Sandino's Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle

by Margaret Randall

"A collection of varied and amazing lives, all bent on shaping history. Together, these experienced, undeterred Nicaraguan women offer powerful clues about a truly revolutionary and democratizing feminism."––Adrienne Rich
"If it were not for writers like Margaret, how would women around the world find each other when there is such an institutional effort to keep us apart and silent? Here Margaret brings us the voice of Sandino's daughters, honoring his hat and wearing their own, wiser now, having been part of political and personal revolution."––Holly Near
"Powerful, moving, and challenging. Everyone interested in decency and justice will want to read Sandino's Daughters Revisited ."––Blanche Wiesen Cook
Sandino's Daughters , Margaret Randall's conversations with Nicaraguan women in their struggle against the dictator Somoza in 1979, brought the lives of a group of extraordinary female revolutionaries to the American and world public. The book remains a landmark. Now, a decade later, Randall returns to interview many of the same women and others. In Sandino's Daughters Revisited , they speak of their lives during and since the Sandinista administration, the ways in which the revolution made them strong––and also held them back. Ironically, the 1990 defeat of the Sandinistas at the ballot box has given Sandinista women greater freedom to express their feelings and ideas.
Randall interviewed these outspoken women from all walks of working-class Diana Espinoza, head bookkeeper of a employee-owned factory; Daisy Zamora, a vice minister of culture under the Sandinistas; and Vidaluz Meneses, daughter of a Somozan official, who ties her revolutionary ideals to her Catholicism. The voices of these women, along with nine others, lead us to recognize both the failed promises and continuing attraction of the Sandinista movement for women. This is a moving account of the relationship between feminism and revolution as it is expressed in the daily lives of Nicaraguan women.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Feminism, Politics, Gender Studies, College, Gender

220 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Margaret Randall is a feminist poet, writer, photographer and social activist. She has lived for extended periods in Albuquerque, New York, Seville, Mexico City, Havana, and Managua. Shorter stays in Peru and North Vietnam were also formative. In the turbulent 1960s she co-founded and co-edited EL CORNO EMPLUMADO / THE PLUMED HORN, a bilingual literary journal which for eight years published some of the most dynamic and meaningful writing of an era. From 1984 through 1994 she taught at a number of U.S. universities.

Margaret was privileged to live among New York’s abstract expressionists in the 1950s and early ’60s, participate in the Mexican student movement of 1968, share important years of the Cuban revolution (1969-1980), the first four years of Nicaragua’s Sandinista project (1980-1984), and visit North Vietnam during the heroic last months of the U.S. American war in that country (1974). Her four children—Gregory, Sarah, Ximena and Ana—have given her ten grandchildren: Lia, Martin, Daniel, Richi, Sebastian, Juan, Luis Rodrigo, Mariana, Eli, and Tolo. She has lived with her life companion, the painter and teacher Barbara Byers, for almost a quarter century.

Reviews

[Natalie Lerner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - a really inspiring look at Nicaraguan women revolutionaries. I learned a lot about the Nicaraguan Revolution, and there was also a lot that made me reflect on the state of the US and more broadly global left today.

[Boorrito · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main feeling about these women is how impressed and slightly in awe I am of them. They fought and suffered so hard to overthrow a corrupt regime and refused to be marginalised figures in a movement they believed in. Even if you don't agree with their politics, their toughness and strong character is something to be admired. I was also surprised at how many interviewees had young children (though birth control probably isn't a worry when you're fighting for national liberation), and how young many of them were themselves.

My main issue is how abrupt the end felt, my reaction was "wait, that's the end of the book?". Still I hope to have time to visit Sandino's Daughters Revisited soon, the follow-up book to this written after the victory of Violeta Chamorro in 1990 (and which I accidentally brought instead of this book for my class).

[Lara Mckaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible account of strong and empowering women. I wish that Randall had added more of her own voice in the narrative and given an overview of her own take on the liberation. I was waiting to hear more from her at the end of the book. But the ending was so abrupt that I was left wanting a deeper insight or discussion about the Nicaraguan women's movement as a whole, not only personal accounts. That being said, this is the first and one of the only books to come out after the Revolution that focuses on the women in the struggle and was very well put together. I ordered Sadino's daughters revisited and am interested to see what she has to say as well as speak with the women here - I am living in Nicaragua- to gather their insights

[Raquel Espinoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Nicaraguan who grew up in the states I wanted to find books that would teach me more about my history from the perspective of women. This book is filled with great inspirational stories that while I admire what the cause was about I cannot help but read this book With a bit of disdain. Knowing what happened with the Sandinistas and how they treated people after having won caused stirred up many emotions while I was reading. The reason for my family being in the States is because of the Sandinista regime. It’s hard to imagine how this fall of the top happened. Although the book does give some hints: how the movement started through the bourgeois class. When I ask my family and the other Nicaraguans around me how they feel about the Sandinistas in 2024 they talk with pain, heartbreak, grief and anger. But when I asked how they felt in the beginning they said it was a movement that brought hope, gave people free education and access to hospitals and medicines they otherwise wouldn’t have had. It’s sad reading what could have been knowing what happened. But I want to continue learning about the history and evolution to disgrace that ensued. It’s would like to know if this is discussed in the revisited interviews.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful and fascinating vignettes of the women of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua. Only a little disappointing for how dated it is... all the interviews occurred in the early 80s at the very beginning of the Sandinista regime, so if you want to know anything about how they dealt with the imperialist aggression of the 80s onward (e.g. the whole Contra-war made (in)famous by Reagan's Iran-Contra scandal) you will be left unsatisfied.

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It didn’t really tie everything together, but it was good regardless.

[Amanda Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandino's Daughters allows for a glimpse into an interestingly brief moment of history, when the Nicaraguan Revolution had been won and the Contra War had yet to begin. The tales of women from all sides of the revolution allow the reader to gain perspectives on different roles for women within the war as well as different class struggles. It may have been nicely wrapped up with a little more narration at the end, but still, it was truly touching to read about all of the spirit possessed by the women of Nicaragua.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blew me away. Far better than expected, even with the high recommendations. Published in 1981, this may be the first book published on the Nicaragua revolution. The role of women cannot be overstated and these interviews paint a great picture of the hardships they went through and the optimism they felt after the victory. I'm looking forward to the Revisited edition and reading how that optimism held up.

[KomalKaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. I particularly liked the fact that Randall interviewed women from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds to show that the FLSN was a true unifying force in Nicaragua.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Randall is one of our best allies in the struggle. She rocks!