Dr. Saheir AI Qalamawi: Schehrezade of contemporary literary life
Egypt, People, 7/20/2001

Dr. Saheir AI Qalamawi: Schehrezade of Contemporary Literary Life July 20th, 1911- May 4th, 1997

Dr. Saheir AI Qalamawi is one of the pioneering women who joined the university, during a time women were still dressed in veil. She wanted to study medicine, but the English dean refused to admit her simply for being "a girl". Dr. "Taha Hussein" sponsored her as she joined the Faculty of Arts, to study Arabic language.

She later became the most brilliant and most loyal student of Dr. Taha Hussein. She was the first Egyptian female to hold Ph.D. in Literature.

She belongs to a great generation of men and women who contributed to the formation of the Egyptian conscience and emotions since the Thirties.

Steps on the Road : Born on 20/7/1911.

Completed her primary and secondary education at the American College for Girls in Cairo (known now as Ramses College for Girls).

In 1929, she was one of the first girls who joined the Egyptian university. She was sponsored by Dr. Taha Hussein when the British Dean refused to admit her to the Faculty of Medicine, simply because she was a female and her secondary education was American. So, as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts then, Dr. Taha Hussein offered to admit her to the Arabic Language Department.

She was the only girl student in the Department together with other fourteen male students. She was the most outstanding student of her class.

In 1932, she was chosen by Dr. Taha Hussein as the Managing Editor of "AI Gami'a AI Masryia" (The Egyptian University) magazine. He himself was the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. Thus, as a student, she had an access to the world of journalism.

In 1933, she was the first girl to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, Arabic Language Department, with the top grade of her class.

After obtaining her B.A., she worked as an editor at "Kawkab El Shark" magazine, then "AI Ressala" and "AI Wadi" magazines. She wrote articles on women.

In 1934, she worked as an announcer at the Egyptian Radio when it was opened in May 1934.

In 1936, she was the first female lecturer at the Faculty of Arts.

In 1937, she obtained her M.A. Her thesis was on the "Literature of the Khawarij".

In 1938, she was the first female student to travel on a mission to France to obtain Ph.D. at Sorbonne University.

In 1941, she obtained her Ph.D. from the Egyptian University in folkloric art. Her thesis was an analytical study on "Thousand and One Nights", for which she obtained the Arabic Language Academy Award in 1943.

She was the first Egyptian girl to hold Ph.D. in Literature.

In 1941, she was appointed a professor at the Faculty of Arts, and assumed many posts, until she became Head of the Arabic Language Department at the Faculty in 1958; a post which she had maintained for ten years.

In October 1959, she was appointed a professor of folkloric arts at Cairo University.

In December 1960, she was elected chairman of the International Women Conference held in Addiss Ababa.

In December 1962, she formed a committee supervising the Palestinian girls students, where she paid great attention to the Palestinian issue.

In 1968, UNESCO chose her to chair the Arab Culture Committee.

Dr. Saheir AI Qalamawi devoted all her life to community issues, women's and childhood problems. In 1992, she fell sick and died on May 4th, 1997, at the age of 86.

Awards: The Arabic Language Academy Award in 1943 for her Ph.D. on "One Thousand and One Nights" The State Award of Merit for Literature in 1955, she was the first lady to obtain it.

The State Award of Merit for Literature, equally with Dr. Shawqi Dheif in 1963.

Abdel Nasser Award given by the Soviet Union in 1976.

The State Award of Merit for Literature in 1977.

The Order of the Republic (First Class) in 1978.

Honorary Doctorate from the American University in Cairo in 1987.

Major works: She is the most outstanding student of Dean of the Arabic Literature Dr. Taha Hussein, who was her godfather. She made use of her father's library that was abundant in masterpieces of great writers. Her readings in this library had the effect of polishing her literary talent.

Dr. Saheir AI Qalamawi was an example of the Arab woman who believed that woman should devote her life to three aspects; "home, education and work". She believed that woman was a partner of man , both complement each other and woman's problems are inseparable from those of man.

She played a tangible role in the cultural life. She was the first to establish a book shop at AI Azbakeya theatre hall to sell books at low prices.

She laid down many important scientific criteria pertinent to scientific research.

She was the first to introduce the teaching of contemporary Egyptian literature, as well as folkloric literature to the university curricula.

She was the first to sponsor the first international book fair in Egypt in 1969, including a children books corner. This later turned into an annual children book fair.

As an assistant professor, she supervised and discussed more than 50 Ph.D. theses.

She introduced the analysis of art and literature in university curricula and paved the way for women to express themselves in poetry and prose.

She represented the Egyptian and Arab woman in international conferences.

She wrote more than 80 books, most famous of which are:

"Tales of My Grandmother," 1935.

"The Literature of AI khawarij," 1941.

"One Thousand and one Nights", 1943.

"Simulation in Folkloric Art", 1950

"The World in a Book", 1958.

"The Sun Set", 1965.

"The Devils Play and Dance", 1965.

She also translated many works such as "Taming of the Shrew" by Shakespeare, "The Message of Plato", The Book of Wonders" and "The Use of Knowledge"; Chinese tales.

She founded and published most important cultural magazines, such as "AI Fekr AI Moua'ser" (Contemporary Thinking), The Theatre, The Cinema, The Music, The Arts magazines and a series of international and Arabic plays.

She published the series of cultural books which were sold at very low prices (2 piastres).

She called for allocating 0.5% of the State budget to promote the creativity of the Egyptian child, and participated in compiling an encyclopedia for children.

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