Andrea Evangelina Rodríguez Perozo’s impact was almost wiped from memory after her death in 1947 by the Trujillo regime, which simultaneously co-opted her ideas. However, her legacy lived on in San Pedro de Macorís, her hometown, thanks to the collective memory of those who cherished her stories of compassion and dedication.

Following the assassination of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in 1961, Dominicans began to reclaim her narrative. Laura Gómez retraces the steps of this trailblazing doctor in Santo Domingo, where Rodríguez studied medicine. She visits memorials that honor her significant contributions to women’s health and reproductive rights, issues that are still very much alive in the Dominican Republic today.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

---

Supporting Science Journalism

If you appreciate this story, consider supporting our high-quality journalism by subscribing. Your subscription helps ensure the continuation of in-depth stories about discoveries and ideas that shape our world.

---

TRANSCRIPT

Laura Gómez: It’s December 2024, and I find myself in a familiar place, a campus that was a second home to me as a child. This is the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, a place my aunt, a former student, often brought me to. It’s been years since I last visited, and I’m here standing before a bust of a woman whose legacy is deeply intertwined with this institution.

Dr. Andrea Evangelina Rodriguez Perozo.

Today, I’m looking at the serene face of Evangelina, captured in the only existing photo of her. Decked in a simple string of pearls, her hair styled into a fashionable bob. This was before she faced persecution by Trujillo’s regime, before her mental health deteriorated, and before she died impoverished.

It strikes me profoundly that more than a century ago, Evangelina walked these very grounds, attended lectures surrounded predominantly by male peers. Despite nearly being erased from history, here we are, remembering her.

Various Voices: Comments from individuals who admired Rodríguez’s tenacity, pioneering spirit, selflessness, and contributions to society echo throughout the narrative.

Laura Gómez: Welcome to “Lost Women of Science,” I’m Laura Gómez. In this five-part series, we explore the remarkable life of Dr. Andrea Evangelina Rodríguez Perozo, from her humble beginnings in San Pedro de Macorís to becoming the first Dominican woman to earn a medical degree. She specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Paris and dedicated her career to improving healthcare for women and children in the Dominican Republic. In our series finale, we delve into how Rodríguez’s memory was almost obliterated and then painstakingly restored, celebrating the enduring impact of her work.

This is Episode 5: In Evangelina’s Footsteps.

Evangelina Rodríguez passed away in 1947 at 68 years old.

In her later years, Rodríguez was a shadow of her former self. But before her decline, she had made significant contributions to her country. She founded a maternity clinic in San Pedro de Macorís, treated tuberculosis and leprosy patients without charge, advocated for essential nutrition and hygiene, and provided pasteurized milk to impoverished families. She was also a proponent of contraception and sexual health education.

Despite her contributions, Rodríguez was systematically erased by Trujillo’s regime, which saw her progressive ideas as a threat. She was barred from medical conferences, removed from the national registry of doctors, and her patients were intimidated into avoiding her practice. Her eventual capture and torture by Trujillo’s forces crushed her spirit entirely.

Rodríguez’s death went largely unremarked upon at the time. Here’s Mercedes Fernández, reflecting on how her death was barely noted publicly.

Mercedes Fernández Asenjo (Voiceover): Her death was scarcely mentioned in the press. The only exception was Francisco Comarazamy, a correspondent for “La Opinión” in San Pedro de Macoris, who dared to write about her passing a week after she died. This was because discussing Evangelina was forbidden.

Laura Gómez: Thus, the first Dominican woman to graduate from medical school, a doctor who had dedicated her life to serving others, died almost anonymously.

Meanwhile, Trujillo portrayed himself as a national benefactor, expanding the free milk program initiated by Rodríguez and investing in sanitation to combat disease. However, he never acknowledged Rodríguez’s pioneering role in these public health initiatives.

Here’s Milcíades Herrera, director of a cultural center in Higüey, Rodríguez’s birthplace.

