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Sadiqah Dawlatabadi

 
  • Description A collection of correspondence, speeches, essays, periodicals, fiction writing, publications and photographs related to the life and career of Sadiqah Dawlatabadi (1882-1961). Includes materials related to her correspondence with Qamar Taj Dawlatabadi (1908-1992), studies and travels in Europe, work for the Ministry of Education, and affiliation and activities with various organizations, including Kanun-i banuvan [Women's Center], Jamʻiyat-i rah-i naw [Society for a New Path], Jamʻiyat-i Nisvan-i Vatankhvah-i Iran [Assocation of Patriotic Women of Iran], and the International Congress of Women and Peace. Also includes seven issues from the third Zaban-i zanan series published in Tehran between 1942 and 1945.
  • Scope and Content Sadiqah Dawlatabadi, the seventh daughter of Haj Mirza Hadi (1245-1326 AH) and Khatimah Baygum (d. 1323 AH), was born in 1882 (1300 AH) in Isfahan. She learned Arabic and Farsi with the instruction of Shaykh Muhammad Rafiʻ Tari, and studied other subjects with private instructors. At the age of twenty, she married Iʻtizad al-Hukama. In 1921 (1300 SH), the union ended. When Sadiqah Dawlatabadi’s mother fell ill and became bedridden, Haj Mirza Hadi, her father, married a much younger woman, Marziyah (1312 AH-1355 SH), who was known within the family as Munis Agha. From this marriage, two other daughters were born: Fakhr Taj (1325 AH-1362 SH), and Qamar Taj (1326 AH-1371 SH). Mahdukht Sanati, the owner of this collection, is the daughter of Qamar Taj from her marriage with ʻAbd al-Husayn Sanati. Upon the death of Haj Mirza Hadi, Sadiqah Dawlatabadi took on the responsibility of raising her two sisters Fakhr Taj and Qamar Taj. Most of the letters in this collection are addressed to these two sisters. In 1917 (1335 AH), Sadiqah Dawlatabadi established an all-girls school in Isfahan, Maktab-i Khanah-yi Shariat. A year later, she founded Shirkat-i Khavatin-i Isfahan. This was the start of a life-long career dedicated to educating women and advocating for women’s rights. In 1919 (1337 AH), the Ministry of Culture granted her permission to publish Zaban-i Zanan. First published in Isfahan, the periodical was later banned by the Isfahan government for breaking the 1919 press laws of Vusugh al-Dawlah. Sadiqah Dawlatabadi then moved to Tehran and resumed publication of Zaban-i Zanan. In 1924 (1302 SH), Sadiqah Dawlatabadi traveled to Switzerland and Germany via Kirmanshah, Baghdad, Beirut and Syria to receive medical treatment for kidney ailments. After a few months, she left Berlin for Paris where she continued to receive medical care while also pursuing her education. She first studied at the International Alliance School, and then at the women’s boarding school College Feminin. After three years, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Sorbonne University. In 1926 (1305 SH) she participated in the 10th Congress for the International Alliance for Women's Suffrage and in early 1928 (1306 SH) she returned to Iran. Soon after, she was appointed overseer of the education of women in the Ministry of Education, Endowment, and Fine Arts, and the following year became supervisor of girls’ schools in Iran. In 1939, after directing the Hajar Tarbiyat School, she founded Kanun-i Banuvan, and in December 1942 started the publication of the third series of Zaban-i Zanan. In 1947, she returned to Europe for medical treatment and participated in the Congress of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Sadiqah Dawlatabadi died of cancer on 28 July 1961 and was buried in small cemetery in the Ghulhak area of Tehran. About this collection The oldest letter in this collection is from Sadiqah Dawlatabadi on her way to Europe. She was barred from leaving the country and writes a letter to the governor of Karand protesting her treatment. Years later she recounts the story in Zaban-i Zanan. The majority of the letters in this collection are from Sadiqah Dawlatabadi to her two younger sisters Fakhr Taj and Qamar Taj. The first half of this correspondence consists of letters she wrote to them while in Europe. Many of these letters have a maternal tone and offer her sisters advice on womanhood, marriage and parenting. A few of the letters are from later periods, when Sadiqah Dawlatabadi was in Tehran and Fakhr Taj studying in England. The collection also includes some official correspondence. The remaining items in the collection consist of hand-written documents by Sadiqah Dawlatabadi, some of which was published in publications including the first and third series of Zaban-i Zanan. The collection also contains some articles about Sadiqah Dawlatabadi published in various periodicals. The bulk of the materials in this collection have been deposited by Mahdokht Sanati at International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Additional materials have been contributed by Mahdokht Sanati and from the private collection of Afsaneh Najmabadi.
  • Acquistion Notes Most of the materials in this collection have been deposited by Mahdokht Sanati at International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Additional materials have been contributed by Mahdokht Sanati and from the private collection of Afsaneh Najmabadi.
  • Repository Private collection of Mahdokht Sanati and International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  • Restrictions Use of materials from the International Institute of Social History (IISH), Amsterdam, Netherlands for publication purposes should cite IISH as the current repository.

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