NOT Finding Women in the Archives
The Case of Evgeniia Serebrennikova, Pioneering Woman Physician in Late Nineteenth-Century Russia
in Aspasia
Abstract
This article examines the life of one early woman doctor, Evgeniia Serebrennikova (1854–1897), a graduate of the St. Petersburg women’s medical courses and an eye doctor in Perm. Serebrennikova established an eye clinic in Perm, wrote numerous articles, gave talks at medical conferences at home and abroad, and was a fixture in Perm’s philanthropic life. Despite these achievements, there are few traces of her in the archives. The article also discusses the author’s research trajectory and the difficulties involved in finding evidence about women such as Serebrennikova.
Contributor Notes
Michelle DenBeste is currently serving as interim dean of the College of Social Sciences at California State University, Fresno. She received her PhD in history from Southern Illinois University. Her research and publications have focused on early Russian women doctors. Email: mdenbest@csufresno.edu.
