical Debates “Out of the Domain of the Abstract” into Action, Gatherings Advertised as a “Democratic” Space at an Entry Fee of 2.50 Gourdes, Topics Being Feminism and Women’s Education Haitian Women in History the Modern Organization of Education and Feminism in France, the Distinguished Lecturers Being Price-Mars the “Architect of Indigénisme” Bellegarde Foreign Diplomat and Minister of Public Instruction and Dartigue Director of Rural Education — Price-Mars Famous for His Critique of Haitians’ “Collective Bovaryism”): In June 1934, the LFAS leadership showcased the organization to win the favorable public opinion of the nation. The women imagined their disfavor by some as a public relations issue that could be amended by being more visible and by doing and sharing research demonstrating the relevance of their sentiments. From June 13 to July 14, the LFAS sponsored its first major event: a four-week lecture series on Haitian feminism at the Port-au-Prince Union Club. These workshops, which would become regular sessions, were designed to bring social and cultural awareness to the nation and promote discussion on current events. Through the workshops, LFAS leaders sought to address the most pressing philosophical debates of the nation and take them out of the domain of the abstract into action. The gatherings were advertised as a democratic space where participants were free to discuss their vision of representative governing and illustrate their competence as engaged citizens through concrete plans for the nation’s future. At an entry fee of 2.50 gourdes, the month’s topics were feminism and women’s education, Haitian women in history, the modern organization of education, and feminism in France. The distinguished lecturers heightened the workshops’ appeal: Jean Price-Mars, the architect of indigénisme; Dantès Bellegarde, foreign diplomat and minister of public instruction; and Maurice Dartigue, director of rural education. In 1934, few men were as publicly known as Price-Mars and Bellegarde, who had developed a reputation as sparring partners. Price-Mars was famous for his critique of Haitians’ collective Bovaryism — charging the elite with escapist daydreaming in which they imagined themselves as extensions of France rather than acknowledging the contexts and conditions of their own country.