By: Kenneth Wahrenberger

Eva Peron was born on this day in Junín, Buenos Aires province to Juan Duarte and Juana Ibarguren. It was here that she spent her early childhood. Her dad was a wealthy rancher who had multiple families at the time (as was common for wealthy men at the time). A year after Eva’s birth her father abandoned her family and the family moved into a state of poverty because Juana could not support five children.

In a small province outside Buenos Aires, the famous Eva Peron was born. The exact date of her birth is unknown. The first recording of her existence was when she was baptized in Some historians believe that she forged a birth certificate for her marriage in B3n

At this point, she was 15 years old and was dreaming of a future as an actress. Due to her brother’s help in the family’s financing, they were able to send her and her mother to Buenos Aires where she was trained as an actor. On March 28, 1935, she had her professional debut in the play "The Perezes Misses", at the Comedias Theater.

At this point, Eva was living in Buenos Aires, Argentina training to be a radio actress

In 1936, Eva toured nationally with a theater group, worked as a model, and was cast in a few lower grade movie melodramas. In 1942, Eva was asked to be a radio actress for a company called Candilejas, which was relatively good financially because of their sponsorship with a soap company. This radio station was aired on Radio El Mundo (World Radio), the most important radio station in the country at that time. At this point in Eva’s life she has started to make an appearance as a famous person and a woman of power.

First Radio Station in Buenos Aires; much like the one Eva starred on-1930 Eva’s signature- Magazine cover of Eva during her radio years

During the years , Eva worked herself up to earning 5 or 6 thousand pesos a month, making her one of the highest-paid radio actresses in the nation. Due to her success in dramas and films, Eva was able to have financial stability and some other comforts. In 1942, Eva was able to move into her own apartment in the neighborhood of Recoleta, on 1567 Calle Posadas Street. The next year Eva began her career in politics as one of the founders of the Argentine Radio Syndicate.

Early Political Career

On this day, Eva met her future husband, Juan Peron, at a fundraising festival (gala) for the earthquake victims. It was said that they did not leave the gala until two in the morning. Shortly after meeting in San Juan, Eva Duarte and Juan Perón began to live together and a year after they were married.

In 1946, Juan Perón was elected President of Argentina and Eva was the first lady. Eva had campaigned at every corner of the country to try to help her husband get elected. She was the woman's figurehead to the campaign. Her primary objective was to improve the education of the women of the country, and in her time as first lady her foundation built hundreds of schools and hospitals. Juan Perón was the president of Argentina for 6 years. timelineindex.com/content/view/1573

(Born in October 8, 1895 –Died in July 1, 1974) Juan Peron was an Argentinean general and politician, that was elected three times as President of Argentina, after moving up the ranks in various other government positions government positions,

In 1951, Eva was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Renouncing her political aspirations, Eva Peron was at the last leg of her life, and on July 26, 1952, she died at the age of 33. For Eva’s funeral she was granted a “state funeral” which was open to the public, and many memorials were build around the country in her name.

On June 1952 Eva died at the age of 33, at 8:25 p.m. on July 26, She was buried after a long scandal of burying complications in the Duarte family tomb in La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires.

“Charity separates the rich from the poor; aid raises the needy and sets him on the same level with the rich” “Answer violence with violence. If one of us falls today, five of them must fall tomorrow” “Time is my greatest enemy”

Eva Peron was a major spark to women’s and other minorities’ rights in Argentina. In her short life she campaigned more than any normal politician to this day spreading her compassion to the poor through her famous quotes. “My biggest fear in life is to be forgotten.”

“Evita” is a famous musical that focuses on the life of Eva Peron, the second wife of Juan Peron a president of Argentina in the late 1940’s. This musical was on Broadway and many other famous places around the world. It was also made into a movie which starred Madonna and Antonio Banderas. The story follows Evita's early life, acting career, rise to power, charity work, feminist involvement and eventual death.