The Mirabal sisters (c. 1924-1960) were the resister sisters of the Dominican Republic. Their fearless activism shed light on gender violence in their country – and helped bring down a dictator.
The Mirabal sisters (c. 1924-1960) were the resister sisters of the Dominican Republic. Their fearless activism shed light on gender violence in their country – and helped bring down a dictator.
This month, we’re highlighting Women of Resistance. Whether fighting tyranny, oppression, sexism, racism, reproductive control, or any number of other ills, these women created paths for change.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Womanica.
This month on Womanica, we’re highlighting women who led extraordinary lives of resistance. Whether fighting tyranny, oppression, sexism, racism, or reproductive control these women created paths for change.
Today we’re talking about the resistor sisters of the Dominican Republic. Their fearless activism shed light on gender violence in their country – and helped bring down a dictator.
Please welcome the Mirabal sisters.
In the small town of Ojo de Agua, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, four feminist icons were born. The oldest sister, Patria was born in , 1924; Dedé, came next in 1925. Minerva was born in 1927; and finally, Maria Teresa in 1936.
Their parents, Enrique and Mercedes, ran a coffee farm, and instilled a strong set of values in their daughters. They prized education, hard work, and independence, above all else.
But those values became harder to practice, once Raphael Trujillo came to power, in 1930.
Much of the Mirabal sisters' early life was defined by the rise of Trujillo, one of the world’s most feared dictators. During his reign of terror, he took control of food production, hiking up the prices and forcing Dominicans to rely on him for survival. He renamed the country’s capital after himself, and expected every household to hang a portrait of him. Thousands were tortured, killed, or went missing, often at the hands of Trujillo’s secret police.
The Mirabal sisters were sent to a boarding school, where they met students whose parents had been murdered.
In 1949, the Mirabal sisters came face to face with Trujillo’s wrath. The third sister, Minerva, caught the dictator’s eye at a local school event. So he invited the whole family to a party at his mansion, where he often sought out young new mistresses.
But Minerva rejected his advances, and the family left the party early. Few women had ever said “No” to Trujillo. And his vengeance was swift. Her father was thrown in jail, and the family’s property was seized. Minerva was in law school, and for a time, she was put on house arrest, and pulled out of school. Eventually, she made it back to the classroom, and became the first Dominican woman to graduate with a law degree.
As Trujillo’s regime became more and more oppressive, the Mirabal sisters grew more and more frustrated. They couldn’t watch the country they loved fall to pieces.
When the 1959 Cuban revolution happened, the sisters were moved to action. They were encouraged by the overthrow of the Cuban president – and wondered if they could do the same
They weren’t the only ones desperate for justice. Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and their husbands, created the Fourteenth of June Movement. The movement was named after a group of dissenters who were tortured and killed after trying to unseat Trujillo. The sisters were known as Las Mariposas – the butterflies
In these secret meetings, they spread the word about Trujillo’s violence, discussed plans for a revolt, and gathered weapons. But word of their plans spread, and many members of the Fourteenth of June were arrested. Minerva, Maria Teresa, their husbands, and Patria’s husband were thrown in prison.
The women were eventually released after pressure from the Catholic Church. But Trujillo had had enough. He refused to be humiliated by a group of women. So he hatched a plan.
The sisters had been trying to visit their imprisoned husbands since their arrest. So when they were invited to come they thought their wish had been granted.
Knowing that Trujillo’s government couldn’t be trusted, they hired a driver and a secure jeep for the trip. But the sisters never made it home. On November 25, 1960, they were stopped by Trujillo’s henchmen. They were brutally beaten and strangled to death. Their bodies were then put back in the jeep, and pushed over a cliff. The idea was that their deaths would look like an accident, but everyone knew it was a coverup.
Years earlier, Minerva had told friends worried for her safety, “If they kill me, I’ll reach my arms out from the tomb and I’ll be stronger.” And that’s exactly what she did.
Enraged by this horrifying act of violence, the rebellion against Trujillo intensified. More Dominicans got involved in the movement. And just 6 months after the murder of the Mirabal sisters, Trujillo was assassinated.
The Mirabal sisters died revolutionary heroes. They tirelessly fought for what they believed in even in the face of danger. In 1999, the United Nations honored them by designating November 25, the day of their deaths, as the International Day of Violence Against Women.
All month, we’re highlighting resistors. For more information, find us on Facebook ad Instagram @womanicapodcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
As always, we’ll be taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you on Monday!