Milcíades Herrera (Voiceover): He took many of her ideas for his own political advantage but never credited her. Thus, she was a victim of his regime.

Laura Gómez: Trujillo’s narrative dominated for three decades as he exercised complete control over Dominican life, convincing many that only he could solve the country’s problems.

Rodríguez, however, had confided to her adopted daughter, Selisette, that Trujillo’s reign wouldn’t last forever.

While Trujillo paid off foreign debts and modernized infrastructure, life for many Dominicans, especially the poor, remained dire. Rural areas were neglected, and many displaced farmers moved to shantytowns around Santo Domingo.

Public health deteriorated under Trujillo’s rule. According to UN data, child mortality rates increased during his last decade in power.

The regime’s brutality was extreme, culminating in the murder of approximately 50,000 people. In 1937, driven by his animosity towards Haitians, Trujillo ordered the massacre of over 15,000 Haitian men, women, and children in what became known as the “Parsley Massacre.”

But as Trujillo tightened his grip, his control began to falter under the weight of his atrocities.

In 1961, the tide finally turned.

Archival News Clip: In the Dominican Republic, a 31-year reign of terror and bloodshed ends as Dictator Rafael Trujillo is assassinated by seven rebels. His rule, marked by extreme wealth for a few and severe poverty for many, was enforced by violence. He lived by the gun and died by it. Now, a power struggle ensues.

Laura Gómez: The U.S., which had long supported Trujillo despite his brutal tactics, began to worry that resistance to his regime could lead to a communist uprising similar to Fidel Castro’s in Cuba. Thus, when plans to assassinate Trujillo materialized, the CIA lent its support.

The ensuing years were tumultuous. In 1963, Dominicans elected Juan Bosch, a pro-worker president, in a democratic vote. However, his government was toppled seven months later in a U.S.-backed military coup that branded him a communist. In 1966, with U.S. backing, Joaquín Balaguer assumed the presidency.

While Rodríguez’s legacy remained suppressed, the loosening grip of the Trujillo family allowed those who remembered her to gradually bring her story back to light.

April Mayes: The people of San Pedro de Macorís, where she grew up, lived, and worked, were particularly determined to preserve her legacy.

That effort began with a solitary obituary written a week after Rodríguez’s death.

Francisco Comarazamy (Voice Actor): After enduring days of suffering, Dr. Evangelina Rodriguez, a noblewoman dedicated to medicine and literature, recently passed away in our city.

Laura Gómez: Francisco Comarazamy, Rodríguez’s neighbor in San Pedro, personally knew her. He believed her death should not pass unnoticed. Mercedes Fernández adds her thoughts.

Mercedes Fernández Asenjo (Voiceover): He felt it was essential that people know of her passing, which is why he published the note.

Laura Gómez: And so, against all odds, Rodríguez’s memory endured over time. April Mayes comments further.

April Mayes: It’s a remarkable testament to the people of San Pedro, a bold statement of their independence. They have continued to honor their own, irrespective of the political climate in Santo Domingo.

Laura Gómez: As time passed and Trujillo’s regime ended, recognition of Rodríguez began to spread beyond the intimate circles of San Pedro.

The 1960s also saw a global shift in attitudes toward family planning, once a controversial subject championed by Rodríguez. The U.S. legalized the birth control pill in 1960, with other countries soon following suit.

In the Dominican Republic, the family planning nonprofit Profamilia was established in 1966, leading to the creation of free clinics across the nation. One of their first clinics, opened in 1968, was named the Clínica Evangelina Rodríguez Perozo in her honor.

Elizabeth Manley: During the 1960s, post-Trujillo, Dominican feminist groups began to reclaim the names of women like Rodríguez, who had been pioneers in women’s empowerment.

Laura Gómez: Here’s Claudia Scharf, a Dominican pediatrician and medical professor.

Claudia Scharf (Voiceover): After Trujillo’s death, there was a renewed appreciation for Rodríguez’s contributions and the innovative public health strategies she introduced. Her work began to gain recognition from the 1960s onward.

