Marie-Claire Daveluy (1880-1968), historienne des femmes

Abstract

A respected woman of letters of her day, Marie-Claire Daveluy (1880-1968) worked on several fronts, namely as a librarian, teacher, novelist and historian. Her historical contributions have left only a minor impression on the historiographic memory, however. While seeking to understand the social mechanisms that have caused Daveluy’s work to fade into obscurity, this article also highlights a characteristic of her work, namely her emphasis on making women’s role in the history of French Canada better known. After exploring the conditions in which the historian produced her work, we observe how her focus on women was reflected in her two primary historical publications, namely her monograph L’Orphelinat catholique de Montréal and her biography of Jeanne Mance