Eva "Evita" Perón (Women Who Changed the World Series)

Women Who Changed the World - Eva "Evita" Perón

Hosts Amy Contreras and Cece dive into the incredible life of Eva "Evita" Perón, the former First Lady of Argentina. The episode explores Eva's early life, from her humble beginnings to her rise as a celebrated actress in Buenos Aires, where she helped pave the way for her significant political impact. Listeners learn about her key role as a political figure alongside her husband, President Juan Perón, and how she championed women's rights. 

Cece and Amy discuss Eva's accomplishments, such as her foundation that provided  resources for the poor, and her ability to connect with the working class through her radio work and public speaking. They highlight her ambitious attempts to change the socio-political landscape, often facing opposition from the elite. The episode also touches on Eva's personal struggles, her battles with illness, and her death at a young age.

Join Amy and Cece for an inspiring dive into the life of Eva Perón and her lasting impact on history. Don't forget to subscribe for more exciting episodes!

#EvaPerón

#EvitaPerón

#WomenWhoChangedTheWorld

#FirstLady

#ArgentinianHistory

#Feminism

#WomenInPolitics

#SocialJustice

#WomensSuffrage

#Peronism

#HistoricalFigures

#PodcastForKids

#InspiringWomen

#CheckThisOutPodcast

#ChildrensEducation

#CulturalHistory

#historypodcastforkids 

Transcript

Welcome to Check this out! Podcast for kids 

And their grownups where we explore people, places, ponderings and past moments from history that shape the world around us.  My name is Amy Contreras, and I’m Cece.  

I’m kind of sad about today’s episode Cece 

Cece: Why mama? 

Because this is our last episode in our series on Women who changed the world! 

Cece: Nooo! 

Its ok, I’m excited to tell our listeners about Eva Peron, the former first lady of Argentina and her impact on politics, feminism, and the world around her.  And if I’m being honest, I say its our last episode on women who changed the world, but we will definitely be talking about more amazing women from history in future episodes of Check this out.  We are just changing things up a little bit after this week.  

Cece: How mama? 

Our episode following this one, kicks off our series on the 7 natural wonders of the world.  Because we don’t just talk about people from history, we also talk about places, ponderings, and past moments!  

Cece: I love it! 

Good! The 7 natural wonders of the world are amazing places and there is so much to learn about them!  But for right now, I think we should spend some time talking about our final woman in our “women who changed the world series” and learn about Eva Peron, what do you think Cece? 

Cece: Yea! Let’s get into it.  

Awesome.  Now, can I be honest with you? 

Cece: Sure mama 

Do you know why I know who Eva Peron is? 

Cece: Nope 

It is because there was a broadway musical written about her life.  I’m a huge sucker for musicals and I loved this one.  Do you know what its called?  Do you think its 

1. Evita 
2. A song of a first lady 
3. Senora Peron Musicale 

If you guessed A you’re right!  Evita the musical was released in 1978 and was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice; it was later adapted into a film that came out in 1996 starring the pop star Madonna.  

Cece: That sounds cool 

It is. This musical is how I learned about Eva Peron and her impact on the Argentinian people during the time her husband served as President of argentina.  Now, if you’ve been listening along with Check this out! Podcast4kids Eva Peron is the 2nd first lady we’ve talked about on the podcast.  Do you remember who the other one was?  

Was it: 

1. Michelle Obama 
2. Martha Washington
3. Eleanor Roosevelt 

If you said C, eleanor roosevelt, you’re right! We talked about her in our Famous Americans series.  

Eva Peron served as the first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952.  Her husband served as president until 1955 and again in 1974.  And much like first lady Eleanor Roosevelt she did a lot to change what it meant to be a first lady.  She took on roles and responsibilities that had previously never been owned by a first lady.  I’ll explain all of that more throughout the episode.  

Cece: Fair Enough 

So let me ask you a question to kick things off…

True or False: Eva Peron was born into a noble family, which is how she met and married future president of Argentina, Juan Peron.  

Cece: The answer is False.  

You’re right Cece! In fact, Eva Peron’s birth and childhood often caused issues for her as an adult because she was born poor and her parents weren’t married.  She was born in May of 1919 and was the youngest of 5 siblings.  