Laura Gómez: In 1980, 33 years after Rodríguez’s death, Dr. Antonio Zaglul, who grew up in San Pedro de Macorís and knew Rodríguez as his family doctor, published the first biography about her. He had spent years gathering information on her life. Mercedes Fernández reflects on this.

Mercedes Fernández Asenjo (Voiceover): The publication of Rodríguez’s biography has played a significant role in making her story known to a broader audience.

Laura Gómez: Following the biography’s publication, a series of commemorative monuments honoring Rodríguez gradually began to appear across the country.

In 1985, the government issued a postal stamp featuring Rodríguez’s image. In 2014, a street in the capital was named after her, and more recently, the city’s public maternity hospital was renamed Hospital Materno Evangelina Rodriguez. It took decades, but Rodríguez’s story is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

Yet, before working on this podcast, I had never heard of her, and I know many other Dominicans haven’t either. She was never mentioned in our school curriculums, which I find upsetting.

Discovering her story has been profoundly meaningful for me. I feel a deep connection to this woman who fought tirelessly for our people, particularly for the health of Dominican women.

So, I decided to honor her properly by retracing her steps. That’s coming up after the break.

[Mid-roll]

Laura Gómez: On a sunny December morning, I drove to the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, located in the town where I grew up.

I was there to see the bust of Rodríguez that stands outside the medical school she once attended.

During this visit, I met with Alejandra Alemany, a fellow actor from Santo Domingo who portrayed Rodríguez in a theater production 13 years ago.

I felt that Alejandra could relate to what I’ve been experiencing. Both of us spent months immersed in Rodríguez’s world, exploring her challenges and achievements.

Standing next to her statue, as modern Dominican women who have both delved deeply into Rodríguez’s story, we experienced a mix of emotions. Here’s Alejandra.

Alejandra Alemany: I feel sad that she isn’t more widely recognized. Why aren’t there more books about her? Why aren’t there films?

Laura Gómez: Alejandra is dismayed that Rodríguez’s story isn’t more widely known. She believes it should be told through textbooks, movies, TV series… In the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters—Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa—are well-known for their resistance against Trujillo. Their names are familiar to everyone on the island.

Rodríguez’s bravery is comparable to that of the Mirabal sisters, and her story deserves to be equally well-known.

But at the same time, as women, we also feel a strong bond with Rodríguez and a responsibility to continue her legacy.

Laura Gómez: I feel a visceral connection to her strength.

Alejandra Alemany: Yes.

Laura Gómez: We’ve made significant progress since Rodríguez’s time, and many of the issues she championed have now become mainstream. Yet, looking at the Dominican Republic today, it’s clear that the struggle she devoted her life to is still ongoing. Women’s health in our country continues to lag behind that of many other Latin American nations. Maternal mortality rates are nearly one-third higher than the regional average, and these figures have worsened over the past 20 years. The rate of teenage pregnancy remains high, and there is no access to legal abortion, even in cases where the fetus isn’t viable or the woman’s life is at risk.

It’s astounding to me that despite the generational gap, so much of what Rodríguez fought for—women’s access to healthcare, our fundamental right to bodily autonomy—remains relevant and urgent today.

…the fact that we are so connected despite the historical distance between us is incredible.

Alejandra Alemany: Exactly…

Laura Gómez: I often wonder what Rodríguez would think of our country today, of the ongoing struggles—not just in the Dominican Republic but globally—for women’s health and reproductive rights.

Perhaps she would still be passionately advocating alongside us.

But I also hope she would feel some pride.

Similar Posts

• Apple TV+ Unveils Steamy Spanish Romcom ‘Love You To Death’ – First Look!
• Colman Domingo Proves His Acting Greatness in “The Madness”!
• Breaking News: Planet Nine’s Existence Could Soon Be Confirmed!
• Why Great Storytellers Live More Meaningful Lives – Discover How!
• Star Wars Saga Thrills Again with Fascinating Skeleton Crew Chapter!