In her memoirs, Eva Perón claimed two, distinct identities: “Evita” and “Eva Perón.” Eva Perón was a president’s wife, like any other. She appeared at state functions, posed for photographs with foreign leaders, and hosted official dinners at the president’s mansion. Evita, on the other hand, was an emotional conduit, “a link stretched between the hopes of the people and the fulfilling hands of [Juan] Perón.” As you examine this photograph of Eva Perón taken at a 1951 ball celebrating Argentine independence, ask yourself why it was so important to her to claim a double identity. How did these identities help her navigate the dangerous political environment in which she and her husband operated?

Questions to Consider