Marie Léopold-Lacour (née, Jourdan; also known as Mary Léopold Lacour; 6 January 1859 - 5 December 1942) was a French feminist activist, journalist, playwright, poet, and storyteller. She was a champion of mixed-gender schools. Lacour died in 1942.

Biography

Marie-Rachel Jourdan was born 6 January 1859, in

Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...

. She contributed to feminist journals such as '' La Fronde'', founded by

Marguerite Durand Marguerite Durand (24 January 1864 – 16 March 1936) was a French stage actress, journalist, and a leading suffragette. She founded her own newspaper, and ran for election. She is also known for having a pet lion. The Bibliothèque Margueri ...

. Wife of the feminist writer

Léopold Lacour Léopold Lacour (9 February 1854 – 1939) was an influential French teacher, sociologist, writer and feminist. Biography Léopold Lacour was born in 1854. He attended the ''École Normale Supérieure'' and graduated with distinction. He then ta ...

, she shared his passion for mixed-gender education. She spoke at the

International Congress of Women The International Congress of Women was created so that groups of existing women's suffrage movements could come together with other women's groups around the world. It served as a way for women organizations across the nation to establish formal ...

of 1896, in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, chaired by

Marie Bonnevial Marie Bonnevial (28 June 1841 - 4 December 1918) was a French teacher and women's rights activist. She became Grand Mistress of the Supreme Council of Le Droit Humain. Early years Marie Bonnevial was born on 28 June 1841 in Rive-de-Gier, Loire, t ...

, describing the state of mixed-gender schools in Europe, and responding to the arguments of their opponents. In ''Literature'' (Harper and Brothers, 1898), Léopold-Lacour's name was included on a list of potential members if an Academy of Ladies was formed in Paris, several meetings already having been held to deliberate on the scheme. She participated in the planning committee of the "Condition et Droits" Congress, September 1900. Mary Leopold-Lacour died 5 December 1942, in

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...

Selected works

Opera libretto

* ''Vlasta'', opera

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

, with Mrs. Paul Poirson * ''Sylvain et Gaël'',

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

libretto, with Mrs. Paul Poirson

Pantomime

* ''L'Héritage de Pierrot'',

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

in 2 acts, performed in Paris, at the Théâtre de l'Application (Les Escholiers), 20 May 1892 * ''Le Rendez-vous ou Plus fort que la mort'', pantomime, (Les Escholiers), * ''Les Morts aimés'', pantomime, (Les Escholiers) * ''Nuit d'hyménée !'', pantomime, (Les Escholiers), * ''Don Juan aux enfers'', ballet-pantomime in 1 act, music by Henri José, performed at the

Casino de Paris The Casino de Paris, located at 16, rue de Clichy, in the 9th arrondissement, is one of the well known music halls of Paris, with a history dating back to the 18th century. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it is a performance venue, not ...

, 29 November 1897 * ''La Chambre des aïeux'', pantomime in 1 act, 10 scenes, published in ''Les Saisons'', autumn 1921

Plays

* ''Un pauvre bûcheron'', play in 1 act, published in ''La Pensée sur la Côte d'Azur'', ca. 1923, and performed in Paris, at the

Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe The Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe (; "European Music Hall"; formerly the Théâtre de l'Odéon ; "Music Hall") is one of France's six national theatres. It is located at 2 Rue Corneille in the 6th arrondissement of Paris on the left bank of the ...

, 20 December 1923

Sketches

* ''La Sérénade inutile'', sketch published in ''La Pensée sur la Côte d'Azur'', ca. 1929

Articles

* Mary Leopold Lacour, "Madame

Gabrielle Réval Gabrielle Réval (also G. Réval) was the pen name of Gabrielle Élise Victoire Logerot (20 December 1869 – 15 October 1938), a French novelist and essayist. Biography Gabrielle Réval was born as Gabrielle Élise Victoire Logerot on 20 Decemb ...

", '' Femina'', 1 October 1903, p. 685.

References

External links

*
RAPPORT DE MME MARY LÉOPOLD-LACOUR, RAPPORTEUR, PREMIÈRE PARTIE, Historique et Tableau de la Coeducation a l'etranger et en France.
, CONGRES INTERNATIONAL DE LA CONDITION & DES DROITS DES FEMMES. Tenu les 5, 6, 7 et 8 Septembre 1900. A L'EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE, Au Palais de l'Economie sociale et des Congrès. (in French) {{DEFAULTSORT:Leopold-Lacour, Marie 1859 births 1942 deaths 19th-century French journalists 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights 19th-century French poets 20th-century French journalists 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights 20th-century French poets French feminists French activists French women activists French storytellers French women dramatists and playwrights People from Royan 19th-century French women journalists 20th-century French women journalists