Cece: That was a long time ago

You’re right! And people had very different views of family life back then, especially in Argentina.  Eva’s father, Juan Duarte, was wealthy and married. He had a whole other family including wife and several children.  Eva’s mother was his mistress. Her father died suddenly when she was young and her family were left with nothing. They were even kept from attending his funeral to say goodbye!  They struggled greatly after Juan Duarte’s death, while also having to deal with a community that looked down on and excluded them.  

Cece: That must have been hard. 

It was.  Eva was the youngest of 5 children, and so her siblings were often each other's company because they struggled to make friends and be welcomed into society.  But from an early age, young Eva knew a 2 things.  1) She wanted to be an actress and 2) She wanted to escape the small, rural towns she grew up in and go to Buenos Aires.  

Cece: Why mama? 

I’m not sure why she wanted to be an actress, but accounts of her childhood say she loved acting and would even perform shows with her sisters in the streets of their village.  She also starred in a school play.   She wanted to go to buenos aries because it was the big city in argentina and was a place of opportunity and people.  

Do you know how Buenos Aires was sometimes referred to back when Eva Peron was younger? 

1. The city on the sea 
2. The glittering city 
3. The Paris of South America  

Cece: Mama can I guess?

Sure kiddo, go for it.  

Cece: I think the answer is C. 

If you said C, you’re correct!  Buenos Aires is referred to as the Paris of South America due to its strong European influence.  There are a lot of French architectural and cultural elements.  It also is known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere. 

Cece: What does that mean? 

Great question Cece! A cosmopolitan atmosphere is talking about a place where a wide variety of cultures, nationalities, and influences blend together, creating a diverse environment. This can be food, dress, architecture, music, religion, and more! 

Cece: I had no idea! 

Well now you know.  Eva Duarte’s family was poor and they struggled growing up.  It wasn’t until she was older that life stabilized.  But throughout she had a strong desire to go to the big city and pursue her dreams of being an actress.  

Cece: What happened? 

Well Eva got her wish, and she moved to Buenos Aires when she was 15.  There is some debate amongst biographers and historians about whether or not she ran away or if she went with her mother’s blessing, but what we know for sure is that Eva Duarte was in Buenos Aires by the time she was 15 working as an actress. 

Check this out! Listeners, when Eva moved to Buenos Aires the year was 1934 and while movies existed, one of the main forms of acting back then was on the radio.  Think of it a little bit like listening to a podcast today.  Entire movies, plays, and shows would be created and acted over the radio.  Listeners would use their imagination to envision what was happening while radio actors spoke the parts.  

Cece: Why does that matter? 

Because Eva Peron got her start as an actress doing radio acting!  This also eventually played a role in her success as first lady in reaching the masses across argentina by the radio! 

Cece: Ohhhh that makes sense 

Eva continued to find success as a radio actress and In 1937, she landed her first film role. She acted both on the radio and in movies for the next several years.  She was so successful she even eventually co-owned the radio company she worked for.  Surprisingly her career as an actress is what led to her time playing her biggest role, that of first lady of Argentina.  

Cece: Tell us everything! 

In 1945 Eva met her future husband, Juan Peron.  Try to guess where they met! 

Do you think it was 

1. At one of her movie premiers
2. A charity event 
3. A friend introduced them to each other 

If you guessed B that was a great guess!  

In January of 1944, a big earthquake destroyed the town of San Juan. The earthquake was so big, it killed nearly 10,000 people. The Secretary of Labor at the time, Juan Perón, organized a gala event as a fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake. Actors and actresses were invited, along with politicians and wealthy donors. Eva Duarte was invited. This party is where Eva Duarte and Juan Peron met and fell for each other.  

Cece: My mind is blown.  

Let’s talk about Juan Peron for a moment. Even though this episode is focused on his wife, Eva, also known as Evita, her relationship with Juan Peron is why she is remembered today and how she was able to create the impact that she did.  

Cece: Let’s get into it! 

Juan Peron came from an upper middle class family and attended Military School, which launched his military career.  He progressed through the ranks of being an officer and served as an officer on military diplomatic or non-violent missions.  In 1941 he became a colonel and joined a group of officers that engineered a coup to the government and overthrew the ruling party in 1943.  

Cece: Whats that? 

A coup is when a small but powerful group of people in a country suddenly and unexpectedly use force to take control of the government. Think of it as a forceful takeover.  Coups are usually done by the military or police, instead of people voting.

