Sources for writing the history of young women: dialogues between the diaries of Helena Morley and Bernardina Constant

The article analyzes the use of diaries on the writing of the history of youth, establishing a dialogue between two documents, written by Brazilian women who were transitioning from childhood to adulthood in the late 19th century. On the one hand, the article analyzes the conditions of production, conservation, and publication of the diaries. On the other hand, it focuses on the authors’ social experiences, considering their generational and gender identities, as well as their social and racial contexts and their familial relationships. By studying these diaries, it is possible to apprehend the possibilities and limits of social participation of the young women of that period, observing the singularities of each narrative.

Keywords
history; youth; women; diary