I and the East
Author: Hawwa Idris
Category: Pioneer Egyptian Women's Writings
Women and Memory Forum is honored to publish the memoirs of Hawa Idris (1909 – 1988) and to make them available to a broad public of readers, those generally interested in Egyptian history, and those specifically interested in the history of the Egyptian Women’s movement. Hawa Idris completed her memories in the early 1970s, and then entrusted her memoirs and papers to the library of the American University in Cairo during the 1980s. Her memoirs remained unavailable to library patrons, with a few exceptions, until 2011 when the library began to catalogue her papers and make them available to researchers.
Sonia Sharawi, the granddaughter of Hoda Sharawi, granted the honor to the MWF to publish a copy of Hawa Idris’ memoirs. We have published only the first part of the text, which includes her memoirs. We set aside the second part in which she narrates the accomplishments of Hoda Sharawi. Apart from a few editorial corrections, we have published the text as it is, in the style and spirit of Hawa Idris.
We give to you her entertaining memoirs which shed light on some important stages in the history of the nation through the eyes of an activist and defender of women’s rights.