Cece: Oh my goodness 

Yea, so Eva’s future husband, Juan was part of the group that overthrew the government.  He held various political positions in the new regime until he eventually became minister of war  But back to Juan and Eva meeting and how their relationship changed Argentina! 

Cece: That is quite the achievement! 

After they met at the party Eva and Juan’s relationship took off.  They quickly moved in together and Eva took a great interest in his political work.  Because of her background as someone of the poorer class she was an outsider in wealthy and political circles. She was often unwelcome and excluded by the wifes of the politicians.  But she played a critical role in helping her boyfriend gain support from the masses. 

Cece: Good to know 

In Argentina there was a group of workers and laborers who played a huge role in the success of Juan Peron.  What do you think this group was called? 

1. Los descamisados
2. Los ninos 
3. Los compadres 

If you said A you’re right! Los Descamisados, which means the shirtless ones, were any of the poor and underprivileged Argentine workers who were Perón’s main supporters

On 9 October 1945, rivals within the armed forces demanded Perón resign from his positions as Vice President, Secretary of War, and Secretary of Labor and Social Security. Remember, this was after he had helped stage a coup in 1943 and there were a few years of unrest in the leadership of argentina.  After he resigned he was arrested and held by the ruling government.  

Cece: I can’t believe that happened. 

Well believe it, it happened a lot back then.  But for years, with the help of Eva, Juan Peron had been gaining a following among los descamisados and the working class of argentina.  When he was arrested there were massive strikes across Argentina and thousands of los descamisados demanded his release.  Juan Perón was released from custody on October 17, 1945. That night, he gave a speech to 300,000 people from the presidential palace.  

Cece: Wow 

A couple of days after his release he married Eva in a private ceremony, officially making her his wife, Eva Peron.  

Cece: What an amazing story 

I mean, they did make it into a musical!  Juan Perón was elected president in February 1946 and his wife Eva, became the first lady of Argentina.  

Cece: Woo history! 

Eva Peron, was affectionately called Evita by the people of Argentina.  Evita was deeply involved in government work and held numerous official and unofficial roles.  While some celebrated her role and involvement in the government many didn’t like it.  Especially the wealthy upper class and the political players who wanted to keep women out of politics.  

Cece: Why mama? 

Keep in mind, women in Argentina couldn’t even vote when Evita became first lady.  So to think of her being involved in decision making, and policy creation was very uncomfortable for the men who had historically been in power.  But with Evita’s help, and the influence of her husband (the president) women gained the right to vote in Argentina in 1947.  

Cece: Thats amazing! 

And there is more! As first lady here are some of the things Evita did: 

• She regularly visited workers and union leaders at factories, learning about their needs and asking for suggestions. She also used these visits to give speeches in support of her husband.
• She ran a foundation.
  • Cece: More on that later  
• She purchased her own newspaper
• She created the Perónist Women's Party in 1949.
• She spoke at large gatherings and on the radio in support of her husband and his politics 
• Eva acted as de facto minister of health and labour, awarding generous wage increases to the unions, who responded with political support for Perón.
• She was even encouraged to run for vice president alongside her husband in an upcoming election
• She went on a goodwill tour around europe promoting her husbands’ peronist ideas and building diplomatic relationships, this was called the rainbow tour 

Cece: She was a busy lady! 

She was, but she wasn’t without her critics.  For example, She created the Eva Perón Foundation in July 1948 and acted as its leader and decision-maker. The foundation received donations from businesses, unions, and workers, but these donations were often forced. 

Cece: What do you mean? 

People, companies and organizations faced fines and even jail time if they did not contribute to Eva’s foundation.  So while her methods of getting the money were not always ethical, the resources from her foundation were actually used for good, to do things like establish thousands of hospitals, schools, orphanages, homes for the aged, and other charitable institutions. 

Eva was largely responsible for the passage of the women’s suffrage law and formed the Peronista Feminist Party in 1949. 

Some of her critics said she was stealing money from the government because she was always dressed in expensive clothes and jewels. Others said she overstepped into government affairs since she was not an elected official.   Also, the newspaper she owned was clearly used to create positive press about her and her husband, which people didn’t always like, even though sales of the newspaper were very strong.  

