Although the vast majority of streets in São Paulo have male names, there are also several streets named after women scattered throughout the city. After all, the capital of São Paulo is made up of women who have left their mark.
Next Sunday, March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day. That’s why we chose some of the streets, squares, and avenues named after iconic figures, whether for their political careers or for their importance in their times.
Maria Paula Street
This was the first street to be officially named after a woman, according to the Street Dictionary database. The Baroness of Limeira (Dona Francisca de Paula Souza e Mello) opened the street on land she owned, and it was opened to public traffic on May 14, 1894. The name was a tribute to Dona Maria Paula Machado, the baroness’s grandmother.
Anália Franco Street
Anália Franco graduated as a teacher in 1868, at only fifteen years of age. According to the Street Dictionary, she founded orphanages, nursing homes, reformatories, daycare centers, and nursery schools where she applied her own methods of education and teaching. In addition, she was very active in feminist magazines and also created her own magazine: Álbum das Meninas (Girls’ Album).
Maria Antônia Street
This street was opened on the farm of Maria Antônia da Silva Ramos between 1880 and 1883, and was one of the first to be established in the neighborhood that later received the name Higienópolis. In 1874, she decided to sell an area of her farm to Reverend Chamberlain, which later became part of the Mackenzie campus.
Dona Veridiana Street
Veridiana Valéria da Silva Prado was born in the heart of São Paulo. Daughter of Antonio da Silva Prado, the Baron of Iguape, she built a mansion for herself in the then neighborhood of Santa Cecília. Due to the symbolism of Veridiana’s mansion in the city, on March 20, 1888, city councilors changed the name of the former Santa Cecília Street to “Dona Veridiana Prado Street, “ later shortened to “Dona Veridiana Street.”
Angélica Avenue
Dona Maria Angélica Souza Queiroz was the daughter of barons and granddaughter of Brigadier Luís Antonio, a wealthy businessman who owned one of the largest fortunes of the time. When he decided to open the first streets on his property, they initially formed the neighborhood of Santa Cecília. According to the Dictionary of Streets, the current Angélica Avenue, the first to be opened, became known in 1895 as “Avenida Viúva Barros.”
Hebe Camargo Avenue
Hebe Maria Monteiro de Camargo Ravagnani was a famous radio and TV presenter. Her family moved to the capital of São Paulo in 1943, when Hebe was 14 years old. Just one year later, she started as a singer on Tupi radio, performing on the Clube Papai Noel program. In addition, she presented several programs on SBT and Record.
Pérola Byington Square
Pérola Ellis Byington was born in Santa Bárbara d’Oeste, São Paulo, on December 3, 1879. She was a Brazilian philanthropist and social activist, daughter of American immigrants. In 1932, Pérola played an active and prominent role in the Constitutionalist Revolution: at the head of her Pro-Childhood Crusade, she volunteered on the São Paulo side of the conflict.
Anita Garibaldi Street
This street has had the following names: “Rua Detrás da Cadeia” ( Behind the Jail Street) (18th century) and “Rua do Trem” (Train Street) ( from 1865). In 1907, however, it was officially named Anita Garibaldi in honor of the heroine Ana Maria de Jesus Ribeiro da Silva, born in Morrinhos (SC) in 1821 and died in Italy in 1849. She participated, alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi, in the Farrapos War (RS).
Anita Malfatti Street
Finally, another street named after a woman in São Paulo is named after Anita Malfatti. The famous artist was born on December 2, 1889, in São Paulo. In 1917, she promoted an exhibition of her paintings, which is now considered the first Modern exhibition in Brazil. For this reason, Anita was a pioneer of the modernist movement in São Paulo, which would materialize in the Modern Art Week in 1922.