Vilma Espín: Her Role in The Federation of Cuban Women and the Evolution of Women’s Roles in Revolutionary Cuba, 1960-1975

Abstract

In 1960, Fidel Castro’s newly founded revolutionary government created the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) in an attempt to bring women into the revolutionary process. Vilma Espín, herself a former revolutionary, was asked to lead the FMC in the changes that it brought to women living all over Cuba. This thesis will examine the personal influence that Espín had on the FMC, analyzing her significance in the running of the mass organization, and assessing how during these early years of the revolution women’s roles evolved under the guidance of the FMC.