Cece: History can be complicated

Yea, Evita was a character that was deeply loved by her supporters, but also deeply hated by her critics.  Her Rainbow Tour was another example of this.  In 1947, Evita traveled to Spain, Italy, France, and Switzerland. It was a goodwill trip, which included meetings with Spain's leader Francisco Franco, The pope, and Charles de Gaulle. Dressed to the nines, she gave money to poor children in Spain, and visited the Palace of Versailles in france. But she encountered protesters in Switzerland who threw stones and tomatoes at her. Some Europeans distrusted aspects of Juan Perón’s rule and others disapproved of what they viewed as her trying to get attention and fame.  

Cece: I wish i could have seen that 

Me too! But there are pictures of her outfits and travels online so we can look at those together.  

In 1951 she started feeling sick.  This was the same year that she was nominated for Vice President alongside her husband.  But she had to say no to the nomination.  After seeing a doctor it was revealed she had cervical cancer.  Evita had to undergo a number of  painful surgeries and medical procedures.  But ultimately they didn’t save her.  

She died in 1952.  She was only 33 years old.  

Cece: How sad 

Yes she was very young.  The whole country mourned her death.  Evita’s funeral procession was attended by almost 3 million people.  

Cece: Wow 

Yes, like I said, she was both loved and hated.  But her funeral showed how many loved her and how deeply she was loved by her supporters.  People even made journeys from all over the country just to see her casket.  So although her life was short, it was legendary and that is why we are talking about her as a woman who changed the world!  

Cece: Let’s recap some of her achievements.  

• Eva was a strong advocate for women's suffrage or voting rights in Argentina. This was achieved in 1947. She played a crucial role in promoting women's participation in politics and society.
• Through the Eva Perón Foundation, she initiated numerous social programs aimed at helping the poor, including providing access to healthcare, education, and housing. 
• Eva actively supported labor rights and worked alongside her husband, President Juan Perón, to improve conditions for poor workers. She helped to strengthen the labor movement in Argentina and advocated for fair wages, unions, and benefits.
• Eva became an icon of the working-class struggle and is celebrated for her contributions to Argentine culture. Her life story has inspired countless works of art, including the famous musical "Evita," which reflects her legacy.
• As the First Lady of Argentina, Eva had significant political influence and was a key figure in her husband’s government. She was instrumental in shaping policies and rallying support for Perón's administration, becoming a symbol of the "Peronist" movement.

Cece: I learned something new today 

Now before we let you go, you know we don’t just love exploring interesting moments and people and pastimes from history….

Cece: We also love to rhyme

We wrote you a poem about Eva, Evita, Peron.  (Sorry in advance it isn’t as good as the musical by andrew lloyd webber and time rice) 

Eva Peron we remember as Evita 

She Left her mark on the world and Argentina 

She navigated life with passion and fire 

Not allowing circumstances to stop her from climbing higher 

A daughter, sister, and actress to start 

Her voice on the radio pulled her from the dark 

That's how she met her love President Juan Peron 

And together they did what neither could have done alone 

Evita did rise as first lady to the masses 

Her husband, created laws and peronism for the classes 

She helped women gain the vote, she gave back to the poor

She flew round the world on her Rainbow Tour 

Love her or hate her, her legacy is long 

Which is why we have a musical full of Evita songs 

She died so young, leaving sadness in her wake 

And Argentina’s future had it’s own fate 

Eva Peron, a first lady like no other 

Her memory, no one can smother 

Consider her work, consider her path

Evita your impact, forever will last  

Thanks for listening to another episode of Check this out!  Here at the “check this out” podcast we know there is a lot of information and it can be overwhelming to find accurate information! This podcast is a tool for you to help you do something called “citing your sources”. As you get older and do projects for school you’ll learn that certain types of websites or information sources aren’t verified or have evidence and documentation to back them up.  On “check this out” we use verified sources to build the stories you hear about.  

Our sources for this week's episode are encyclopedia britannica, biography.com, the BBC, time magazine, and Iowa state university, 

Cece: Thanks for listening, see you next episode! Don’t forget to subscribe.  

#EvaPerón

#EvitaPeron

#WomenWhoChangedTheWorld

#FirstLady

#ArgentinianHistory

#Feminism

#WomenInPolitics

#SocialJustice

#WomensSuffrage

#Peronism

#HistoricalFigures

#PodcastForKids

#InspiringWomen

#CheckThisOutPodcast

#ChildrensEducation

#CulturalHistory